Moving Job?

unfortunately, you graduated at the worst time possible (right when the economy was flushed.) I'm assuming you mean graduated from trucking school. I'm also assuming $16.00 an hour. I'm also assuming no classes in communication or writing were involved. you're going to ask for $18.00 an hour to be a truck driver? good luck. that'll definitely make you stand out from the other 24,507 people in line for the same job.

 

I was you in July except I've been out of school since May. I work for a company under United van lines. It's tough work for sure but I don't hate it. My hands are taking a total beating and I've found gloves are not really an option.

Picking up and carrying things is the easy part, loading them on a truck, wrapping with pads and dealing with customers and other BS is the BS part. LOTS of BS. Tips are frequent as long as you didn't break anything. Drink LOTS of water and eat lots of protein before during and after work.

 

Oh and starting out I bet you'll be doing local jobs so you won't be doing much driving.

 

You are starting after the busy season, which usually ends around Labor Day. Household is probably the hardest physical work I've ever done other than baling hay on a hot day. Loading household is an art, and how to SAFELY carry stuff is a close second. This is one job where you can't be too careful, and being kinda anal about how you do stuff, and take care of your equipment is a plus. Dealing with crabby shippers is the biggest negative, next to people that live in filthy conditions. Moving is traumatic for some folks, and they will take it out on you! Driving is actually a small part of the job, and be prepared to sit and do nothing for perhaps weeks between loads. There is also lots of paperwork, bills accessorial forms and inventories that regular trucking doesn't have to deal with. But the pay is good once you are established with a company or agent.

 

Usually $10-$20 per mover on the job, I've seen as much as $100 and I've been told that once a crew was tipped $500 each. It depends on if they are a full service moving company or not. Working under United we can do everything from supplying boxes, packing them, loading them, storing them, insuring them, delivering them, unpacking, setting up of items, putting dishes away and placing pictures on walls etc All the owner does in the moving process is let us in the to and from locations and sign the check if they want to pay for the full service. Usually people buy boxes from us and self pack small items, sometimes people have their own boxes. 70% of the time people who pack their own stuff haven't got a CLUE how to even remotely do it right and you have loose packed dish boxes, boxes with un taped bottoms, China loose packed in green garbage bags etc. Morons.

Agreed on everything. The worst is doing inventory on a registered move. EVERY item must be taged with a number, then it is recorded with a description and condition report of ALL defects including dirt. In addition electronics must have model numbers and serial numbers recorded. Some houses can include 500-600 items that all need to be inspected before and after and signed off by the owner or rep. of the owner. LOTS of paper work for the driver. ALWAYS have lots of pens.

The pay time should include the time you left until time returned to terminal unless it is a non local move, then you are paid by mile for driving time and then hourly for non driving time. As far as getting hours being new you might be surprised, most movers ride the bus to work and have no license because they drink too much outside of work. A mover with a CDL can be like gold although yes the season is over after Labour day. No one really moves in the winter.