Question:
Hi. I am 22 and thinking of getting into the trucking career. I'm almost positive its what i want to do, but im severely clueless to anything about the buisness. So thats why i'm here. I just have some questions.
1. Do you have to have a high school deploma or G.E.D to attend trucking school
or get a job with a trucking company ?
2. I'm not interested in long distance trucking, only inner-city driving. Is there a specific name for that?
3. What is the average pay wages? And how is it paid? (hourly?, distance?)
4. Do most companies give employee benefits? (health, vacations, ect.)
5. I've comtemplated on the company "UPS" for a while. I was wondering if anyone knows anything on being a driver for UPS.

Answer:
Yes, do educate yourself about trucking before you get into it! In answer to your questions:
1. Yes
2. Yes, it's called local driving, but you will have to do some time on the road (OTR=over the road) to get experience. I've personally never heard of a local company hiring a person with no experience. You will need 6 months to a year of road experience.
3. Pay varies. Usually it is various combinations of : mileage, stops, detention (being at a dock beyond a certain amount of time) Hourly is usually only for local work.
4. Most reputable companies do. A lot of owner operators (guys with just a couple of trucks) are not able to offer these.

Answer:
1. No
To drive for UPS you will have to work on the dock for a while before they consider you for driving.

Answer:

Increasingly, yes.

Local driving. also any driving that is billed as LTL or Linehaul is usually local, but not always.

$25K to start, on up to $60K and more after years of experience. Keep in mind, this is not for 8 hours a day weekends and holidays off. This pay is for 70-100 hours a week.

Local is usually paid hourly, except linehaul which is often paid by distance or flat rate. OTR is paid mileage or percentage of gross.

To varying degrees yes, if you pay for them.

you will likely have to start part-time on the dock,and work your way up.
Answer:
Well..Ok. Thanks for the info. I guess i will have to concetrate on getting my G.E.D before even atempting at a trucking license.
Say i did that. And then what...? I want to work for UPS i think. I would not mind at all being on the docks at first. Do any of you know the pay rate for the docks?
What is the name of the lisence that i would need to drive one of those big brown trucks? LTL? LCD? I need this info so i can look into it further after i have aquired my G.E.D.

Answer:
After the G.E.D. thing is out of the way, the license you will need for one of those small brown trucks (box truck kinda, straight truck, or van) is a class B CDL. You'd be best off finding a Class B CDL training course to get your license, but that's not necesarily a have to thing, but looks better to employers. I've driven a straight truck off and on since I was 18, and steadily since I was 23. I had quite a bit of help and sort of lucked into it though, my step dad owns a small trucking company that runs a few box trucks, otherwise it woulda been a lil' harder for me to get into it. If you're wanting to drive one of the larger UPS rigs pulling a trailer you'll need a Class A CDL though, but the way it sounds you're talking one of you're local delivery trucks. Actually depending on the weight of the truck depends on the license required, but I'd recomend going for a class B CDL at the least. I drive an International w/ air brakes tagged for over 26,000 lbs. which requires a class B CDL, and a chevy 3500 with a box on it and no air brakes tagged for under 26,000 which can be driven with a regular Class C license, just for an example of the different smaller logistics trucks similar to ups's trucks. Hope that helps give you an idea of what you might want to do.
Answer:
Class B CDL huh? I didn't know there were different classes of lisence's like that. I figured there was like...regular lisence for cars, and then one lisence for the bigger trucks. I got a laugh out of when you said "Small brown trucks". I guess they are smaller compared to the 18 wheelers lol. Thanks man that is very helpfull information. Ive just been thinking all along "Oh i need a LCD Lisence." I dont even know if thats even a correct trucking lisence. Now i know i need a B CDL for the UPS trucks. Thanks alot. Ive got it down...
1. Get G.E.D.
2. Get B CDL Lisence.
3. Apply for a UPS Job.
Got it.
If i have any further questions about trucking, i know where to come.

Answer:
Your on a much better career track than most who come here.
You could get either a Class A CDL that will also cover a Small Class B truck and have it in your pocket when the time comes or Just get the Class B cdl and make plans to get an A later on.
Commercial Drivers License.
The rules and weight class of each type of license.
§383.91 Commercial motor vehicle groups.