help pls!!!!!!!!

busdoctor

Member
hi to everyone! im a newbie and want to get into trucking business ive been working as mechanic for 18 yrs. have some question hoping you guys can help me decide?!!!!!!!
1) do you guys think its a good idea for me switch carrer?
2) local or interstate driving?
3) what truck is good?
4) used or new?
5) what engine, trans. and rearend combination is most common? i work on c12,c13 and s60 all the time but maybe there is a better option? also thinking of using the trucktor for towing buses by mounting detachable tow atachment.
6) what to look for on used trucks?
7) auto or manual?
any inputs is gladly apreciated! thanks in advance!!!!!!!....................
 
To start with, you will never know unless you try. If you are not liking what you are doing, and think you want to get into trucking, then give it a shot. You only live once.

Most local companies are going to require Over The Road experience, so you will most likely need to get some OTR experience in.

If you have never driven before and don't have a CDL, you are going to be looking at going to school, then going out on the road with a trainer for a few weeks no matter where you go.

As for the type of truck and all, I wouldn't be concerned with that. Most companies keep equipment that is 4 years old or less.
 
i like your moto you only live once! i use that all the time too!
specially if they tell me not eat something not good for my health he! he! he! i have class b cdl i know ill be needing class a. i love my job right now just that the money is the same even if i work harder.
 
Then you will definitely have to go to school, and you have a couple choices there. You can go to a school on your own (paying out of your pocket), or you can find a company that will send you to school.

If you pay for it yourself, there are companies out there that will hire you, and reimburse the cost of your school once you stay with them. If a company sends you to school, you may very well have to sign a contract to stay with them for a set amount of time.
 
i think im misleading you guys about my question. what i want to do is become an owner operator i know i still have to get the right cdl. but do you think its a good idea to buy my own truck? i have a regular job. But I'm scared to quit without knowing the ins and outs of tracking business specially being an owner operator.
 
If you become an owner operator, you will still have to lease your truck on with a company, and without any verifiable driving experience, it will be tough to find a company to let you lease your truck to them.

The best bet would be to go through schooling/training to get your Class A CDL, and work as a company driver for at least a few months. Buying a truck is a big and expensive decision, and if you decided this wasn't the lifestyle for you, then you are stuck with a huge truck payment and the difficult task of trying to sell the truck.

I would strongly advise taking the company driver route for a few months at least to make sure this is something you want to continue with. I happen to love what I am doing, but it is a tough transition for many, which is why there is such a shortage of truck drivers. The majority don't make it past their 1st year. This is not to discourage you in any way, just don't want to sugar coat it like what will happen once you start talking to employees/recruiters.
 
thanks for the input guys! looks like its not easy to be an o/o coz if i go w/it i will have to quit my regular job and like what you guys said ill be stock w/the truck although not planing on getting a new one i still have to pay it. how about tow truck? any opinnion on this? thanks again
 
Never driven a tow truck, but I guess it would depend on what you are doing with it. Repo work can pay decent, but it comes with it's own set of dangers.

Back to driving OTR, starting out as a company driver would be a good idea, and the money is still good. As long as you are making payments on a truck, the income of an owner operator and a company driver are not that much different. You might find that once you get out in a company truck and think about the additional responsibilities that you would have if you were an owner operator, you might actually want to stay as a company driver.
 
Hello busdoctor...I just wanted to ask you what your thoughts were on staying out (away from home) for lengthy periods of time. You definitely have to consider whether you are willing to be away from your family and whether they can deal with you being away for those periods of time. OTR driving is not only an adjustment for you, but also for your family.
 
Only you can decide if this is the right career move for you. Ask yourself, do you see yourself behind a wheel for the next 20 yrs of your life? Would you be happy in a confined place for hrs on end? Can you handle the isolation of being on the road? How understanding would your family be about you being away from them for weeks at a time?
 
Only you can decide if this is the right career move for you. Ask yourself, do you see yourself behind a wheel for the next 20 yrs of your life? Would you be happy in a confined place for hrs on end? Can you handle the isolation of being on the road? How understanding would your family be about you being away from them for weeks at a time?

Wow, you really hit it head on. So many people only ask about pay, kind of truck and things that don't matter. The real questions are the lifestyle questions.
 
A lot of what you asked about is subjective, and everyone will have a different opinion based on their own experience. For example, I prefer interestate driving, but some people want local because they want to be home at night.
 
How come ?

A lot of people on here don't like showing where you are from on your post info? I think it would at least help to understand some things simply by knowing your location of the country. I would even like to know who you all work for. What kind of truck and tranny you drive. What year model, how many miles? You may have a reason for not, and there may be good reasons. I am new to this and don't know any past history of why you don't want to give out too much info, maybe I am naive.

Just looking for info for new career ... MGray / Ringgold GA
 
A lot of people on here don't like showing where you are from on your post info? I think it would at least help to understand some things simply by knowing your location of the country. I would even like to know who you all work for. What kind of truck and tranny you drive. What year model, how many miles? You may have a reason for not, and there may be good reasons. I am new to this and don't know any past history of why you don't want to give out too much info, maybe I am naive.

Just looking for info for new career ... MGray / Ringgold GA


the reason i don't post my company name is because there are some real weirdos on the interweb and your really not sure what somebody would do if they saw your truck. i keep it pretty private and only a few people know where i work at since i know them . it's just all about being safe.
 

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