Car hauler jobs for a rookie driver

How's your spatial intelligence? Did driving a tractor trailer come easy?

I ask because the very worst thing about hauling cars is what all you're paying attention to, if you struggle with just a regular truck, carhaul will be a disaster as you'll constantly be in information overload. U-turns aren't an option with a carhauler. And being overly focused on normal driving tasks means you're likely to miss a tree branch or low bridge sign.

But if driving came natural, and you think you can picture your load before you load it (that spatial intelligence), go for it.

Making a career in trucking is about finding your niche and getting away from the meat grinder that is OTR irregular route trucking.

 

Dry Van:
USA Truck – Capacity Solutions

 

Part of me agrees with your advice as I had 25 years trucking before I drove my first carhauler. In the past I have given the same advice as you suggested. However I know several excellent carhaulers who never drove anything but carhaulers. Two have recently retired with 30+ years experience and another is 10 years in to his career. I think with all the difficulties and sometimes low pay in general trucking I have recently changed my opinion on my advice. It definitely won’t be easy, but they likely won’t turn him loose with an 80ft rig loaded to 90ft and valued at over half a million dollars until he can show he does know what he is doing. The right carrier will pay you for all time including training, loading, unloading and breakdowns. We seldom wait at shippers or receivers so we don’t have near the unproductive time general trucking does. Finding a hotel with parking for a carhauler is generally much easier than finding a parking spot at a truck stop, especially when you have a support network of other carhaulers to call when you need information.

 

@easternguy101 --

Here's one way to look at it: the military doesn't put fresh recruits in the latest and greatest fighter jets, or attack helicopters.

Instead--those recruits work their way up....and as their skill sets get sharper with time, then later (after they've spent a certain amount of time in something more modest) they are ready for those smokin' hot airframes.

It's basically the same way in trucking.

Start off simple. Learn the basics.

Don't bite off too much at the beginning.

Later, after you've mastered the basics....then go big, with a specialized job....like car hauling (if that's in fact what you still want).

--Lual

 

I saw those challenges hauling boats.
Some trucker pulled beside me on the interstate and kept motioning to the trailer. I pulled into the next rest area and there was a tree branch about 20 feet long laying on top of the boats. I shoved the branch off the boats and hit the road. The boat dealership asked, "What's with the acorns all over and inside the boats?" I said, "Beats the hell out of me; the trailer was already loaded when I picked it up." Didn't mention I swung by the house after hooking to the boat trailer.

 

I just didn’t get the same feeling of accomplishment holding a steering wheel as doing this. When you can put these on the truck, get them to the delivery point and unload them without tearing anything up it gives you some confidence. When you tear something up, it takes some confidence away, but generally you learn something that makes you better the next load. This is a job you may absolutely hate in the beginning, but one day you couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

 

@easternguy101 --

Another suggestion: To say it's a "driver's market" out there right now, would be something of an understatement.

Your timing for getting into this business appears to be pretty darn good.

My point? Well, don't limit yourself to the job opportunities that you've mentioned thus far.

There's soooooooo much more out there to choose from.

Chinatown already mentioned at least one (post #22 above) that would be a good start for a rookie--the only possible "negative" there is that most of their freight is in the eastern US.

Tell us what city/state you live near, and we can make some more newbie-friendly suggestions for you.

--Lual