88M Need good work information

I have no idea how companies will view your military experience. But my hunch is that a few might look at it favorably while most will not. Most of the time, when a company places experience requirements on new hires, those requirements are actually dictated by their insurance company. So while a given company might be all for hiring you, their hands might be tied due to their insurance company.

Regardless, there are lots of opportunities out there for drivers with little to no experience. And once you get a year or two of civilian experience under your belt, the world will be your oyster as far as job opportunities go.

As for the doubles and tankers endorsements, they're pretty easy to get so it wouldn't hurt to have them. But the only companies that care whether if you have them are companies that do work which requires them, i.e. running double and/or tankers. So one could reason that it would help to have the endorsements simply because it would open up more job opportunities to you. That's the theory anyway. In reality there are going to be very few tanker opportunities open to you until you get a few years of acceptable experience under your belt. Your military experience might be acceptable or it might not. Just depends on the company. But like I said, they're easy to get (though they'll cost you more when you renew your license) so it wouldn't hurt to spring for them just in case.

I'm sure others will be along to chime in soon with more info.

 

I think you will find your military experience will give you a leg up compared to CDL school grads. That said, you will probably still want or need to spend some time with a trainer/finisher. Research the companies you are interested in and then contact them by phone or face to face if they are close enough. The tank and double/triple endorsement are simple to get and will provide more opportunities.

Good Luck

 

I deal with 88Mikes all the time. Unfortunately, OTR fleets don't recognize military driving experience. They put more emphasis on a clean, uninterrupted work history. You'll still have to spend 5 or 6 weeks with a trainer.

 

First, I'd get every endorsement possible that fits your time constraints. It only opens up possibilities. Doesn't hurt.
Military experience probably won't count.
I doubt it gives you a leg up, either. Since starter companies will hire anyone with clean record, and there is so much unemployment, it won't matter.
But you shouldn't have any problem getting on with a company, either.
Welcome back to the civilian world.

 

I was an 88M (and a 64C, before the change to 88M). I retired from active duty. Drove M818s, M915s, M920s, M911s, lots of heavy haul experience. When I retired, I went straight and got my CDL. I filled out several on-line applications, that went out to a bunch of flatbed companies. My phone rang off the hook. They all accepted my experience. Went straight to work for a semi-local flatbed company, hauling plywood and lumber, right away. Never missed a check. Was home 95% of most week nights and every weekend (all weekend).

 

Keep knocking on doors until you find an opportunity that suites your needs.

 

I hope the company wasn't Ploof.

 

There might be a few companies that except your military driving as experience but almost all will not. They look at it as on base driving with no OTR experience. I retired and was a driver. However, I had a few years experience as a casual driver for a civilian company which of course they did consider. I even had experience hauling explosives but they didn't care.

What you do have going for you is the fact that you were in the military. Some companies have hiring priorities because of service time. They consider that you have discipline and that's a plus.

As far as endorsements go, get all you can when you can. It may not help when a company hires you but it will save in hassles if you need to have them. Companies are only interested in the class of CDL that is required for the job they are hiring you for.

The smartest move would be to stay in the service.