Question:
My wife and I are thinking about trying to become team drivers. I have been driving a 55' tillered aerial fire truck for 23 years and have a class A license without a CDL endorsement. My wife only has a regular class C auto license, so we both need to acquire a CDL license. I will be retiring from the fire department around August 2008 and we are both ready to get out of the Atlanta Georgia area. Our questions are, who are some of the better companies and is it better to find a company that will provide the training or is it better to pay for the training ourselves. Also which are reputable training schools. Another question is time away from home, what is the typical schedule? All input is appreciated, thanks Tzman

Answer:

This question is hotly debated. Consider all opinions given. Mine is;
You're better off with an "independent" truck school to get your CDLs, since they leave the door open for alternative first-job employment opportunities. The school may have a lead on a good job, or you may find yourself fine-tuning your search while still in school, especially as you find out more about the job and the industry, and are exposed to more folks who know the market...etc, while in school. Mos first-job employers will reimburse your school tuition ($2,000-$5,000 each) over your first year or two of service, so if you make a good choice out of school and stay with one company for a while, you'll get this money back eventually (albeit taxed as income, in most cases).
The company sponsored schools are contingent on working for that sponsoring company and repaying a "loan" to attend their school, usually through payroll deduction -- or at best, some will forgive the loan if you stay a certain length of time.
The latter limits your options, and is generally intended for those who don't have money up-front to attend a separate school. Some here on tn call it "indentured servitude", which isn't too far off.
You might look into communicy college programs too. And depending on which companys you're considering, you might want to make sure the school is PDTI certified, including any community colleges you might consider. (some carriers only accept PDTI truck school graduates, although it's not necessarily a superior education -- just standardized to the major carrier's criteria).
I'd start researching carriers that hire and train teams. The internet is a good source, as all carriers have a site. Trucknet's searches and links are helpful. Just start reading what the carriers are promoting to get a feel for how all this fits together, etc. Delay your final choice as long as possible (my advice), but learn as much as you can in the meantime. Trucking advertisements and recruitrs sell a lot of half-tuths about acual pay, hometime and conditions.....so be wary. If one looks vastly better than another, it probably isn't as good as it looks where the rubber meets the road. This is a highly competitive industry, top to bottom, and no one's giving away vastly superior pay or conditions to new drivers -- although some are clearly better outfits than others. Once you get a feel for the market through their ads, start calling them and asking questions -- no question is too "dumb", they're used to new folks exploring a trucking career. Just be VERY careful and take their pitch with a BIG grain of salt. Trucking recruiters and employment managers are notoriously and inherently dishonest. Period.
A typical schedule for most OTR long-haul is one day off for each six days on the road -- one day a week. Most solos and teams can set their own home-time cycle (although the company doesn't always get you home on time).
Example:
Three weeks out with three days off.
Five weeks out with five days off.
Your life will be living in the truck. Kiss your home life goodbye -- you'll hardly ever be there. And this is where the posts follow on what a stupid thing this is to do with your life, and how miserable you'll be.... But give these opinons due consideration. The new-driver turnover is HUGE, as many (if not most) first job OTR drivers decide it's NOT what they want to do after all. This life -- and it is a "life" -- is much more problematic and difficult than most who haven't done it can possibly imagine.

Answer:
Nicley sed Shuffler you about covered it all
May I add just one thing.
If at all possible after you complete Driving school. And have been on the road 3-6 months. You can become a driver trainer and train your wife yourself.
Or you may find that your wife is going to go out with a stranger for a few weeks. (depending on her progress and company policies) Most companies have Male & female trainers. And if she dont like her trainer (she and you) have the option to request a different one.
I found that this was a big issue with my wife. She didnt want to go out with anybody else. So I went into the training program. So that I could train her myself.
While I was putting in my driving time at the company (so I could do this), she rode with me to make sure she wanted to work for this company and wanted to do driving at all.
Strangly enough After we started driving together. It brought us closer than imaginable and realy have a great husband/Wife best friends relationship . good luck to ya !
Answer:
Thanks to both of you Shuffler and ML2PeaceWarrior. Your advice makes sense to me, sometimes not much does. Given the time frames for each of our retirements, I really like the idea of me paying for my training and then have my wife ride with me for the experience. This has been her "dream" for sometime, but I'd hate to pour $3000.00 or so into something she only wanted for a short time, especially if I could train her myself. I have been the battalion trainer for tiller trucks the last 12 years, guess I could be daring and risk my life and marriage to save some money. We will keep trying to educate ourselves. Thanks again we appreciate the help!

Answer:

Well........don't take this the wrong way, but talk to ANY husband/wife team that started driving later in life and I think they'll tell you that the experience will either put you into divorce or bring you closer together. Practice by locking yourselves in a closet together and see how you feel about each other after a few weeks.... Add being the "trainer" to that, and.....well....I'll stop there.....
Just kidding.....(sorf of). Hope it works out for you. Please come back and ask about anything.

Answer:

Hmmmmmmmm Husband & Wife-----OK
Hmmmmmmmm Husband allowed to be in charge BY Wife-----------OK
Hmmmmmmmm Husband turned Husband/Trainer---------------------- Yikes !!!!
Hmmmmmmmm Husband turned Husband/Trainer + Insert Wife into 8x6 rolling box for several weeks--------Oh My Gawd !!!!
Methinks Nitroglycerin is safer. (Dangerous Placards Required !)
Been there..........done that .........still got the T-Shirt.............wife gone. ''