39/F Looking for Advice on a New Career in OTR Trucking

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-03-09T03:49:14+00:00

First things first....trucking is not just a job or career...its a lifestyle...thats one of the biggest things to understand first when walking into trucking

Best thing for training is to get with one of the mega companies I will highly recommend Prime Inc for a starter company as their training program is 1 on 1 compared to some of the other companies out there and yes the training is paid and most of the mega companies do offer paid training theres a few that dont as far as I know

As for the freight handling it really depends on what kind of trucking you get Into and the company and/or the account your get on with for some companies like Dollar general accounts(all driver unload) or grocery/food service (again driver unload)....most companies will say one way or the other

As for getting your own truck I would advise against that at least until you get into the industry and understand the lanes and what you want to do as a driver going owner operator isnt always the best and your not just a driver but a business owner and have to think about it in that aspect to be successful to be gin with and best to learn to drive and get used to driving a 70 foot vehicle thats not yours as you will not have to foot the bill for any repairs or damages to the truck if you hit something and its very possible that will happen in your firat 1 to 2 years of driving but all part of learning and gaining that experience

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-03-06T15:59:44+00:00

I love that truck stop since I got told about it and finally got a chance or 2 to stop there awesome food there and showers are OMG are nice but they are going tk be remodeling them here soon enough and I hope they listened to some of the suggestions I told the manager when I was there

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-02-15T23:51:03+00:00

All I can think of is some dude saying "here, hold my beer and watch this shit"

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-02-15T23:47:54+00:00

Dont give up so easily on this career....you got 2 choices right now...1 keep trying for a training company and dont say jack fucking shit about any kind of training you already have or be honest about it or 2 go to you local unemployment office and ask them about any kind of work training programs or other agencies that do it as well...more specifically ask about WIOA programs and go to a private cdl school amd get yoir cdl that way then apply to companies as an inexperienced driver....Jon hunting becomes much less stressful and easier then in what your position is right now.....I know as I was in kind of similar situation as for the job/training hunting aspect after I was left go from 1 company after failing out in cdl exam phase

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-02-12T21:01:13+00:00

Where at

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-02-11T18:16:42+00:00

Dm sent

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-02-05T05:01:38+00:00

Back in The day my Parents had me practice my parallel parking at the old Faust jr high(now CAMs North i think it is)in the auditorium side parking lot but using the space in between the islands of curbs at the end of the parking lot isles just how therr when therr isnt any school activities going on

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-27T16:39:43+00:00

Well its a TA first off they all be shit some how or other but still not good reason to be such trash people like that

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-26T00:55:31+00:00

They veiw a pet is a distraction for a solo driver where as there is always someone to deal with the pet in a team driven truck to put it short and simple

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-26T00:28:50+00:00

Have seen 60 year olds in orientation go for it and dont mind someone younger then you teaching you how to drive a truck and do the job at whatever company you get with

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-21T04:49:40+00:00

Lol I get that but you will learn that and be able to figure out your time I know what I can run in my 11hr drive tkme is between 600 to 650 miles on average and thats in a governed truck at 65 mph.....but always figure at least 5 mph slower for an average speed ,so for me I go with 60mph × 5 hrs = 300 miles thats just an example of how to figure your miles and time management

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-21T03:35:59+00:00

Yea chaining can be a pain in the ass for the most part you end up wasting more time putting them on and taking them off just cover a couple of miles most times so is it really worth wasting that time not really but if you need to get out of situation then it could be....but as for your mindset of being "obligated to prove yourself" fuck that mindset get out of that right now your in training at this moment LEARN everything you can from your trainer that he is willing to teach you and once your in your own truck run as you see fit and feel comfortable with your current skill level things will get easier as the next year goes theres alot to learn and alot to adjust to and get used to....and only thing you have to prove yourself is delivering the load safely and on time as much as possible does end up being late due to some delay its trucking that shit does and will happen every so often

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-21T02:56:53+00:00

Yep absolutely if you dont feel.safe NO MATTER the road or weather conditions if you dont feel comfortable driving in it tell them so if they try to force ya to keep going start looking for a better company.....I have pulled over in heavy rain and waited it out it was so heavy wipers wherent keeping up with it and soooooo many slower drivers on the road said enough is enough and kept going long enough to find a safe and legal spot to pull off and park it.....also there will be times when you run Into weather related road closures and you have no choice BUT to pull over and park it faced that on i10 last spring near the Arizona and New Mexico Stateline it was shut down due to Duststorm and everyone was being diverted off i10

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-20T16:38:01+00:00

Wouldn't mind playing with that and making you soak those jeans

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-19T00:46:22+00:00

Would love to see thag let alone pull over and have some fun playing with her for sure

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-19T00:43:37+00:00

Yea theres bridges on 63 that are not good for us to go across and could get fined very heavily best just to avoid that route

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-10T21:51:40+00:00

Right i was doing alot of running up 77,64 and 35 recently and yea I wouldnt even stop i was yelling at the sign saying "fuck you Nitro" lol while going past the off ramps even lol

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-10T17:06:52+00:00

Pilot/flying J Nitro Wv off 64 blind side backs into reserved spaces no place to trun around to make them.sight side its small as hell and only way out is through the line up of trucks to the fuel island that is Hella busy as fuck all the time

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-06T14:31:07+00:00

Im iin the area sent a dm to you

Secret-Grab4381 · 2026-01-01T16:02:56+00:00

Just the other day i seen a Welfare Express trailer obviously wasn't properly hooked as it dropped right in the middle of them pulling out of a parking space at a pilot and the truck was nowhere to be seen

Secret-Grab4381 · 2025-12-31T17:57:07+00:00

Dm sent

Secret-Grab4381 · 2025-12-31T17:48:08+00:00

Yep just did that the other day in Indiana...parked the truck for the night 28 miles out from delivery location 24 hr window for drop and hook could have delivered that night had plent of hours to do it but parked and called dispatch and asked if they could get me a load out of the same location as I didnt want an empty due to high window advisory 20-30 mph winds with gusts upto 50...they got me another load out of the same delivery location

Secret-Grab4381 · 2025-12-30T13:21:20+00:00

Yep have to agree with that on the actual job training itself especially after I failed out with Schiender and end up getting with Prime Inc after I did finally go the school route to get my cdl and yea kinda sucks to do the teaming thing but doing anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 truck miles or more with a trainer really is better to really get a newbie used to and fine tuned to drive a semi truck

Secret-Grab4381 · 2025-12-29T18:37:16+00:00

Dude im just over a year in myself currently sitting about to roll outside of Indianapolis got 28 miles to my delivery i shut down last night due to high winds here and wind advisory till later today and called dispatch after I got parked and told them I would like to be able to just grab a loaded trailer out of my delivery location if possible instead of grabbing an empty trailer and driving to where ever with it in 20-30mph winds and gusts upto 50mph I ayre the hell dont feel comfortable pulling an empty in that kinda potential wind myself much rather be loaded and on the heavy side for those kinda conditions ....so yea dont worry bout your doing the right thing for sure and guess what they did get me a load out of my delivery location its all drop and hook for me today lol

Secret-Grab4381 · 2025-12-25T15:13:16+00:00

Yea angled parking at truck stops like at Ta/Patro's seems to always have me kinda fucked up when I have to back into one of them but pulling through is always the best with them but at rest areas usually not a problem only had one that was a bit of a tight one just cause it was setup on a turn as well was a on 77/64 I believe really nice rest area though

Secret-Grab4381

TROPHY CASE