advice for a newbie?

well, canadians do allot of work in the usa. So passport you will need.

I dont know what the canadian companies pay, but do a year otr, then get a specialty.

Flatbed
Dump trailer
Fuel
Car Hauling
Heavy Haul

K

 

Well if I was doing the hiring I'd want to know why you left your job. If it was for downsizing then I'd think you were a good employee. I'd look to see how you're dressed. No tie or anything but clean and respectable. I'd know you just got out of school so I'd want to know want you expect out of the company. And many other items that are different for each company.

It's just a matter of doing your homework on the companies. Of course you'll want to know which company will hire new drivers. Try to find a company that keeps their drivers longer than a year. I suggest you make a list of your wants and don'ts and then search the companies out. And please make the list with benefits, hometime, pay and things like that and not what kind of truck or transmission it has. Don't believe any recruiter or school, they are not working for you. If you do not come up with anything then you can fall back on them but if you do you're going to be put in with everyone else at the cheap companies.

It's time to start looking now. Download all the trucking companies in your area and weed through them. See if you can get out and go see them face to face. It's much better and you never know what they might have at that point of time. Just remember that you've got to do your searching differently than the pact or you'll be right along next to them. Don't wait too long. You should have work a month after school and that means you've got to bust your butt to find the job. Good luck.

 

Ist off ignore what D.O.M. said. You do not need a pass port.

2nd allot of you question will be answered by your trainer after you get hired. The company is looking for someone with a good work record. Your 20 years looks good and good marks from the school will look good to. Trucking companies usually do there hiring site-un-seen. IE they will hire you with out a face to face interview. That is why the rely on what the paperwork says so much. MVR, Work history, Criminal back ground ect.

 

Usually if your paperwork looks good they bring you in for orientation and continue the hiring process there (ie. interview, drug test, driving test, etc.) If you are wearing a nice unwrinkled polo shirt you will be dressed better than 75% of your fellow applicants so don't worry so much about that. Try to relax and have a good time. Be safe and good luck! =)

 

My first Job here in the US, company had 40 Company trucks. They had me sit through a 1 day class to learn thier paperwork, and give me Hazmat training then introduced me to the OTR dispatcher that assigned a trainer to me. he called me , introduced himself and told me when to meet him, what to bring etc...

He gave me the "real world" of trucking while we were togather 2 weeks, I was more than prepared to go on my own. Just remember the rules and you can set your own way of doing things. (Most companies wont turn you loose without a pre-trip, road test and teaching you thier paperwork)

The pre-trip and road test are generally a bit more forgiving than the DMV.

Hope this eases your mind a bit

Ike

 

I just check both us and canadas requirements and both ask for a passport or a Western Hemisphere card to get out and in.

 

You need a passport to go in to Canada now at least. Think this changed a year or two ago.

 

I'm sorry but the term
'newbie' kinda sounds sexy...