A Student with a few Questions

I tried lifting a 3" hose that was full of brick molasses. That stuff weighs like 11 lb/gal. That hose had to weigh at least 100 lb. it took everything I had to get it into our side racks.

 

Dang. And I thought diesel was heavy.

That must have been a workout.

 

Thank you for providing real world examples. I am new in this field and haven't had to walk a pump unload over my head thus far. However, I have had to figure out the best way for me to move heavy hoses on to my hose rack.

I am far from paranoid. For many years, I was a lines"man" at a local telecom. I was a part of a focus group that streamline our work performance-based tests to reflect updated, real world skillets needed for the job.

 

You will make a heck of a lot more pulling hazmat over food grade....and I would go with someone else other than prime

 

Guys, thanks for the posts. I'm a nugget and I'm graduating school December 18. My plan is to go OTR for a year or so, then come back home and pull a hazmat tanker locally. In my area, Florida Rock & Tank is hiring with 1 year experience, and Penn Tank Lines is hiring with 2 years experience. Anyone with some insight on either of those companies? I realize I'm getting ahead of myself a bit, but then again, why not?

Thanks again!!

 

Do you WANT to go OTR first? Have you walked-in and talked with the Rock and Tank place? Just because they say 1 yr experience, doesn't necessarily mean it's written in stone. If a local job is your goal, you can likely achieve that right from the start.

For example, there is a local fuel hauler in my small town that hires student drivers right out of school!

 

I'd look into an ltl company. Most places that hire locally for fuel hauling don't require otr, you just have to have the experience with tractor trailers.

So if you got a local job even for Pepsi or coke and stayed with them for a year then move to Florida rock you could do that.

For example, my company only hires people with 2 years experience. Doesn't matter if it's otr or local. My buddy who works for GATE driving a straight fuel truck couldn't get hired even though he met the requirements for 2 years experience but it was 3 months tractor trailer and 21 months straight truck.

Just whatever you do I'd recommend getting tractor trailer experience and then try to go to Penn tank lines.


Florida rock is a very low paying company and not many of the drivers are happy, at least at the jacksonville terminal. Our company has hired about 3 people in the last year coming over from Florida rock.

I'd recommend Penn over florida rock anyday as their drivers seem to be happy

 

South Florida is a madhouse on the road. Too many seniors, teenagers, college students, mom taxis, Canadian snow birds, and discourteous and distracted drivers on the road. Insurance is only more expensive in NYC and Califormia. And we all know insurance is who hires students. And yes, I already called Florida Rock & Tank. They won't look at me without 1 year experience. Do I want to go OTR? No. But, unless I'm super lucky, there's no way to avoid it, if I want a local job down the line.

 

Thanks for your input. Pepsi, Sysco, US Foods, and Chenney Brothers all require a minimum 1 year tractor trailer experience. I've called all of them. Besides, I'm in my early 50's and would prefer not to offload a truck with a hand truck if I can avoid it.

 

I didn't know that and I don't blame you. I'm only 24 and have a shoulder injury from hand carts in food service. Is there a southeastern freight lines near you? I know they hire students for ltl.


If you need to, go otr, get that year in, and get your local gig. That's what i did, except I needed 2 years for the company I wanted to work for (my current employer)