New driver new to everything

Have you tried any temp agencies? I hear they are good cause you will show working for one company until you find a job thats a good fit. Some gas haulers hire new drivers but I honestly think you should get some experience and get comfortable driving before you need to worry about loading and unloading fuel. Post what city you are nearest to and Im sure someone will be along to offer suggestions.

 

Your labor does not come close to what lumping 48,000 pounds of soda cans from a 53 foot trailer 60 feet to the designated small wood stacking area so the Union Forklift can pick up the pallet you built (About 2000 pounds) and make it go away. It will take you around 200 cases an hour. Call it 5 hours on your back pain.

When done with that, you hop to the wheel and drive 8 hours to get loaded right now with the expect of no sleep until morning delivery 600 miles away. Not much hours for the day? Call your dispatch get new appointment, get yelled at. Eat food cooked by people who really have had enough of you in that greasy spoon. And the horse you rode in on too, 18 of them.

Trucking is a journey, much much larger than you ever will be. America runs on trucks. Yes we have the ships, trains, planes etc. But NONE of them can deliver like a truck can.

You will dream about that mistress outside your driveway when home sleeping next to your wife. Not the wife, but the truck and all it's problems needing fixing.

I come from a time where it was very common to thumb noses at DOT and get away with virtual murder and hope to get home with a few thousand each week besides. And spend it all by monday. Borrowing more until your 6th paycheck a month later finally gets positive income.

Your life on the road is cheap. Your value to the company is incredibly low. There are immigrants and unwashed masses filling that trailer each week ready to take your job at a moment's notice and a bus ticket to collect your truck.

The United States is a awesome land. You will love it, hate it and sometimes find yourself in terror of your life and wonder what in the world did you do to deserve that trailer coming around into front of you on Donner and still 40 miles to the bottom on ice?

Hopefully you get to learn really well before you hit the rockies in winter. I actually want you to start trucking in winter. You get the ice out of your system or it will get you running to mama.

Also, Undiscovered flaws in people's fears. ive had people lock up due to fear of heights. For example. Or possibly other phobias. Bring a pair of sandals to the shower among other things. And a stick to kill the roaches bigger than you are before you can get em.

You will also learn the worst in people. Parasites, bums, scammers etc. And if you are a virtious babe from a place filled with wonderful things that never hurt anyone, you are going to be ... stripped of that rose colored lifestyle soon enough.

 

Yeah but where can he find a local gig?

 

I don't know how far you are from Cookeville, but Averitt might have something that fits your needs. They also have other locations in TN. And they hire brand new drivers.

 

No. Don't

It's really not THAT bad. It's as good or bad as you make it.

What you really want to understand is that Time above all is your tyrant. They cannot stand you sitting somewhere for your 10 hours sleep. Must be someting wrong with you if you are not already up, fed, washed and rolling at the 8th hour of that 10 off in the sleeper. Do you understand?

The reciever and shipper will be the worst interference of your time and money. You will discover that they too are tyrants if they wish to be. Who are you to tell THEM how to run a company eh?

I can go further. but Im just a old driver who has seen too much and it's best I don't talk about the bad as much as I do sometimes. Focus on the positive.

That is why you are good to go for winter ice as your school. Your trainer cannot be scared of you, no matter what you do in that truck. You will likely survive the first three months (About half of all trucker wanna bes burn out or quit, hence 90 day wonder.) maybe 6 months. Or a year. If you still have a job then. After 18 months or two years in the same job, you will noticed now you are in the top 15% of senority by hire date. And suddenly recruiters will be calling you with a golden ticket.

Be very cautious and careful who you sign on with. These forums are filled with gnashing teeth, wails of despair and those lost who wish to leave the bottom feeding fleet to a greater fleet.

Good luck!

 

I believe X1 has a flair for the dramatic. Trucking can be hard work and its def long hours, but you're young and motivated so you'll do fine.

The otr jobs are the easiest to get for new drivers. You can find a local job with no experience but it will take a little more time and determination to find a decent one. Keep reading all you can on here and listen to the instructors at your school (not the other students) and you'll do fine.