Husband And Wife Starting Out Together

Me and my husband are considering getting our CDL together and going otr. I have just moved into the country (I come from Czech rep.) and it is very difficult for me to find a job in rural Iowa (somehow I'm overqualified and not qualified enough for anything at the same time). He suggested doing this as he too needs a change of pace and we hear that team driving can make decent money. Originally we wanted to settle down and start a family once I get my visa/green card and move to the states, but since the housing market and economy in general are what they are, we are now leaning towards the path of working for a few years and saving up as much as possible and then buy a house etc.

Since my husband is working full time, I am the one doing most of the reaserch into this. I called the local cdl/ truck driving school and was informed that they run courses for beginners starting May (as to not teach newbs on ice), which gives us more time to think about everything and consider all the pros and cons. We will be paying for it ourselves (in case that's relevant). My first question is, how feasible it is for a company to hire two brand new drivers as a team? I assume there will be more training to be done once we get hired for a company, but we don't really know what to expect or how things have changed since the last year's mandate. Most of the info on husband/wife teams is about couples where the man is already an experienced trucker and then the wife joins him, but I can't find much about how to start out togehter, if it is possible at all. Another question I have is, is team driving reserved to OTR only, or is it possible to find a regional job like that as well? . And what would be a reasonable expectation as for pay these days?

I know none of you can tell us whether or not this will be a good path for us and I see all kinds of contrasting opinions online, including those claiming trucking is a dying industry (I don't quite believe that, not in this country), but I will appreciate any insight or tips on what to consider that we might not even know about. Thank you.

My question is, how long have you guys been in the US and how long have you had a driver's license for a personal vehicle?

Others will be along before long to answer your questions...I gave to get rolling to my receiver.

Laura

Do you have an immigration Visa now? Have you had a US driver's license at all? What about any documentation of US work history? These are just some minimum requirements you will need before you can be employed by any reputable trucking company.

Many companies are looking for team drivers, and especially husband and wife teams.

Trucking is far from a dying industry. It's the complete opposite by a long shot.

There may be some regional team jobs, but team trucks are normally for the lengthier trips across several states in a few days.

I would recommend that you use the Search Bar at the top of the page, and perform any research you need on here. Much more reliable than Google, Indeed, or general internet sites.

My question is, how long have you guys been in the US and how long have you had a driver's license for a personal vehicle?

Others will be along before long to answer your questions...I gave to get rolling to my receiver.

Laura

My husband is a US citizen and has had a license for 10 years. I have had my driver's license for around 8 years and now I am in the process of getting Iowa ID. I mentioned that when I called the driving school and the lady didn't say anything. Now I'm looking at another driving school that we're considering and on their website it says "Must have held a valid drivers license for 2 years. " so I hope that doesn't mean "valid US driver's license.

Do you have an immigration Visa now? Have you had a US driver's license at all? What about any documentation of US work history? These are just some minimum requirements you will need before you can be employed by any reputable trucking company.

Many companies are looking for team drivers, and especially husband and wife teams.

Trucking is far from a dying industry. It's the complete opposite by a long shot.

There may be some regional team jobs, but team trucks are normally for the lengthier trips across several states in a few days.

I would recommend that you use the Search Bar at the top of the page, and perform any research you need on here. Much more reliable than Google, Indeed, or general internet sites.

I'm here on a marriage based visa, so I got a green card right away (aka, I can legally work here). I'm just getting my US driver's license. I honestly haven't considered that not having had a US driver's license for some period of time could be a problem (since I've had a driver's license for 8 years). I don't have any history of work in the US, except I have worked for a US based company and my bosses were US based, so that could maybe help.

Teresa, you should seriously consider applying to a company like Schneider for their training program that would take you and hubby from start to finish, pay your expenses, pay you while training and then give you two a job if successfully completing their program. I only mention Schneider because I’m somewhat familiar with them and they could train you in Green Bay. But you could start calling recruiters from other big companies and ask your questions about the validity of your license. The information you get should let you know how to proceed.

Check out these links:

Paid CDL Training Programs

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Truck Driving School"

Truck Driving School ListingsBecoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

Now I'm looking at another driving school that we're considering and on their website it says "Must have held a valid drivers license for 2 years. " so I hope that doesn't mean "valid US driver's license.

Unfortunately for you, yes it does mean a U. S. Driver License has been held by you for 2 years. None of your former country's driving counts here in the States when applying to get a CDL.

Laura

So, as Laura points out, you can’t go to CDL training because you haven’t had a US driver’s license for two years, then you need an alternative to team driving. What about the hubby going to company sponsored school/training with a company that allows riders from day one? When he goes out solo, you could go with him, just not as a co-driver. You could be of great value to him as a navigator, spotter, etc. Then when you qualify for CDL training, you would have a great head start in the profession. Just an idea to consider.

Do NOT pay for a local school. Yours is a situation where the school will take your money and not care that you cannot get hired elsewhere. You need to apply for company sponsored training in order to not get used in this case.

There are options once you have had your US license for what I thought was 1 year. Some companies will train the husband and wife at the local school... But there is an OTR training portion that must be done separately. My company would allow him to come first, get his CDL and full training, then allow him to train you for the OTR portion once you get your CDL. You would get your CDL from another instructor.