yard drivers

you couldnt pay me enough to jockey all day...

 

I have no doubt it will be better when you shed your trainer. Hang in there for awhile and give it a chance to shake out!

 

Me either. Way too boring.

If you want some good reading, check up on drivers leaving OTR to take local positions. It is amazing the percentage that go back to OTR. Some for pay but most so they aren't too tired to do something when they're home.

 

Dude, trust me! It gets SOOOO much easier once you're done with the trainers. I had the same issue when I was in training. I was SO close to just saying "#### it" and getting on a bus back home to go work as a mechanic or something. My girlfriend talked me into not walking out though and I'm glad she did.

Once I got out on my own, I totally fell in love with my new career.

Just work through it, man. Things will get easier once you become "your own boss" as it were.

 

You'd be much better off to stick it out. You've got to figure you're only going up from where you're at. Pay for dock workers depended on the union. If the shop is non-union then they will pay what they can get away with. And most times it's peanuts. Just about all dock workers will say they are doing that job so they can drive OTR. You're already there and almost done with your training. If you don't like being away from home then I would suggest that you just stick it out for a year or two so you can gain the experience and get a local driving job. Either way, you never want to go backwards and you don't want to quit until you have another job.

 

gonna have to disagree with that one.......i went from dock to driving and i talk to dockworkers at alot of the places i go to...........most say they have no desire to drive, if they even speak enough english to talk to me that is

 

You're right, I should have said at the better companies.

 

Nope, and it's not easy either. I did it for awhile at Costco in Tolleson. If it's a busy place like a big DC, you'll run your ##### off. It was nothing to have 50+ trailer moves in one shift.

 

Do you need to hold a cdl to be a yard dog? Or just a regular license?

 

Depends on Company policy really. If there is any chance you’ll touch a public road then you must have a cdl.

Btw. Nice job opening a thread from 2011