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Old 02-21-2009, 05:31 PM
  #7  
VTcharter
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Posts: 259
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Don't let these guys scare you. There are good driving jobs out there, but like anything else, you need to have experience to get them. The big companies aren't where you want to go for great treatment, but the small companies can be luck of the draw. Before I left trucking to start flying, I was making close to 80k with 5k bonus yearly and full company paid benefits with company match 401k 100% to 6%. I worked anywhere from 8 to 14 hours a day depending on the loads that I pulled and had days where I made over 500 bucks. Schedule was 4 on, 3 off then 5 on 2 off, rinse and repeat. Home every day. Drove top of the line assigned equipment...2003 379 Pete with a 600 Cat and 18 speed. I was hauling fuel and loved it. Best trucking job out there for me and I did food grade tankers, shipping containers and swinging doors (reefer and dry), so I have the experience to base that statement on. I had a lot of experience hauling tankers when I landed that job but even my first tanker gig hauling food grade saw me making 48k home every day.

Loved the job and it was a huge decision for me to leave it. I started flying with aviation career dreams long before I started trucking, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made the decision to fly since I had already invested so much time and money into it. I'll tell you though, if anything happens to the job that I have now, I'll jump back behind the wheel of the Peterbilt without batting an eye or shedding a tear (or losing money), and I keep my CDL and medical ready to go just in case!
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