id like to become a truck driver is the trainging hard and does it make good money?

Question

I WANNA DRIVE A TRUCK BUT WANNA BE HOME DAILY IS THE TRAINING HARD? IS IT HARD TO DRIVE A TRUCK?

Answer 1

You can get you Class B and Air Brake endorsement for free. All you have to do is drive a school bus. Expect to make $10-14 per hour and to work 25-30 hours a week. Most companies will hire you and train you for free if you stay a certain period.
This is how I got my start. At first it seemed really hard. Then I drove a 56,000# tandem axle GMC/Isuzu T8500 with 348" wheelbase and a 28' dry freight box. I delivered medical supplies. I got home 3 nights out of four. I preferred to drive my truck over my car. I worked four 10 hour shifts per week. Two on, one off, two on, two off. I had to drive any day of the week. You get used to it. I left trucking a few months ago, but may return at least part time.
Driving dump trucks for gravel companies, driving the snow plow or garbage truck for the DPW, delivering beer and/or soda can be good jobs for a Class B CDL driver that pay $15-18 per hour.

Answer 2

Hi,
I am a 20 year veteran of the trucking industry. In todays world, the training is a bit harder, the rules and regs are tougher, and the pay is better then when I started. If you are looking at being home daily, it may be tough to earn the income you could earn driving over-the-road. Most LTL (Light Truck Load) companies want some kind of experience or driving school before they would hire you. Other alternatives may be, dump truck driver or some other straight truck driving and delivery position.
Many of the "Big Name" trucking companies will hire you, train you, and help you to obtain a CDL license. You need to have the desire to learn and to drive. Many professional drivers average 600 miles a day driving. It's a tough industry to be in, the hours are long as well as the roads you travel. If you have it in your heart and blood then you should have no problems.
I have now been an owner-operator for 10 years and would not change it for the world. I haul cars up and down I-95 and get home 3 to 4 nights a week.
Hope this helps and good luck!
2006 Kenworth W900L, 600 Cat, 18 speed, 3:36 rears
2007 Cottrell 8 car trailer

Answer 3

depends on the country your in, I have been a professional driver for over 30 years, the pay is usually linked to the size of truck you drive,
I have held a road train licence, (tractor and 3 trailers.) driving interstate, probably the best paid,
local driving in any truck is better paid than bus driving but more work.

Is it hard work, depends on the loads you carry , furniture or any hand loading is definitely hard work but keeps you fit, the bigger the truck the easier the work, (usually loaded by machines.) but the bigger the truck the harder it is to drive.

Do i like the job, hell yes! I have seen Australia and New Zealand many times over at the boss's expense, I love having control of a vehicle bigger than my house, and often worth millions of $.(I once carried gold bullion.) I can say that if it runs on wheels I have driven it, or it's like at sometime, it's exhilarating, it's exciting,
and I'm never bored with seeing the same old people or scenery.

Is the training hard? was it hard to learn to drive a car? it's a similar experience, and as you increase your permits or licences it will be just as hard again, but when you walk away with a licence to drive a huge vehicle it's very exciting.
Does it pay well, probably not, about the same as a tradesperson , but it's a great way to live.

Answer 4

It'll be hard to find a route that allows you to stay in your own town, but you could work for such places as a local dairy processing company,or other places that deliver locally. But those routes don't pay as well. Oh, yeah, you can also drive for the Post Office.
The training isn't going to be as mentally challenging as taking a College math course, but I know that there is a lot to learn about rules and procedure of driving. You'll be taking in a lot of new information in a relatively short time, but look at it this way, my mother and step-father became a Trucking team. They got their CDL's and went Trucking. They were both in their late 50s when they started. So I think most people can handle it!

Answer 5

Just about anyone can learn to drive a truck. It takes more skill than driving a car, but with correct training, you can learn what you need to learn. The most difficult part is passing your CDL (Commercial Driver License). You're generally paid by the mile, so the more miles you're able to drive, the more money you can make. If you want to be home every day, that will limit the assignments you'd be willing to accept, which would, in turn, limit your ability to generate income. Good luck.

Answer 6

No the training isn't hard.I went to a school that was cosponsored by JB Hunt and there was guys there that had never even driven a standard pickup truck. As far as driving locally it all depends on where you live and how bad they need truck drivers in your area.Usually most companies need someone with at least 2 or 3 years experience because of insurance company requirements.You get that by signing on to someone that takes less experienced drivers,like JB Hunt , Sneider or Heartland.

Answer 7

If you're willing to learn, training should be no problem. It'll be difficult getting a job locally or nationally with little or no experience. You may have to drive a team for a while with an experienced driver. In other words you may have to suck it up for a bit before someone will take a chance with you.

Union drivers in Chicago make around the $22 to $23 an hour or so.

Good luck.

Answer 8

the training is up to you on how well you pay attention and to drive a big truck you have to totally pay attention it carries a big responsibility not to mention alot of time away from home and the pay depends on which company you work for

Answer 9

training is not hard. money can be good.
you could try to get on with coke, budweiser, etc
work M-F , home daily, earn $40-50k per year.

Answer 10

not really

home daily---lol---no way

money---about 30,000 if want to be home a lot

try postal delivery instead