Several words of advice. I would try to get a job on an established route like a 250 mile turnaround where you drive one truck there, meet someone coming your way, and drive back. A lot of companies are doing this now. Over the road driving for beginners will usually mean a lot of down time sitting in Pigs Nuckles Wherever waiting on a load that may take a couple of days.
Another thing is team driving. With OTR meaning long distance driving gone for a few weeks he's likely team drive. I hated it for several reasons. One is personalities must get along. Another is the other drivers skills and judgement. The guy I rode with for a month woke me up one night in Nagadochas, TX because he ran off the road trying to make a U-Turn on a two lane highway. Yes he was that dumb. He could not read either.
Local driving is the sure payday. OTR isn't and "He" will be spending a portion of what he earns on eating, showers, etc. Also the book work for local routes is limited if any. OTR you must keep log books and shipping paperwork up to date, are far more apt to be gigged at the scales, and again "he" will pay the fines.
OTR drivers meaning long haulers are paid by the mile. Local or route drivers are paid by the hour. The hour pays a lot better and is much more consistent.
The two difficult things to learn is speed shifting where you shift by sound of engine matching that to the transmission and time it to where you don't need the clutch, {8-10 gears BTW} and the hardest is backing with mirrors especially blindside. Have him get a rope or belt. Tie it in a loop. Put it around the bottom of his left foot and hold the other end in his right hand. move foot and right arm and hand back and forth. This is a training exercise for shifting.
Also be aware as a greenhorn driver he will not be getting choice load to choice locations. NYC and anywhere northeast is not a choice location. Neither is anywhere California which has a port of entry safety check for truckers. Getting stuck in Cali waiting on a load is common. Most like he'll have to take a refrigerated trailer in and haul produce out.
I quit after about 8 months. I made more money working near home. The hours were horrid when you did have a load that has to be there yesterday and boring as all get out when you were sitting 800 miles from home waiting on one especially on weekends and making no money doing so.
I have a suggestion if he wants to get seat time..
Expedited freight.
Fedex custom critical, Panther II just to name a few..
Why? You’ll be living out on the road, but, you can start off with a Cargo van. And yes, you live in it. I did it for 5 years, started out in a cargo van for the first 300,000 miles of that 5 years.
Cargo van work paid at the time 1.20 a mile. Not sure what it pays now, it was about 10 years ago.
He can get started with nothing more than a used cargo can that meets their requirements and a standard drivers license unless your state requires something special for commercial driving of a 10,000lbs or less truck.
I ran a diesel 1 ton extended Ford van (bought on ebay for 2500 bucks) I watched that old dog hit 399,999 miles 3 times before I retired it. it was a 96 and could not show 400,000 miles so when it hit 400,000 it would just start over at 300,000 again.
I could also suggest driving a larger truck as a team. But that means sharing the truck with someone else. So make SURE that someone else is someone you can live with in something no larger than a jail cell.
Stay far, far away from (I’ll pm you the name). They’ll promise you the moon with everything for free. Then, after getting ALL your personal ID, they’ll want you to pay for this, that and the other. All the while they’re stringing you along, no returned calls, no getting you into a class, etc. First, they’ll say they’ll fly you to X state to start school on Monday. The ticket then crickets. Then they’re going to get a bus ticket for you to ride to a different state. That doesn’t happen either. Can you say scam?
If I was his Age I would go for it, but I would go to Texas or North Dakota and get in the Oil Field supply chain, they are paying $100 K to start. Granted he is a little old to be starting out in Life, My friends and I did it when we were 19 and quit by 23, but then again we all had to move out when High School ended back then.
Some more downside because he needs to know. I would not sleep in the cab in any location in a 150 mile radius of NYC. NYC is bad. New Jersey can get you killed even quicker. Trucks are stolen/hijacked there almost by the hour. What I did if I had a NYC or eastern New Jersey load was stop at night in Allentown, PA in a truck stop. I'd wake up about 4:00am and drive on in. You have to think these things out because you are confined to the truck.
A quick security system for a driver. Get a small diameter cord. Tie it to the passenger door. Run cord up to driver Air Horn cord above the drivers door and wrap several times then tie it off to the driver side door tight. If anyone tries to come in on you they get an ear full of air horn and you have some warning.
Wow!!!! Thank you all for the wide spectrum of responses. I’m going to have him sit down and read all the replies. The Air Force entry was very interesting.
Gosh!!
Interesting.
Nobody mentioned it but he may be able to get a student loan (FAFSA or whatever it is called now). Start with the state run vocational school.
Most truck companies will not hire under 25 years old due to insurance policy requirements. So he may have to work for a rag tag company until he turns 25.
Like any job, the new man gets the sh** jobs as long as he is the new guy.
If he goes to a truck stop he may find a guy who owns his own truck who would let him ride along for a trip. Many companies have rules against riders.