Starting out for rookies

ok i myself am juss starting out i also have a few questions now to me driving is fun i love it but does any company make us drive to alaska?is it really all that bad driving in the snow? juss wondering i have been told by my uncle he has been driving for 15 years the five things to remember while driving a truck: 1)tear florida and california out of your atlas! 2)dont run no northeast or snow terrain not worth the hassle.3)it is better to hurry up and get your own truck.4)Listen to whatever your dispatcher tells you.5)never at a truck stop leave your doors unlocked or go in a shower at a truck stop with out your shower shoes on. okay now any answers on these willing to take all kinds of information on this so i know what i am up against i am willing to experience it all myself and let me make my own decisions but i kinda want to get a teaser of what i am up against if yall could be so kind to share sum info and also one other question would I at any time have to take that long *** road from washington to alaska? so really what i am askin is do i ever have to go to alaska? well will be waitin to read some info on this from all you guys & gals out there. happy holidays to all and to all a good night

 

questions, questions...
1.) should a rookie stay away from companies running auto-shift trannies? - would the next company (running manual trans.) consider that first experience half wasted?
2.) how long is the average time spent with a trainer?

 

Hey there -

For starters, let me tell you the easiest way to avoid Alaska.... Don't work for a company that goes there. Simple as that. Living in Tennessee gives you plenty of opportunities to pick and choose, but you will also have to remember that you are going to be vying for a position that many others are also trying to get. You have internet access.... start looking at companies that hire students fresh out of school.

I really don't want to insult your uncle's opinions or views, but there are a couple of things that I couldn't disagree more with. First, if you refuse to drive in the northeast or "snow terrains", you are going to limit yourself. There are many student companies out there that do not go to the noretheast, but the snow issue is going to be tough to get around. And being that you live in Tennessee, it makes it impossible. About the only way to totally avoid it would be to get a local job in Miami.

And as far as getting your own truck as soon as possible, that would be the worst mistake you could possibly make straight out of school. Insurance would be horrifically expensive, most companies would not hire you as an owner operator without at least 1 year experience, and you're not even sure if you want this to be your lifelong career. But you would be stuck with a $1000+ per month truck payment.

The dispatcher thing is a little questionable as well. Dispatchers are known for worrying more about getting the load there than they are about whether the driver can legally do it or not. There are MANY things about being a Big Truck Truck Driver that dispatchers don't have a clue about. Personally, I am lucky enough to work for a company where that is not the case. But you need to be careful about doing EVERYTHING a dispatcher tells you to do.

No offense, but you have a lot of homework to do. Keep reading the forums and visit a few truckstops. Offer to buy some drivers a cup of coffee in return for you getting to ask them questions about the industry. Look at the big picture. And ask away.

And don't worry about Alaska. You won't be going there if the company you work for isn't licensed for it. The key term you will see is "Lower 48". That means they don't do Alaska and they don't do Hawaii.

Good Luck

 

Hey there Billy -

1.) should a rookie stay away from companies running auto-shift trannies? – would the next company (running manual trans.) consider that first experience half wasted?

Not necessarily. There is a common misconception that if you work for a company that is solely automatics, that is all you will ever be hired to drive. There are companies out there that do have that mindset, but they are few and far between. And actually, if you are fresh out of school, there is a distinct advantage to driving an automatic. ("WHAT?!?!?!" you say). Seriously. Think about it. If you are driving an automatic, you can concentrate more on your manuevering skills without having to combine that with the shifting. Any learning experience is not a waste of time.

2.) how long is the average time spent with a trainer?

Depends on the company... Some are two weeks, some are four, some are 3 months..... the timetable is determined by both the company (or its insurance company) and the student's abilities. Generally you can find out this information by visiting the website of the company you are interested in.

 

Start making a list of companies that hire students, get a recruiter on the phone, and ask. Each company has different polies and guidelines for hiring. You may find some are more lenient than others.

Good Luck

 

did u graduate from milan express or drivetrain?

 

Why not Werner? I'm told at my PTDI certified school there are a good company. 2 of the instructors work for them over 6 years and have nothing but good comments. They did say they walked the company line and was available for any load which dispatchers like.

 

Sure the school is going to talk high of companies that toss a kick back to them. I know a school that the admin was getting 50 bucks for every student that he placed.(at a well known co) He is no longer affiliated with that school.

 

There are a lot of schools that do a lot of things. I would not entrust someone that I am paying to go to their school to place me. There are reputable companies. True a lot of them are not hiring right now, but a lot of companies like werner has not had that great of a reputation. There are a lot of complaints and history from them from junk equipment to lousy trainers to low pay to terrible hometime. If I was looking to start somewhere the last people I would trust would be the recruiters and to the school I went to. I want info from someone that has no chances of gaining from me going there. You would be surprised how cut throat trucking and schools are.

 

Why are those instructors not working for Werner now then ? Ask them why Werner is always , always recruiting at schools when they have reduced their fleet by 10% .

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3562484
Less and less trucks , more and more newbies hired . Nobody has ever explained this mystery to me .