Want to drive Class B, Pros and Cons

I would look into tow truck jobs and dump truck jobs (highway maintenance & snow removal) for local class B jobs.

 

I completely agree with you roadrunner. I am in the process of selling my home in NW Florida & plan on moving to the ST.Louis area hopefully by late March. There are many jobs you can get driving a straight truck that only require a class "B" license. Dump trucks, delivery trucks of all kinds, cement trucks, some gas & oil trucks(if you have your haz-mat), and busses(if you have a passenger endorsement). It also depends on where you live. If you live in or around a large city, have a good employment, driving, work, & criminal record, you should be able to find a straight truck job fairly easy. I trained with Werner for about 5 weeks a month ago OTR & found out real quick that you cannot have any kind of life whatsoever besides your job. Also, your first year you won't make much more than 30K unless you NEVER want to go home. I just don't think it's worth it. As soon as I move, I definately plan to look for some type of class "B" job.

 

If you're gonna jump through all the hoops to get your CDL, why no go ahead and get your Class A. You can still get a "B" job, and if for some unforeseen reason you need your combo lisence (Class A), you've already got it in your wallet. I certainly don't think it'll hurt ya any.

 

As far as working nights, that might be a little tough. Most straight truck jobs I have noticed seem to operate in daytime hours. I would definately look into it though, you never know. I, like yourself, would not mind a bit of a paycut as long as I can be home every night & if they offered health insurance & some type of retirement benefit.

 

get the class A as mentioned for "future" use. as for night-time driving jobs, check with mail carriers in the area that have postal contracts. try also FedEx, and any other "overnight delivery" trucking outfit.

the money in class B jobs is really decent, you will work many hours at times, but you'll be sleeping in your own bed, eating your own food, showering in your own shower, and getting your time in to work on your hobby. plus, you usually won't hear the usual "rhetoric" we do from the OTR companies making big promises, etc,etc.............

 

im in school now i think after i finish imma do B.something like a waste management i heard those guys making like 1000 a week..otr just doesn't seem worth it.

 

I live in Twin Cities also. Do you check the MPLS Sunday paper? I think Supermoms has ads for night time driver (Str trk). Was an ad recently for a night time job to Duluth and back (if I remember right). I have had a CDL A for over 18 years and very minimal experience driving one. Next to impossible getting an "A" job without a least 1 year recent experience. Have seen some that will hire with 6 months. I would practice backing trailers into the distribution ctr that I worked at, that is how I got my experience. Went to take the test, good think it was an "enclosed course" and I didn't have to shift out of 2nd gear. I haven't driven any truck for 10 years until last spring when I took a part time job driving a straight truck. It was very hard finding a str trk job without having recent experience. I was seriously thinking of going to Roehl for the full training, but after reading things on this site, I'll stick with a str trk for now.