Truck Driving Job Hoppers – by a job hopper

Yes to every question.

 

i agree on all of these points.... BUT THE COLD HARD TRUTH IS COMPANIES BIG OR SMALL WILL TRY TO HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE NO MATTER WHICH SITUATION THAT YOU HAD TO LEAVE ... I WAS ASKED THE QUESTION YESTERDAY WHY DID YOUR COMPANY LAY YOU OFF....?????... MY REPLY WAS THEY LAID OFF 40 OF US IN THE SAME WEEK 30 THE WEEK BEFORE AND WERE STILL DOWNSIZING DUE TO THE ECONOMY. I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF 6 YEARS AGO DUE TO DOWNSIZING AS WELL AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. ANY WAYS COMPANIES JUST LOOK FOR STUFF TO HOLD AGAINST YOU AND EVERYTIME THAT YOU JOB HOP IT LOOKS BAD ON YOU.... MABEY WE SHOULD START ASKING THEM ABOUT NEGATIVE POSTINGS ON SITES LIKE THIS ... DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN TO THIS DRIVER????? DOES YOUR COMPANY REALLY HAVE THIS BULL#### RULE IN PLACE????? DOES YOUR TRUCKS ACTUALLY DRIVE THIS SLOW????? ...... JUST AN THOUGHT.

 

I'll throw my .02 in on this. I personally left the trucking industry after 1 bad experience with a very small mom/pop OTR outfit years ago. Since then I have been in the farming and horticulture industry (landscaping/mowing). I have job hopped around around for years, always expanding my knowledge with new skill sets, but more than anything I was always receiving better offers in money from each new place. My last place was working for a state highway and I was 1 of 40 for cuts. I left to start my own landscaping business. Economy went south I had to fold up shop as many were tightening their own belts. Now I want to hit the road whether local/regional/OTR, but I find that in this economy it doesn't matter your skills, education as much as how long you will be with them. I have held my CDL since I turned 21, I still drive my father-in-laws truck for fall harvest, I come from a huge trucking family (heck I was on the road at age 2 with dad). The biggest regret I have is not having stuck with a single company for more than 2 years. Sometimes gaining new skills and more money doesn't pay in the long run

 

As a newbie prehired with Central Ref. Service how long after one year is it acceptable to start looking for local work? I want to go over the road for the least amount time as possible. So I can start living a more normal life. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

Normal life

They didn't explain we don't have lives?

Seriously though. You could start looking immediately after training if you want. Some of the local/regional grocery distributors might hire you right out of the gate.

And also serious....life is never normal after you step into this industry.

 

This is kinda what I was looking for is stable local driving routes, pero I'm certainly not looking for the typical 8-5 job. Definitely not the typical pencil pusher, nor would I want to come to work in cubicle.

 

if you're looking for local work, plan on a 14-16 hour work day. oh, and you better have a strong back. what was that about having a life? get up, go to work, come home, go to bed. might as well be over the road with a schedule like that. OTR, then local, then back OTR. that's how it goes with most drivers when they find out what local is really like.

 

yep, Know the differents between OTR and local? Where you sleep. You still don't get to see you wife and kids. I'll take otr. better money, less work.

 

I agree completely. I work more hours in 5 days, hand unloading, pulling pallets on a liftgate ( a good way to fall and hurt yourself ) doing a local job, than I worked in 7 days doing OTR... now I wanna get back to OTR for the money. The only thing better about local was getting paid by the hour and getting overtime after 47.5 hours...

 

+1. OTR any day.