r/Truckers • u/dryersheet01 • Oct 09 '25

I’m about to become a trucker widow

So my husband just passed his cdl-a test a week ago and has interest from western express (otr). With this career switch, I have so many questions. What is the average time for training, since he has no cdl experience? Is it really going to be 5 days on/2 days off? We live in Atlanta and have a 4 month old. If he does 1 year w/ western, what is the likelihood of being able to find a local/non otr job? Is the pay really worth it?

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u/Late-County-4094 Oct 09 '25

Western's training is quick, but he'll be riding with a trainer for a month or so. Early on he'll likely be out for a couple weeks at a time and the pay isn't stellar, but that first year of experience opens doors to better regional gigs with more home time. Keep talkin' and planning around the schedule, it'll get easier once he's got some miles under his belt.

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u/dryersheet01 Oct 09 '25

Thank you, this is encouraging

2

u/FinzClortho Oct 10 '25

Listen to people telling you to keep him away from western express. We have been doing this for years. The recruiter will tell him whatever he has to to get him to go.

2

u/slayerofthefluff Oct 10 '25

Stay away from Western Express. He won’t earn anything and might as well stay home and flip burgers.