Starting A New Career

Question as any newcomer..What's the best way to check out trucking as your next career? And also as income starting out the first yr driving? Thank you..

Thomas, welcome !

You'll find just about anything and everything you'll need information and education wise right here on this website. Rate of pay information is generally on the individual company sites but there are so many members here who run with various companies, you might not have to look that far.

Sorry, fat fingers as I was scrolling down to type more. The pay scale will be determinate on what type of trucking you plan to do. You can be paid cpm cents per mile, a percentage of the load value or if you're looking for a local route, even by the hour. There are a lot of variables to how your pay will break down once you figure how you want to drive and what. Van, flatbed, reefer , tanker and such all have their perks and all pay differently.

Sorry, fat fingers as I was scrolling down to type more. The pay scale will be determinate on what type of trucking you plan to do. You can be paid cpm cents per mile, a percentage of the load value or if you're looking for a local route, even by the hour. There are a lot of variables to how your pay will break down once you figure how you want to drive and what. Van, flatbed, reefer , tanker and such all have their perks and all pay differently.

thank you I had been welding for the same factory for 17 yrs due cutback and laying off every year paycheck to paycheck getting smaller.. Always wanted to drive but not sure if its worth walking away from same job all these years.. The $$$ is the deal breaker to do it or not..

Hey Thomas, the perfect place to start is our Truck Driver's Career Guide. That will cover about every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway. Follow all of the links you come across in that guide.

Just to add to Brett's response. I made a thread about my first years income. Check it out below. Trucking is performance-based. The more productive you are, the more you make. Be sure to note the inconsistency of the paychecks.

Daniel B.'s First Year Income

Thanks for all the infor.. Been learning a bunch from this site.. Have a safe trip out there.. Hope I meet you all soon once I firgure out which school and time to get it done 😊

Hey Thomas, the perfect place to start is our Truck Driver's Career Guide. That will cover about every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway. Follow all of the links you come across in that guide.

.. Okay thank you!! I had been learning a lot thru this site.. Only problem I have is that I am a semi deaf with the use of a cochlear implant.. ( like a robotic hearing aids) I seen the list of the dot physical.. Has anybody had a hearing test of a force whisper at 5 ft??

Its part of the physical for certain. I was a little worried before my first dot physical ( a bunch of concerts in my youth) . Basically about the sound of wind when there is a heavy breeze in a car. Hope that helps