Newbe Question

I am fresh out of school, just got my A and I am looking to go otr. Not sure what companies will hire new drivers. I really need the experience. So I figured I would go drive around the country for a few years and rack up some miles... anyone know of companies I can start with?

 

Congrats on graduating and get your A

I am in the process of going to school now but the best way to find out whats going is to visit the newbie forum and just read. Read hard, read long and read till it hurts... No j/k

But seriously just read the forums. Start with the werner, CRSt forums...

Good Luck on finding something

 

There are quite a few carriers that take recent grads. Typically, these carriers will assign the recent grad to a trainer's truck for weeks or months, depending on the carrier. (BTW, I only know what I've read here or in trucking industry publications. Just keep that in mind as you read my rambling.) A few things to keep in mind:

1) As "thefather" said earlier, read until it hurts,

2) when it starts to hurt, read some more anyway,

3) if you have strikes against you because of your MVR, employment history, misdemeanors, felonies, DUIs, drug/alcohol, tested positive ever (?), parole, probation, and on and on and on, you've got an uphill battle. Carriers are getting more and more picky these days. CSA 2010 (hear about that in school?) is "in their face". If it works according to plan, DOT/FMCSA will be out there biting at carriers' butts, and with CSA 2010's enforcement strategies, those teeth are new and sharper than ever before.

4) Do you have family? If so, do they want you home regularly. Driving jobs where the driver gets home nightly are much more difficult to land.

5) Find out which carriers move a lot of freight through your area. Go to truckstops, see who's there in numbers...and go several times. Talk to some truckers, watch them, what's their demeanor. Find a spot within eyesight of an interstate near where you live. Write the names of the carriers who pass by, tally the count. The more trucks from the same carrier you see, the more likely that that carrier is hiring near where you live (not foolproof, as a matter of fact, none of this is foolproof...just suggestions)

6) Recruiters are human (or close to it!) and have a job to do. Job is to sell their carrier to you. Nuff said about that!

7) Okay, enough for now. More later if you want. I'll be glad to help. I've been helped by many members here, turnabout time for me.

Oh yeah, READ!

 

What they said ......Watkins and Shepard is a good starting company...no trainers.

 

Have you look into Swift,Werner or Steven Transport?They are a start,not sure what areas there hiring but being in the north east i'm sure there should be at lease few starter companies that are hiring.Also look up trams am transport,hear there a good company.Good luck.

 

Swift,Werner or Steven Transport,trams am transport: I ma goign to ckeck these out... I hear swift is a bad place...at t his point... I am thinking ill find out myself.

 

Keep reading. You will hear good and bad about swift here. Just depends on what point of view you take.

 

I am a newbie going to be starting school and from about 2 weeks reading on here I have narrowed it down to 3 maybe 4 companies. Watkins and Shepard, Roehl, Cargo Express then Stevens(still not sure on this one).

Before I started school I wanted prehires to be safe. I got them from Swift, Werner, Stevens, Covenant, May and US Xpress.

Notice my top 3 companies I would like to work for are not in the pre-hires, thanks to this forum I have learned quite a bit.

Good Luck.

 

I like w/s I started with them they were great, don't regret it a bit.

 

You say you started with WS are you still there or when did you move on? Did you go through their training or private school? THANKS