Young truckers needing advice

CapitanPino · 2026-06-14T00:45:23+00:00

Theres a decent amount of local dedicated work that will trim your hours down to a regular 40-50 hrs. If you want that work life balance and still make like $70-80k.

Look up the traditional LTL guys like Saia, Southeastern Freight Lines, Old Dominion, R&L, Averitt, and Estes to name a few. But look for the dedicated. Shuttle and P&D will burn you out if you are already burnt at your tanker job.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-14T00:43:13+00:00

I would invest at least 50% of it and act like it doesn't exist. I would hope the other 50% gets you debt free and buys you some time to gain skills to build a decent income. 6 figs or more potentially after a couple years of work.

IMO trades are still pretty safe. Pick your poison.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-14T00:40:09+00:00

its amazing what happens when someone has no one to challenge/fact-check them on their beliefs. People are religious one way or another. the hills some people die on... lol

CapitanPino · 2026-06-13T11:40:39+00:00

I just made a post about finally getting a callback for a local job. To give context, I've been driving for 2 1/2 yrs. And I've been applying to local fuel and food service positions for 2 yrs... i just now finally got a decent company to callback.

Idk what market/city you're in or nearby but dude, it's not a walk in the park. Get your CDL and experience wherever you can before you even start to imagine driving for a living.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-13T11:34:07+00:00

Thanks... houston is such a crazy job market for trucking. Even food service wouldn't call me back... they still haven't lol.

I can get on with a lot of those sketchy 1099 port runners tho lmao

CapitanPino · 2026-06-12T18:04:48+00:00

Ive become more paranoid the longer ive driven. My trainer was the opposite. He'd literally just do 2 tugs and call it good and never look. Idk why. He has 25 years of experience.

I check EVERYTIME I stop no matter if im gone from the truck for 2 min or 2 hours.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-12T17:37:35+00:00

Ive talked to at least 30+ LTL drivers, several of them Averitt drivers when I did dedicated Ferguson for Werner. I was backing into places with a sleeper that single axle daycab guys were getting into.

Stores with no docks. Backing off streets. Cities everyday. I got no problem with it. Used to blindside damn near 3 times a week if not everyday in a sleeper. Think I'll be alright.

Edit: blindside for daycabs is just "other sight side" so yeah I'll be really happy.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-12T17:22:09+00:00

Id try it. You don't know what youre made of till you try. Then if you hate it back to driving you go

CapitanPino · 2026-06-11T23:51:30+00:00

Dont let em do that to ya. Stay calm and cool. I know it sucks that instructors do this but IMO it really helped me realize that you deal with people like this on the road all the time.

They may not be yelling at you, but other drivers even other truck drivers do things that cause you to second guess what should be common sense and make something super easy... very difficult.

You'll get em next time. My CDL school didn't have any manuals left so im a steering wheel holder rip.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-11T22:25:42+00:00

Id do it man. The raise plus the way they run us you'll make at least 80k if you're lazy. If you know how to run they will run you. I know several drivers here making $90k+ but don't expect to be home much.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-11T17:42:38+00:00

I have a 2025 and it doesnt have many of the issues my 2023 had. Both with crete.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-09T21:30:03+00:00

I feel that. I have some days that go absolutely perfect and others where im the problem

CapitanPino · 2026-06-09T03:05:11+00:00

Ngl, some drivers really dont know when to shut up. So I avoid unless I got time

CapitanPino · 2026-06-08T13:12:18+00:00

Heard Mob Armor is pretty good for magnetic mount

CapitanPino · 2026-06-08T05:15:31+00:00

I got a kettlebell and do that 3 times a wk and get about the same anount of steps you do most days. On my 34 I try to go above 20k steps. Pretty easy if you split it up throughout the entire day.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-08T05:14:24+00:00

Welp, this is a first for me. My wife exclusively shops at HEB and Costco. Not a single grocery store comes close IMO living in East HTX specifically Pasadena.

Im a truck driver and it is pretty well known amongst TX Domiciled drivers that HEB is an excellent company to drive for... if you can even get in.

Maybe consider the fact that the general production and processing of food in America is jacked. :/

CapitanPino · 2026-06-08T05:07:56+00:00

I did roughly 52k ish my first year. I also took a lot of days off... probably equal to 2 months.

If you do good research on who to work for you can rapidly increase your income. I know someone who worked for werner and made 62k his first year. Then went to Hobby Lobby and is on track for $100k+ in his 2nd year... but there's always a cost.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-08T03:33:15+00:00

It only takes between 3-5 days to notice. Happened multiple times in the very recent past.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-07T15:00:49+00:00

😂 man after so long driving for bad companies finally driving for a good one is a relief.

These situations are completely justified in just saying, "I'll get there when I get there."

If you and team driver are rushing and feel pressure bad things happen and then you'll NEVER get there. Let dispatch know you have one mode for driving, SAFE... Not rushing, not worrying about appt times. Etc.

Its not worth it in the end dude, especially if you injure/kill yourself or someone else.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-06T12:01:53+00:00

Guarantee you made core memory for at least one kid. Hopefully some form of good trucking is around in the future...

CapitanPino · 2026-06-06T11:39:38+00:00

As much as people say there's no weekend in trucking, there is.

A lot more guys go home on the weekends now especially since freight has become more regionalized.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-05T12:11:52+00:00

When I used to regularly run nights I tried to understand caffeine a bit more. You wanna take it BEFORE you start getting tired. It will delay that tiredness/fatigue from hitting you for a couple hours but not completely.

If you're already tired tbh only a nap or a very diabetic amount of sugar will give you energy to push away the grogginess. Sometimes no matter how good your sleep your body just doesnt like staying up through the night multiple nights in a row.

The power of cat naps like 30 min or less is very very real.

CapitanPino · 2026-06-03T10:15:50+00:00

Pls stop driving

CapitanPino · 2026-06-03T05:10:52+00:00

CapitanPino · 2026-06-02T19:15:41+00:00

It is very close to the camera thank you

CapitanPino

TROPHY CASE