A dream job or a hose-down? A newbie's lack of looking before leaping or what?

OK, found a "dream job" and a chance to learn skateboarding, but...

My goal always has been to get one of those "dream" jobs, you know, home most nights and home weekends. I made a step in that direction a number of months ago by betting home weekends. I thought I'd have to be driving a year or two before landing "dream job". Now, just this week, I attended orientation for a company where I'll be home nights and weekends! Yay!

...At orientation Wednesday I find out that the driving job is a 500 load contract. I also learn there are 5 trucks hauling this route. That's 100 days until the "local" job evaporates.

OK, it gets better. Their website, of which I read before orientation, shows no hiring area. After finding out about the 500 load thing, I investigated more (perhaps to the level I should have originally), and found a site "bubbajunk.com" that notes this company has a hiring area that does NOT include Nebraska, but states south of it. But since the shipper for this 500 load deal in near my home...

Hmmm, I wonder if the recruiter would slow down long enough to answer a question regarding where the other 4 drivers live. Perhaps in the company's hiring area to the south of here, near the reciever. They might drive up empty and load up then drive back south. I did not know up till now I did not live in a "hiring area" for them, and assumed there were drivers in the Omaha area that are doing the gig.

Can you see where my concern is headed? I'm wondering if my dream job will end here after three months plus and then since I'm not in their hiring area they may say "thanx and good bye" or "move south or we can't use you anymore" or "take this other regional/OTR gig after moving south or hand over the keys", etc...

I plan on calling the company to bounce this off them, in a courteous and professional manner, and see what they say. The recruiter is not a very good listener and seemingly doesn't like questions, but perhaps I can slow her down long enough to get the "flayva" of what might be in my future.

...Can't believe I got myself into a possible hose-down. Would be sweet to find they have a long term contract around here in the works...

They seem like a reputable company, but I find I am finding out the details AFTER getting to orientation. Answering questions was a task for her, to say the least, I assumed she was hyper-busy. ...But now I'm wondering.

I can see what the future holds for me regarding this job if indeed there are no contracts in the area here in the works, so perhaps this posting was just a therapy for me after realizing what I walked into. If anyone wants to chime in tho, great. I know, I know, there are a littany of drivers who will say something like "welcome to trucking where companies only concern is thier short term and long term dollar generation, driver be ####'d and is nothing but a dispensible tool". Perhaps I need this lesson. I thought I knew all the questions to ask a company, but geez was I wrong or what?

 

Yes.

Sometimes I'm just too #### trusting. Anyway, I flipped an email to the recruiter as her listening skills are low to nill and she does NOT fully listen to voice mails. I CC'd a copy of my inquiry to the Op mngr and he responded within 30 minutes with a correction of what the recruiter stated. It's 4000 loads, not 500, and should be running another "10 months give or take". If I "do a good job" will be offered an OTR, they run NE/IA to TX and the midwest/central south primarily. Can be home most weekends. Soooo, nice all in all.

If it somehow doesn't work out after the 9 or 10 months then i will have been in a seat long enough that any number of the the local home daily's that INSIST on a year plus experience should be happy to hire lil' ol' me! (I've been driving now only 9 months. I know, I know, am I spoiled or what?)

Having said that, this company does look pretty good for the long term, assuming I do a good job. ...I feel like I'm stepping into the big leagues now and it is a bit intimidating, if ya wanna know the truth. However, I'm up to it so let's toss some straps already!

 

Thanx Gears.