Will living in FL hinder me from career?

I've been pre-hired by Roehl, and been talking to other recruiters before I put in my application. However, I've been putting months work into planning this. (Then again, had no choice I turn 21 on Sept 9, so class starts August and ends Sept 23 putting me right after that). Only class I know (Because I'm registered for it is the August Summer term and the September Fall term. I'm sure there is one before this. But I'd take the time to research company's.

Do note, pre-hire doesn't ensure that you have a job, just basically that they are taking interest into your application.

 

If a driver is going to reside in florida,

as far as employment goes,

you can't beat Jacksonville !!!!!

When you get a little experience, you'll never have a shortage of jobs available.

 

For a lot of companies, I-10 is the dividing line. These companies won't hire south of I-10. Some other companies have stopped hiring in Florida at all, while still others will hire down to around Orlando/Tampa. A few, a very few, will hire state wide.

Living in Jax you should have your pick from a wide selection of companies. The question is, what kind of driving do you want to do?

When I was first starting, 2006, I was really interested in Maverick - which is a flatbed company. Well, they weren't hiring south of I-10 even back then. Later, they pulled out of FL all together. They may be hiring again down to I-10. If it's flatbedding you're interested in, they'd be my first call. There's other good flatbed companies to be sure, Maverick is my personal preference. BTC, Boyd Brothers, and a couple others that I can't immediately think of would be strong choices too.

If you're leaning towards the dry-vans then the options are pretty wide, living in Jax. Instead of listing all the companies to look at, here's a list of companies to think twice about.

CR England
Werner
Swift
Covenant
Heartland
JB Hunt

Othere's will certainly chime in with their own list. Just don't jump at the first offer - which is called a "pre-hire". Pre-hires are readily given and mean almost nothing.

One more piece of advice that I'll offer is to stay away from ANY offer of a lease purchase program! Drive as a company driver for a year, at the very least. Then, if you want to "run your own show" compare what you're being offered as a lease to what you can do buying a truck from a dealer. The dealer will help you run the #'s. These lease/fleece deals suck! Stay away!

Good luck.

 

It's true that Florida was once known as "The dead end state". Drivers would take a load to places like Orlando, Sarasota, or Miami, and have to dead head to GA to get a re-load. But, that was 20-30 years ago. Florida is poised to become the 3rd most populated state in the USA. With that being said, there are lots of industries shipping goods from Florida. If you're working for a reefer carrier, you'll never have a shortage of freight coming out of Florida. Florida is only 2nd behind California in agriculture, which explains the need for the Agriculture Police at the state line. Their job is to prevent insect infestation and bacteria contaminated produce from effecting Florida's leading industry. Most people think Florida's top industry is tourism, and it's surely in the top 5. However, agriculture is huge in Florida, and there will always be a need for trucks, dry and reefer, to haul fresh produce and canned goods out of the state. Jacksonville is likely the best city in the state for an OTR driver to live. You're central to many interstates, 95-10-16-75-4. Jacksonville and Tampa are the two industrial cities in Florida, where Budweiser is made, among many other things, cigars, and such. Jacksonville is also home to Publix and Winn Dixie distribution centers, and has a sea port which is also a good source of outbound freight.

 

Living in Jax you've got plenty of opportunities not just with dry van carriers but also with container and intermodal since you've got the port right there. Plus I'm sure there are companies that haul out of the port of Savannah that could hire you as well.

 

Still is today a dead head state,yes Florida produce lot of Agriculture but as for anything else,no.I had heard from many truckers who always have to dead end to GA just to pick up a load.Your main big company down here is Tropicana orange juice and may be 1 -2 more but that's it.I been in Florida last 5 years and there not much made here.You do got lot of boat builders and farms but that's about it.

 

Ports are one of main loads coming out of Florida but things coming from ports where things made or build in other countries.I think the question was things that are made or produce here in Florida.

 

try FFe 1 they have a school, to they have a terminal in florida

 

Where in Florida?FFE was my next company to look into.

 

Florida is a seasonal state that depends highly on produce. Product comes in regularly but it's hard to get out at times. Jacksonville being on the northern end and a port city has alot more freight. Your best bet is a refridgerated carrier. They deliver to the Walmart DC's, etc... and have the trailer to bring anything out. At worst, you can always pull containers. You shouldn't have any problems.