Applaud New Women In Trucking: But Beware....

My husband and I got our CDL's in 2000. We both loved it. I was injured pulling out the pin to slide our tandems and ripped my shoulder muscle pretty badly. Luckily we were with a great company who took good care of me. I ended up having to quit because I had to have surgery and was not 100% sure I would be able to drive again :( Well eventually I was, but it took a while. Anyway point is while driving big truck is really loads of fun it is also very stressful with lots of hard work and VERY long hours. Be careful what company you decide to join. Some of them are trying to enforce teams and unless your money is going to the same bank account, this is NOT a good idea. They will make it sound good and try and convince you that you will make more money, but the truth is what little more you may make is not worth placing your life in someone else's hands. While I have not driven for about 3 years I am sure it has not changed much for company drivers. They can and will expect you to run 24/7 . And if you deliver and they do not have a reload right away you will be expected to take your break at that time (even if it was morning delivery and you got there the night before so thus slept all night). Then they will find you a load late in the day and you will be expected to run all night with it. There are lots of 'bad' companies out there, and some good ones too. But if you got the stamina and the financing I would suggest you buy your own truck and go thru a factoring company. My husband bought a truck last year and brings home over 5k every week almost. This is minus their fees and fuel costs. Sure repairs are expensive but he has been able to keep on top of it plus pay off all his credit cards (they were about 20,000) plus keep up with home. He also has 9k in the bank now. Not sure if we can give out company names in this forum or I would. But the people he works with are good honest folks. We have an accountant who does our IFTA every quarter and he gets our state mileage so we don't have to keep track of it, and only charges $50. Husband picks and chooses his loads before the company books them. He gets home most often every week, sometimes he stays out longer if there is alot of freight. But he gets home often. We would have gotten a truck when we were teaming, but every one advised against it. Think it is because they did not want more competition on the road. But he likes what he is doing and he has time to shower every day and eat 3 times a day. And he really needs to eat as he is a little man ;) . But sure wish the best of luck to all you women who want to join in this 'man's ' job. I love it and hope to be getting back in the truck myself soon. Just got to get this pretrip info down lol, I forget the names of stuff real easy. Know what to look for but as far as naming the part I have bad trouble with it. Wish I had not lost my CDL 4 years ago because of owing 500 child support :( My fault for not getting it redone after I was able to pay it up. Did not realize I had to go to the DOT and do it :( Oh well, Good luck ladies !!!

I'm glad your husband is enjoying being an O/O, and I'm gonna assume that he is leased to a company...Its all in the figures...AND its in the freight and the area you run. We were O/O's for 15 years, and financially, it was great as long as we teamed. but when I broke my leg, and was off the truck for 2 years dealing with that, the financial part of it went in the crapper. We ran all lower 48 states..and its proven that the long runs are the money runs...everyone knows that. Short hops are a killer to O/O's...time is money...if the wheels ain't rollin' you ain't makin' any $$$. And when the breakdowns start hittin' it really gets ugly. When we blew our Cat engine, the $27K bill about did me in....I'd think if the truck was paid for, it would be easier...thats about $1500.00 a month that isn't going out. But by the time (and probably before) the truck is paid off, its also wore out...so you either keep it and run an wrench, or you go under for a newer truck and more payments...its not an easy business to get into, or stay in...I, for one was on my knees thanking the good Lord, when I sold our last truck...Right now the profit margin is 3%....thats not a safe market...