Question:
I have done a bunch of research on schools, and am now looking at starting in school on at the end of next month (once I send my app in), but...
On researching the OTR companies that I might drive for, I see only bad reviews from drivers, and/or poor safety records on www.safersys.org, for companies that have a presence in NM (Covenant and Swift being the main ones).
The one exception is Watkins and Shepard, but on talking to one of their recruiters, they are not hiring out of NM. IF I lived in Colorado, they say, it would be no problem. The Denver hub is busy, but New Mexico is just a place trucks "pass through", and they have found that although a driver might say that traveling from Denver to Northern NM is OK for home time, in reality, they lose the drivers to other companies.
As relocation at this time is not an option for me -- my wife has a wonderful, highly paid, job and does not want (read "WILL NOT") to move elsewhere (and why should she?) for at least two years -- should I put my dream on hold for a while (2-3 years, by which time i'll be 50), or should I go ahead and put up with the crap that may (or, for all I know, may not) be ahead of me with one of these "lesser" companies?
BTW
1) I know I can take crap and keep my mouth shut (for a while) -- I did it for 12 years in the military, and with at least one company after that, AND
2) I understand that safety is largely the drivers' responsibility, and I consider myself a VERY responsible person (particularly where my a** is concerned), AND
3) The pressure for me to earn "really good" money (high miles/pay per mile) is not as acute as it may be for some people, because of my wifes' job.
Finally, I THINK I already know the answer to my own question, but I just feel the need to "get it out there". Having read this forum over the last days, I can be pretty sure that there will be views on both sides, and it will ALL be constructive.

Answer:
Suntech do yourself a favor as you're not desperate. Look into a different vocation for training. Trucking has and will continue on its downward spiral in the future with wages probably
being less in two years.
Mike
Answer:
Mike
I know this ain't going to make my fortune, but ever since I was a kid and travelled with my dad... and later with my brother when I was unemployed, or had some vacation... Yeah, I took vacation to sit in the passenger seat of a truck (sad sack, huh?)
Thing is, just putting bread in my (our) mouth(s) has always been the job at hand. Now that I am more financially secure, I just get more and more bored doing what I have been doing.
I learned to fly, thinking that that would keep me happy during "off" hours. It does, but there ain't enough "off" hours.
I took archaeology courses to better understand my hobby, but all that did was make me want to go to Central America and wander around Mayan ruins for the rest of my life -- really practical!
I basically figure that I have done what was needed for most of my life, perhaps now it's time to do what I want to do in my "waning years".

Answer:
I have a cousin who lives in Albuquerque, & drvs for Werner.(he's been with Werner several yrs now.)