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Guidance for 21 year old that wants to be a trucker

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Gary L

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My 21 year old son and I live in PA and we are trying to help him break into trucking. I was thinking he could study for the PA CDL permit on his own (he is already doing that and is doing well on practice tests) and take the written test and then hopefully find a company that can train him on the road and let him use their vehicle at the skills test here in Pennsylvania. He (I) was hoping to avoid paying for a trucking school.

If not we are thinking he can get the permit and then we can just pay for over the road training portion and testing but we would prefer finding a company that could help him once he gets the CDL-A permit. Is that realistic ?Any and all advice is greatly appreciated
 
Ok,hopefully you've got past the usual response to this question.. Here's a good way for your son to get a start in this business.. Apply for a dock job at one of the major LTL firms(Estes,ABF,XPO,Old Dominion,FedEx,etc)after working on the docks(for pretty good pay) almost all of them have in house training and upon graduation will earn better pay and enjoy better working conditions then he would at most other sectors of the industry..
 
DayliteDean said:
Ok,hopefully you've got past the usual response to this question.. Here's a good way for your son to get a start in this business.. Apply for a dock job at one of the major LTL firms(Estes,ABF,XPO,Old Dominion,FedEx,etc)after working on the docks(for pretty good pay) almost all of them have in house training and upon graduation will earn better pay and enjoy better working conditions then he would at most other sectors of the industry..
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Yes this is true but only as a last resort. If he can get no other job anywhere, including mcdonalds.
 
I would also recommend another career. CNC machining takes a bit of training but the jobs are abundant and the pay is comparable or better than trucking. But...if he must go into trucking DayliteDean has given a good direction to take. Additionally, ABF has, on occasion, offered driver training with an obligation to work for them for a year or so when done to avoid reimbursing them for the school. There are quite a few over the road outfits to steer clear of. I do not know which ones it is these days.
 
Gary L said:
My 21 year old son and I live in PA and we are trying to help him break into trucking. I was thinking he could study for the PA CDL permit on his own (he is already doing that and is doing well on practice tests) and take the written test and then hopefully find a company that can train him on the road and let him use their vehicle at the skills test here in Pennsylvania. He (I) was hoping to avoid paying for a trucking school.

If not we are thinking he can get the permit and then we can just pay for over the road training portion and testing but we would prefer finding a company that could help him once he gets the CDL-A permit. Is that realistic ?Any and all advice is greatly appreciated
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If at all possible, DO NOT, sign any form of contract with a truckload carrier for training. You will have to work for them probably a minimum of 2 years, and if you try to leave, they will want the money they figure they have invested in you. Like Daylite Dean said above, LTL trucking pays far and above better than truckload, and for the most part you are home daily, unless you take a road driver job. Any of the companies he mentioned are a good start. If you show good work ethics, some pride in what you do, and willing to learn what they are trying to teach you, you stand a good chance of them teaching you in house, which is way ahead of any over the road long haul truckload carriers. On the other side of the coin, this can be a very physical, and demanding job. If you do get your CDL, and keep a clean driving record, after a few years you can practically pick your employer. Clean MVR, and clean background checks are huge. Good luck.
 
tutone710 said:
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i think that when this ass first came onto the web, it was reported by someone, that he is a habitual complainer, as a result of what i read about him back then, his story is BS. i think he had always been complaining of not getting any sleep, or enough sleep, and he faults the company...screw him.

that 2/20 news story was a s much a farce as Abe is, as they edited out the complaining he does over and over again.
 
Gary L said:
My 21 year old son and I live in PA and we are trying to help him break into trucking. I was thinking he could study for the PA CDL permit on his own (he is already doing that and is doing well on practice tests) and take the written test and then hopefully find a company that can train him on the road and let him use their vehicle at the skills test here in Pennsylvania. He (I) was hoping to avoid paying for a trucking school.

If not we are thinking he can get the permit and then we can just pay for over the road training portion and testing but we would prefer finding a company that could help him once he gets the CDL-A permit. Is that realistic ?Any and all advice is greatly appreciated
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seriously, dissuade him from entering the industry. pay is still very low, benefits are lousy at some places, expensive at others. he may say he does not need benefits, many of us say BS to that. the hours he will work, will never match his pay, unless he is on the clock, and frankly at a union shop. non-union shops claim to pay same as union wages, but many times, they do not. as they pay straight time for all hours after 40, rather than time and a half.

as suggested, have him get into machinery skills instead. hell eve maybe physical therapist training, or some other medical field job.
 
pro1driver said:
i think that when this ass first came onto the web, it was reported by someone, that he is a habitual complainer, as a result of what i read about him back then, his story is BS. i think he had always been complaining of not getting any sleep, or enough sleep, and he faults the company...screw him.

that 2/20 news story was a s much a farce as Abe is, as they edited out the complaining he does over and over again.
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That might all be true BUT he did not put his life or anyone else's life in jeopardy because of some jacka## dispatcher. Good job Abe.
 
tutone710 said:
That might all be true BUT he did not put his life or anyone else's life in jeopardy because of some jacka## dispatcher. Good job Abe.
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yes, i know, he wanted to be safe, but he went on to say in one of his videos, he can never get any sleep, he isn't used to driving/working all hours of the day or night, yada, yada, yead. 20/20 so conveniently edited all that stuff out, to make him look a hero, when he is nothing more than a cry baby, i have no respect for him or the fools at 20/20..

he HAD ALREADY come off a 10 hour break, and he was tired..>??? and was crying about it.>???? what was he doing on his 10 hour break,, squawking on the cb in the parking lot??? playing video games..???

what did he want a 24 hour sleeping period.?? would he still be tired then,..??

he's as big an ass, as the reporter for 20/20 is, and that is a FACT as well........

and people think he's a effing hero.

seriously, you need to go and LISTEN to his BS, he said he just had his 10 hour break..!!!!! at under the 5 minute mark.

nearly everyone CAN take another nap in another 10 hour break. i know i can, with no problem what so ever. he's full of it.
 
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Self employed dope grower. Trucks can put you in prison, low wages, and risk of death over a low paying job...lol
Its not the 70's when pay is almost the same as today, and you pay for HC. It's not a job, it's a scam
 
DO NOT let him get into this industry! If he has average or above intelligence, any kind of work ethic, get him to go back to school and learn a trade that has a future. I retired 6 months ago after driving 25 years and now look at this industry from another angle...It's depressing at best.
 
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