Again, newbie ?'s about everything.

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by MacSauce, Mar 26, 2015.

  1. MacSauce

    MacSauce Bobtail Member

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    Mar 25, 2015
    Southern, NH
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    Hello,
    So I'm switching careers from working on them to driving them, main reason disabilities from military. I've been looking around on the site at several posts and haven't really found the answers I'm looking for. Maybe I haven't found them yet if that's the case will you point me in the right direction.
    I live in the N.E. have had my A for 2 years but never driven one. (military waiver). I've been going to school on the weekends to learn how to drive. Everywhere I've searched i.e CareerBuilder & Company's websites I can't find a reference towards CPM or hourly rate. I would like to be home weekly have a 5yo and one on the way. I know that I might have to do OTR to start for Exp. The Wife and I have discussed this and we're ok with it. I've been Deployed twice to Iraq, so we can do the separation. I've been leaning towards Regional or Dedicated. If I go Regional will I get good miles being in the Northeast and having everything closer than out West? As far as what days I'm home it doesn't matter, I read on here you could get more miles working M-F. I've been seeing a lot about different types of pay to ask potential employers about, what are these? How about all these acronyms, OC,DC, DBL? I think that was one and all this other lingo. Something else I saw about showing you're off duty on the QUALCOMM? for your last 1/2-1hr of your 14 if your empty so you'll get a better preassignment? Schneider has both Ded. and Reg. openings in the area, there are a few local construction Co looking, FirstFleet, YRC. From your experiences which type of Co do you think would suit my needs best.
    I know I'm all over the place with my post, any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.


    Thank you.
     
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  3. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    I'm confused. But thank you so much for your service.
     
  4. bubbagumpshrimp

    bubbagumpshrimp Medium Load Member

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    Oct 26, 2014
    Virginia
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    As your family is a priority for you...check out LTL, food service, and other local gigs. If you beat the bushes...you'll find a company that will give you a shot out of CDL school.
     
  5. MacSauce

    MacSauce Bobtail Member

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    Mar 25, 2015
    Southern, NH
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    I figured I'd get at one. After rereading my post it is confusing let me try to reorganize my thoughts.

    I'm switching careers to driving instead of wrenching. I'm doing weekend school currently. I want to be able to be home weekly so I'm leaning towards a Regional or Dedicated Route. I live in the Northeast and so far what I've read it seems that you won't get a lot of miles doing Regional since everything is so close together. Is this true?
    I know most likely I will have to start as OTR to gain experience then switch, correct?
    I've been looking at Schneider, they have both Dedicated and Regional Routes available in my area, are they a good Company?
    Should I find a big national company or a smaller one?
    Take a local gig?
    What's a good starting pay rate? CPM, Hourly if I go that route. What are these different pay types I've read about; I think it was incidentals or accidentals?
    Acronyms, what do they mean? All of them? LTL, OC DC all these one's that I see in everyone's posts?
    What exactly can this QUALCOMM thing do?
     
  6. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    It totally depends on what you want to do. You live in NH, and you said you would like to stay regional for the little ones. There's several companies that run the NE and pay well to do it. It wouldn't hurt to get your start at a big carrier who's a little forgiving when it comes to the learning process as well. Once you have a year, it's your golden ticket to do bigger and better things if the first doesn't work out. By the way, LTL is less than truck load. Meaning multiple pick ups and drops. DC is Distribution Center.
     
    MacSauce Thanks this.
  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Henderson, NV & Orient
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    Cents per mile is only a small portion of the pay package to consider. For example, I only made .36 cpm but my annual pay was $65K due to accessorial pays. Accessorial pays are such as stop pay, detention, tarp,layover,unload/load,etc. For weekends at home as you posted, look at tankers or LTL for the most money. Other than that probably Schneider dedicated accounts or other trucking company with dedicated accounts. You have some disabilities, so I wouldn't recommend food service trucking due to unloading with 2-wheeler & up and down stairs, etc. Since you're attending school now and if you're within 30 days of retirement, start submitting applications. Ignore "experience required" and apply anyway.

    Con-way LTL
    YRC Freight
    Waste Management
    J&R Schugel
    Northern Gas Transport(submit online application)

    Here's one from "Right Turn Recruiting"(rightturnrecruiting.com):
    We are a family owned dry van carrier looking for drivers out of your area. We have a great pay package, full benefits, and we will get you home every weekend. With our new minimum pay guarantee you will never earn less than $825 a week regardless of how many miles you actually run! Drivers average over $1,100 per week and are home weekends for a full 48 hours.

    More about the job:

    1. Drivers average pay is .48cpm - .53cpm
    2. Home for a full 48 hours every weekend
    3. Drivers average $1,100/week
    4. APU's and inverters in all trucks!
    5. No touch freight
    6. 100% dry van
    7. Paid Holidays
    8. Paid Orientation
    9. Low turnover rate!
    If you are looking for a place to call home, we are ready to bring you on board! Call today for a better tomorrow!
    855-332-6499
     
    MacSauce and Northeast Tom Thank this.
  8. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

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    Lakeland, FL
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    If you can get in with YRC go for it. They are LTL (less than truckload) and union. Good money and not over the road. May have to do some dock work to start, but worth it in the long run. They do train in some areas and would be a golden job if you can get it. They have had financial issues, but they fall into the too large to fail category.

    DC is distribution center, must be having a mind blank on OC, no idea. DBL is probably doubles, you would need an endorsement for that to get on with YRC, as well as hazmat.
    Qualcomm is a communication computer that many large fleets use. Doubles as an on board recorder and electronic log system.
    Starting pay has been going up lately, and northeast usually pays better than other regions. Should be able to find something starting over 35 cpm these days pretty easy.
    Hourly you want 15+ for your area should be 18+ per hour. Union will start at around 20 an hour.
     
    joseph1135 Thanks this.
  9. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    Good call. Didn't want to get into the Union thing as you know it drives some around the bend and start arguing. But being in New England, that would be perfect for a guy who wants to make good money and be home.
     
  10. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

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    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
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    It is what it is.
    I have been driving on and off for 24 years and never been union. But they do have positives and negatives. I saw that Chinatown mentioned waste management also, they are union as well, start at 20 bucks an hour with a class B driving roll off, residential or dumpster trucks.
    I think that all types of work environments have their place, union does not work in truckload, and I have a hard time seeing how it could. But in local and LTL it works well.
    I see no reason to argue about things like that. To each their own, and it is hard to make a living on what you make as a OTR driver living in that region for the first year or so, since cost of living is so high.

    If he did go OTR for a while heartland has a good dedicated running to near his house, running sears out of PA. But then, so people do not like large company's like them, and they require experience. I was not even NE regional with them and I have been to sears appliance stores all over New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. But I think he would be happier with LTL or even refuse, for the good pay and quality time at home with family.
     
  11. MacSauce

    MacSauce Bobtail Member

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    Mar 25, 2015
    Southern, NH
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    Bubba, Joe, and Chinatown
    Thank you for the advice. I will take all of this into consideration. There's an ABF yard up the road from where I currently work. Should I start submitting applications now, I probably have about 4 more weekends left. I know each company is different and most are 90 days before benefits start. Is there any out there that offer immediate benefits? Wife is due at the end of May and I don't know if I can stay at my current job that long. Issues with OSHA and Whistleblower Act.
     
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