So I passed school, got my CDL! But... Everybody wants 2+ yrs exp..

That's what most drivers warn the newbies about local driving. They think they are going to get their CDL and land a local job without paying their dues. Are you surprised then? The good news is there are over 450,000 trucking companies and one of them is for you. Make a list of your needs and wants and get to work! Start by looking at websites such as careersingear or bigrigjobs. Also the OOIDA has some reputable links to good companies. I personally as an experienced driver would go for the smaller companies however do as you wish. Try thinking outside of the box or following the herd of sheep. You don't have to pull a dry van for England or Swift. There is flatbedding, tankers, heavy haul, dump trailer, livestock, even horse hauling cross country. There is also expedite. You could find a good owner operator pulling expedite and work for them and drive one of their trucks. You just have to go the extra mile and not rely on the school recruiter to sign you up at Werner. Also you don't just fill out an application and wait for somebody to call you. They won't! The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Learn how to hustle because once you start driving you are going to need to know how to hustle. Good luck to you, now get to work!

 

OOIDA is an owner operators website. It has a lot of good info on there though. Also has really good links.

 

Go with any of the big companies, Yes the ones a lot of people are ragging On. Do Your time 6 months or more and then look for local Jobs. I have 4 companies that will take me on as soon as I get 6 months on the road. 2 are flat bed only companies in the Houston area. One is oil field here in Texas. Other then doing driven You have to look and send in Apps, read the paper and talk with truckers at the T/S.

 

Keep this in mind, you are only hearing the bad stuff about the big companies. (plus you/we are only getting half the story most of the time). We don't hear from the drivers who are happy with the larger companies. (mostly I suspect because whenever somebody dares post a good report about a company they just get shouted down and called a cheerleader, plant, recruiter etc etc). The reality is, with freight being the way it is these days, the larger companies are the ones who have loads right now. Don't let a bunch of dopes who post on a message board (myself included) keep you from applying for (and possibly getting) a job. You may have to start at one of the "big evil" companies and get some seat time, then you can move onto bigger and better things if you so desire. Remember alot of the "evil company posts" are from people who have axes to grind and don't represent the whole company.

 

I got started young, I was actually 19 when I got my CDL and like you, felt there wasn't an answer. I lucked up on a local position as my first job pulling a flatbed hauling sod for a local site and sod company in central Florida. It can be done, but it is very hard and getting to be much more rare, insurance companies are stepping up their regs, especially now with the looming CSA2010. My advice would be step up the to the plate with a company that will give you a chance and give them an honest effort, you have to keep in mind that the opinions on here about some companies are the opinions of a few and not everyone. An open mind going in to a job is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome, if you go in thinking the worst chances are it's going to turn bad almost immediately. Trucking is job where patience pays off, don't let the little things detour you from your ulitimate goals of pulling dump trailers. I've been with my current company now for nearly 3 years and pull dumps and walking floors and loving every minute of it, but you know what??? I had to pay my dues, you have to put forth the effort to see the rewards of your sacrifices, just my 2 cents....

 

I've seen drivers (alot of them) at Lowes or Home Depot that make more money than alot of these OTR folks........

Better benefits, and home everyday !!!!!

 

Yeah...what YankeeTexan said.

There are a lot of people you don't hear from who are happy with the big companies in spite of the nay-sayers who claim the only reason for this is the happy drivers don't know any better.

I do know better. In fact, I just had breakfast this morning with my ex-boss from a tiny company in Michigan that was put out of business by UAW. It was a great little mom n pop company and I liked it there. But I am more comfortable with the stability of a large company. At least for now.

It's not that there isn't any BS where I am. All companies, large and small, have their own brand of BS. You have to decide which flavor suits you the best. Try not to focus on the negativity. Look through those threads and you will find people defending those companies. PM them for more information...to get the other side of the story.

And don't wait too long. If you do, you will find it even tougher to get that foot in the door.

Good luck to you.

 

I also agree that a mega company is good place to get experience. I put in 2 years in a mega co (Swift), doing a wide variety of jobs: Reefer, heavy, and Intermodal to meantion some. Then I landed a local job that pays better for a 40 hr week than I got at 65-70 hrs a week.

The point is that no matter where you plan you next step to be, you need a starting point. The Mega's will give you that foundation to build a good career on.

Best of luck!