How to go local (without experience)

I read a lot of threads on the myths of needing OTR or putting in your "dues" before being eligible for a local driving job. Oddly enough, some of this is coming from student drivers that are still in school to get their CDL. While I am sure most companies prefer drivers with experience, it would be quite a stretch... If not, a downright lie to claim that experience is a prerequisite for all local carriers. I do not see us LTL drivers as above anyone else. As a matter of fact, I admire the OTR drivers for their strength and ability to be away from their loved ones for weeks at a time.

I for one have no OTR experience. I got done with CDL school and quickly learned that I have no OTR carrier terminals near me. The closest one is 80 miles away. Then there were a few others that my school was pushing, but they were even further away that I kept hearing bad stuff about, so I decided not to even turn in an application. I won't bring up names.

Here is my quick story:

I was at my old job one day, and after deciding to take a break from my usual game of Bubble Shooter, I got on Craig's List to check out some job listings under the Transport section. Sure enough, top of the page, THREE separate entries from a local carrier. Two for P&D drivers, one for a linehaul driver. I filled out the application and two weeks later I got a call from the terminal manager asking me for an interview. I said "sure, whenever?" To which he replied "how about today? Maybe in 30 minutes"? Honesty is the key. Don't embellish, and definitely do NOT lie. I flat out said that I just got my CDL, and have no DOT driving experience. So he pretty much told me that I will go ahead and do a test drive and we would go from there. Things went well, and I was asked when I could start.

Getting a local job can be a challenge. It does revolve a lot around where you live, the local economy, and the pool of available drivers. Sure, a lot of it is good timing, and nothing is guaranteed. If you are dead set on not wanting OTR but still can't get your foot in the door as a local driver, apply as a dockworker. Yeah, the pay is not as good, but you will be home every night. You may even pick up a few driving shifts when someone is sick or on vacation.

We currently have a nightshift dockworker that is getting his CDL with our equipment. Not only does he already have his permit, but we just started pairing him up with an experienced driver to start running routes to practice for his state exam. He will be getting an automatic pay raise for holding a CDL and he is getting groomed to be a driver when another driver is going to retire.

Companies are more likely to promote from within for these reasons:

1. They already have you and your employee info on file
2. You already have an understanding of how they "do business"
3. They already know how you work, and are more likely to be trusted than taking a shot at a new hire.
4. You have already developed skills with that company that they can utilize (running certain equipment)

The key to getting a local job is looking. Then start asking around "are you hiring drivers"? Look at other local P&D drivers and ask them if their company is looking for drivers. I did that with another competing company just for kicks and giggles, and sure enough I got "Ummmmm, yeah, as a matter of fact, our guy Bob is leaving in December, but we won't advertise the position for another two weeks fron what I heard"

Here is a fact: If you put in applications to a few OTR carriers, and that same application to a few local carriers, you will probably hear back from the OTR carriers first. However (and this is indisputably FACTUAL), if you choose to be discouraged, and decide not to put in an application to a local carrier, your chances of landing a local job are ABSOLUTE zero. Worse case scenario, you won't hear back, or get a friendly rejection letter/email stating that the position has already been filled. It wont hurt to ask around. Do not be discouraged by some of the stuff people post on here about needing experience doing OTR... It simply is just not true!

 

Good question. Another question that I would like the answer to is how many of those new drivers will quit the industry by the end of their first year. Nothing is guaranteed.

 

Prolly not accurate... But it sounds realistic. I would love to hear from the admins of this site and see how many newbies opened up an account all excited about getting a start with _______ trucking company, followed by 15 stoked posts of excitement... To be followed by "account inactivity since XX-XX-20XX"

 

That does sound like a good gig. Regional wouldn't be too bad with set routes. What I don't understand is how a carrier can subject their drivers to be out for weeks and weeks at a time, compensate them less per mile than LTL, give them the crappiest benefits, and then they "earn" a whooping one day off for every six days out to spend with their families. I am sure some single guys don't mind it. But you have to compensate your people right. If my travel agents screws up on something, and I am stuck at a terminal waiting on trailers, I make $16 an hour for the inconvenience. How much does our OTR counterpart make when they are stuck at a customer site and can not get unloaded for half a day?