Got My Class-A Permit, Now Looking For A Trucking Company
Topic 34378 | Page 1
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Paul J.'s Comment
1 month ago
I updated, reworded and reposted this topic to the general section of the forum to follow the advice someone gave me here. Only reason this post still exists HERE is because I haven't figured out how to delete it yet.
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Hello, I'm going through the learning process of trying to become a full time over the road trucker.
My personal life is mobile so I'm wanting to be able to basically live on the road and be 'home' as little as possible, so "over the road" type jobs is what I'm looking for.
I got a 6 month DOT certification, and this week got a class-A permit.
I'm in the long process of upgrading my 6 month DOT to a 2year. Got a sleep study done and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Due to sleep labs being back logged, the soonest appointment for a 2nd sleep study I have to do "to determine what setting to use on a CPAP" is October 9th.
Recruiter from Wilson Logistics told me that I have to wait until I obtain a CPAP and start using it before he can go forward with my application with him. So I'm trying to read and learn about as many different "pay to train to get a CDL in exchange for a 9month-2yr contract with a company" opportunities as I can.
I have no idea what to look for in a company. A few times I've been told by recruiters that I could make up to 6 figures a year as a driver...but then tell me that I would get paid .50 cents/hour at a rate of 2000-3000 miles/week. But even then I have been told by truckers that 3000 miles/week is unreasonable and that likely as a new driver I might get barely over 2,000 miles a week for a long time.
Did the math and .50/mile for 2,100 miles/week = 50k/year .50/mile for 3,000 miles/week = 72k/year
So where is this "potential 6 figures a year" idea coming from???
Other trucking companies I talk to promise up to 6 figures a year but when I do some digging I'm seeing about the same amount of pay.
I want to take my time and "do it right" when getting into this trade. I am currently an Amazon van driver and also a doordash driver so I got that to keep me busy while I'm going through the process of upgrading my 6 month DOT to a 2year DOT, getting a CPAP machine, all while exploring "getting paid to train to get CDL" opportunities.
I'm new to this site and am still exploring it and absorbing the info I'm finding here like a sponge. And YES I'm googling all this and talking to any truckers I meet whenever I'm at a truck stop (during my Amazon delivery breaks) to ask for advice.
I feel it would be wise to get on any good trucker forums I can find as well in regards to seeking advice.
Is this whole 75k/year-90k/year a bunch of nonsense? I know I will make more money after I complete my contract with a Trucker company that'll pay me to train to get my CDL with them, but I don't want to be BROKE until I'm free of the contract so I can get a well paying job like being a Walmart Trucker or something that requires at least a year of experience before they would accept my job application.
Thanks in advance for any advice people can give me on this subject.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.