Lumping freight

They were willing to pay the lumbers $400 but wanted to give me $75. For the same job? And the lumpers get to use the electric jacks. And they would make absolutely sure to count your load last.

Out of all the truckers in the industry, the reefer guys should have been the ones to go on strike, because they are the ones that get crapped on the most. Doesn’t even have to be some big nationwide thing. All they had to do is to refuse to go to one grocery warehouse. Just one for 1 week.

 

How old are you; the reason I ask is because some companies have minimum age requirements of 21,22,23.
Plenty of choices in Austin. Some have OJT and all you need is a cdl permit and physical to be hired.
Some have the full school and you will graduate with a cdl and a job.

 

The trucking company schools will teach you how to drive a manual transmission. That's part of the training. It's not the same as a car or pickup truck transmission.

Companies with their own cdl school in Texas:
Raider Express
FFE (Frozen Food Express)
Roehl Transport (hair follicle drug test)
Stevens Transport
Millis Transfer
Western Dairy Transport (www.wdtmilk.com)

Raider Express - Ft. Worth, Texas

 

Millis is ok, but they only run eastsern half of USA. Still make good money there, but if you want coast to coast, better keep looking.

 

Companies just want some return on their investment in you. England has a bad reputation, but the others are ok.
@akfisher did training with FFE and says it was ok and the paychecks were good.

 

I was with FFE myself as a trainer back in 2001 for a specific purpose of teaching spouse for reefer team. There is about 12 weeks roughly if going by the book each week has specific objectives and worksheets to put the trainee through to master pretty much everything. Then polish on the knowledge and gain a little bit of miles before being given a final road test and cut loose with your own tractor.

If you excelled your training will likely be shorter but not by much. You would be doing a little bit of everything. Your first year will be pretty... ho hum as far as dispatch goes. However as they gain a understanding of you personally and professionally, you will begin to have challenges.

It's not the best nor the worst outfit. You literally decide how you want it to go, good or really badly.

 

In my entire career, I've NEVER paid anyone to unload my trailer. And I've finger printed quite a few. ( I have the bad back to prove it) Some places , union mostly, won't let you on the dock, so you have pay lumpers, not affiliated with the warehouse, but in cahoots just the same. Many times produce is loaded on the floor, and requires stacking on THEIR pallets. THEN the schmo forklift driver will take it off your truck. It's a huge racket, and I wanted no part of it. Many times, drivers are so tired, it's worth it, but lumpers work like turtles on Valium, so you are there all day. Don't sweat the shifting. If current trends continue, and there's every indication they will, manual transmissions will be a thing of the past. The industry needs drivers so badly, they'd be stupid to spec a truck with a manual. Best of luck.