I need some advice and recommendations. Let me start by saying that I currently do NOT have my cdl but I will be getting it soon through a community college. I will then be doing OTR training with a company for 6 months. The do not pay well and I don’t plan on it being a permanent thing. When my 6 months is up, I’ll be moving on. I will NOT need home time at all. I’m 51 and want to make as much as possible to retire in 4 years so I’ll be working and living in the truck and saving 95% of what I make.
Here’s my questions:
1. I’ve heard the Chicago Slavic companies pay well but there’s always issues. I’m not one that will need to take days off or home time and I noticed a lot of people that work for them are whiny little #####es that need to be home twice a month. I do not. Does this give me an advantage so that the companies will respect me more and not leave me stranded somewhere?
2. I do not want to work for a company that requires me to touch the freight. I prefer to be paid 1099 and worry about my own taxes etc. To work 1099 with their equipment, do I have to have my own leased truck, insurance, authority, etc?
3. Will I be able to get on with one of these companies with only 6 months of experience?
4. After the first 6 months with my second Chicago company, I will need to take off for 2 months for a surgery. These companies seem to have a bad reputation for screwing people that take time off. I want to stick with one company but if I don’t get this surgery, things could go terribly bad for me. The surgery is going to be done overseas where it’s affordable and I need time to recover. Are they compassionate when it comes to things like this?
5. Can you recommend some good companies that won’t screw me and pay like I need to be paid? I have a list I’m looking at but could always use more and others’ opinions.
Thanks for any info and help you can give.
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