Looking for local work while OTR-tips?

I'm in the same boat i came off the road thinking i could get some local work and found out that everything is dried up i could'nt find any local trucking job's. i've applyed from coca cola to hauling porter potties and found nothing. got a lot of we'll call you or thing's are slow right now check back later. now i'm in the position off going back over the road. i'm going to be looking at this post to see if anyone give's any feed cause i would really like to know. good luck.

 

With 5 months experience you might as well forget it unless you want to work for $8 an hour. You very likely won't find any local companies especially ltl or the likes that will hire you right now with so many experienced drivers out of work and things as slow as they are but you never know.

I would start by calling any places that you are interested in working for and ask if they are accepting applications. If they take them online fill one out and call them in about a week if you haven't heard from you. Also when you get in off the road go in person and check with them on your app. If they get tired of you calling or coming in they will tell you to stop.

 

It is less than 5 months.

 

I see said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer and saw. I missed the INCLUDING school the first time, but, that means my post is even more spot on.

 

You need to do what ever it takes to get a weekday off and run around town dropping Apps. where ever you can find a local outfit. all it takes is the right time! thats how i got off the road 18 years ago and have been in a day cab punching a time clock ever since.

 

Im in the same boat. Foolishly, I came off the road in October thinking Id have no problems finding something local. Boy was I wrong! 3 months later and no luck, I decided to come back OTR. Now, Im looking again, but will play it safe and secure a job before I come off the road. My plan is to call the companies Im looking at and fill out an online application, then keep in touch with them until I hear if Im approved or not. When I get a green light, Ill schedule hometime on a given day and run this by the prospective company to let them know the scenerio so we can work together to get there in person for the application process.
If hired, Im going to let them know I still have a truck and trailer from my previous job I need to get back to their terminal, and hopefully something can be worked out. One thought was to drive previous companys truck to terminal, then hitch a ride back with driver from new company...or just rent a car back(thats what I did when I came off the road last).
Just throwing ideas out there. Good luck man. That 5 months will make it tough, but hopefully something will work out for ya.

 

That is pretty much what i did. this notion of an over the road driver not being able to be home on a week day is ridiculous! So yes i lied and told the company i had a NO-Fail all day medical appt. and if i missed it, come and get your equipment. they got me home and i ran around town dropping apps. i got a hit on a company that needed drivers that week. filled out the app, took a short road test and left with a " we will check out refs. and drivers record and let you know" 3 days later was called while on the road and asked "when can you start?" called my dispatcher and told him get me home now or come get your junk! was home 36 hrs later and off the road for good.

 

It just depends on timing. I have applied and explained I am a OTR driver. Have tried to interview while I was there. No; we will call you. Couple days later. Can you pop in for a interview tomorrow? No. I am 10 states away. What part of I am a OTR driver do you not understand?

 

I lied to the OTR carrier I was working for at the time..lol.. Did the whole online app thing and said I was sick on a Monday so I could go and do an in-person interview. Got a call later that week asking if I could come in the following Monday for the whiz quiz and driving test. I lied again..lol.. For the second Monday in a row I was afflicted with a stomach ailment. Did all that and was hired on the spot pending the drug test. Obviously I knew I passed that so I told my carrier I was giving two weeks - they were cool about it and my return trip from NYC ended up being my last.

As a side note, I keep reading that it's impossible to get an LTL job with less than a few years experience. Not true - I'm watching in happen in front of my eyes weekly here, and know drivers at FedEx Freight landing there with little or no experience. You might have to start on the dock, but UPS Freight, Con-way Freight, and FedEx Freight have all hired drivers recently with little or no experience. Some didn't start on the dock either. I wouldn't quit your current job without landing another job first, but don't be discouraged from applying because you only have a few months in.