What can you tell me about truck driving?

There are a large number of truck lines that will teach you how to drive the big rigs. As for making the most money in a short period of time, you might try one of the ‘dedicated freight hauling lines’. If you have traffic citations on your record, or if you have not passed your 21st birthday, you may have a difficult time in getting hired by a reputable company. However, most truck lines are always looking for additional drivers.

You can get trained by taking a class on your own and pay for it or find a trucking company that will pay for it. If the company pays for it, you have to sign an agreement to work for them for a specified time or pay them back. The class is generally an 8 week course, then you take a test to get your CDL, commercial drivers license.
My ex drove a truck and owned his own rig. I don’t recommend this. Unless you are well off, you will have to buy a used truck which is just a money pit. Tires are anywhere from 400.00 to 600.00 each for retreads, a blown engine could run 5,000 to 10,000 and on and on.
I’m sure you know you won’t be home much, so if that doesn’t matter to you, truck driving could be in your future.

They pay is great for people who own their own rigs, and couples or driving teams are more popular because they can beat the 8 hour driving rules by switching off.

It can be very lucrative for a professional. Visit a local training company for a tour. When my grandsons were homeschooling, they wanted to be truck drivers, and we had a great time turning the different companies and truck sales lots.

The training suggestions above by @chyna are good. If you go to school and pay for it, you can make the money back relatively soon. A company training program will also be good, and you will end up with the same credentials, with a little experience to boot.

As far as to buy your rig or not, it depends on your expectations for the career. If you’re going to do it “for a little while”, you probably will not pay off a tractor in just a few years, unless you drive a lot and find an extremely lucrative contract. If, however, you want to pursue the career long-term, owning your own rig will give you a certain amount of autonomy. It will be your business, you will own the assets (the rig, etc.) and will be ultimately responsible for all maintenance. I’ve known some drivers who eventually expanded to own two or three rigs, which they then leased out to other drivers, or hired other drivers to drive.

Hi! :) Everyone’s comment above is great, I totally agree with all of them and there isn’t much more that I can add…..I just wanted to put my own two cents in opinions in on this subject. Simple enough: I’m a female driver (I drive solo) and I’ve been driving a truck for 13 years (since April 2000), and to this day I love it!! Absolutely love it! Why? The freedom to be outside and see things you would never see from behind a desk or working inside a building (I was behind a desk for American Airlines for 4 years just looking out the window to the highway day dreaming about life on the road). I quit American Airlines even though I was flying all around on the tax amount of a ticket which was great too, and one day I just made a choice. I left my desk chair, told the boss I was quitting, got my CDL license by using a friend’s commercial vehicle. I passes on my first try and three months later I was in my first CDL job….I love it and wouldn’t trade it for the world. 13 years later, I now work 25 hours a week (by choice) doing local deliveries…it’s all I need….it’s all I want. Go for it :) PS: If you want the big bucks, it may be over the road, you might make more with the per mile pay, not sure, I’m paid $24.50 an hour doing the local drop shipments in my area for 5 hours a day.