Saia Local driver

You gott'a suck it up like rest of us we all have families too but we got to make a living.If you can't go OTR,then trucking may not be for you.You may get lucky sometimes where a LTL/local carrier offers a program for newbies,but its hard to get.

 

Just keep trying. May have to run a lift and volunteer the yard jocky on the weekends. When freight is heavy, ask if you can haul a load somewhere. Once they see you can drive and have a spot availiable, then you'll be all set. UPSF is the way to go. Hourly is $24.40 1 1/2 after 8 and 40 which is $36.60 and road is .6163 per mile which is $43 an hour.

 

That is very true.
I happened to think of it, because Conway and Fedex have both had openings recently in Minneapolis, where I am looking right now.

 

I have a ton of respect for anyone that's got kids and a spouse and just toughs it out. To say trucking isn't for you if you don't do otr? Really? I just don't agree. "I think" all it means is that part of the industry isn't for you. I think it's that very thought process that is allowing these companies to get away with horrible working conditions and paying peanuts.

Keep in mind I'm a newbie as well.

I'm sure there's people out there that can't drive P&D without experience but from what I've seen Theres people with experience and without that have no business behind the wheel of a truck period.

 

I met a terminal manager here in South Florida, he said 18-22 p/hr but you gotta be willing to hump a lot. plenty of work w/ot...... one year otr required.

 

Would a year of local tanker driving work, or how about driving for a farmer during harvest time for one calender year?

 

That's why you don't agree,your a newbie.I been in this business for while now and if I had a dollar for every time I read or talk to a "Newbie" who quit or wanted local,I would be a rich man.These days if you want to be a truck driver,then there a good chance you gotta do OTR for 6-12 + months before you can go local.That's the issues with these kids today,they want'a $1,000 + a week but don't want'a work for it!Like my dad used to say," Gotta start from the bottom and work your way up".Also trucking isn't for everyone either.People think they got what it takes but find out its not for them and there nothing wrong with that but you should do your homework about trucking even before you get your CDL-A.

 

I wanna work for it, I mean I'll bust my hump just as hard or even harder than a guy with experience, because I want it that much. I just wanna work hard in LTL or local driving is the thing. Just because I'm a newb and young guy doesn't mean I won't work my butt off everyday, not everyone under 30 is a total lazy waste of space ( I know alot are) I just know I wanna do trucking, just not otr. I can hope for good local job for experience and maybe get into LTL, or do the LTL driver program like you suggested.

 

I think the key here is you said there's a good "chance" you'll have to do your time in OTR. I looked at applying for a local job like I would any other. I went to the interview prepared and wearing a tie and a positive attitude. I got the job. Maybe I was lucky I don't know. I like driving a truck but I don't believe you have to "suffer" through anything to get the job you want. I'm proof and there are countless others that are as well. Just telling everyone that can't because you you didn't or couldn't isn't helping. Believe and do it!