Driving exp

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by mikemill123, May 13, 2012.

  1. mikemill123

    mikemill123 Bobtail Member

    38
    2
    Oct 13, 2011
    Lansing, MI
    0
    I've been driving for a little over a year. But I've been working for local company. We ran mostly 38 foot trailers. I've decided that Id like to give otr a try. My question is well my year count for anything. I expect to have to go threw the whole training. With otr companies want a refresher before they will talk to me? Will a company that requires a little exp even talk to me? Thanks for the replies.

    mike
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

    5,296
    6,521
    Aug 8, 2009
    Meadville, PA
    0
    Mega carriers like Swift or Werner won't consider it as experience, since it's not OTR. Apply the old "shoe leather express" and knock on some doors locally with any smaller outfits in your area.

    In my personal opinion, local drivers have a much harder job than the OTR drivers. After all, we only deal with cities during a pick-up or delivery, and spend the rest of the time out on the open road....and local experience should count!
     
    GasHauler and Onetruckpony Thank this.
  4. mikemill123

    mikemill123 Bobtail Member

    38
    2
    Oct 13, 2011
    Lansing, MI
    0
    It didn't seem right to me. Not cutting down otr drivers at all they got some big rigs to move around town. But I've put these trailers in some places that probley shouldnt be done. A lot of chances to break stuff. We do a lot of deliveries to little party stores. Low power lines, low signs, backing into gas stations during rush hour traffic. Spend almost my entire day driving threw town. You would think it would count for something. Im not agaist the refresher. I can go take one if comes down to it. The real reason I didnt go over the road in the first place, was couldnt find a training company that anyway had possitive things to say about it. Got a job offer from werner. But opted out of that from I've read about them.
     
  5. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

    5,296
    6,521
    Aug 8, 2009
    Meadville, PA
    0
    Werner is a crap company. Trust me, I know. I worked for those idiots...TWICE! Guess I ain't as smart as my mudder says I is...

    Like I said, check into whatever smaller outfits may be in your area. I'd spend a week or so knocking on doors and making phone calls.
     
  6. snowbird_89

    snowbird_89 Road Train Member

    1,029
    825
    Aug 21, 2009
    Massachusetts
    0
    You sure you wanna go OTR? You think you'll like the lifestyle?
     
  7. mikemill123

    mikemill123 Bobtail Member

    38
    2
    Oct 13, 2011
    Lansing, MI
    0
    Im not super happy with the company I work for. Not a whole of local jobs for someone without the exp around here. To tell the truth I dont know if id like the lifestyle or not. I think I would, but it seems like it would be hard to know for sure until you do it. I don't have any thing tieing me down at home. Yes I drive locally know but the only home time i see is sleep and do again.
     
  8. mikemill123

    mikemill123 Bobtail Member

    38
    2
    Oct 13, 2011
    Lansing, MI
    0
    The company I work for dosen't want to run anything the legal way. Breakdowns are part of a normal day. the last straw for me, was My boss telling me I needed to train a driver right out of school. with only a year of exp I have no bussniess training anyone
     
  9. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

    5,296
    6,521
    Aug 8, 2009
    Meadville, PA
    0
    Best be REAL sure before you make the leap. OTR can and will chew you up and spit you out to make room for the next poor bugger. I enjoy it, but I get home most weekends, too.

    Look into Con-Way. I'm thinking (without any evidence whatsoever, you understand!) that they may be willing to consider your local experience, and they do have the Truckload division as well as LTL.
     
  10. snowbird_89

    snowbird_89 Road Train Member

    1,029
    825
    Aug 21, 2009
    Massachusetts
    0
    Oh you work more than 40 hours a week i see. :biggrin_2554: I guess you can always try to find a local job where you'll work less hours. It might be possible. Just apply at any place that interests you and if you get called for an interview, you can find out more about the job and see if it'll be better for you.
     
  11. mikemill123

    mikemill123 Bobtail Member

    38
    2
    Oct 13, 2011
    Lansing, MI
    0
    My company is famous for keeping me out for 20 plus hours. When i bring up HOS they tell me to run it or your done. Ive told only run your day time lights cause lights are out on the trailer. I had a tire with a chunk of the threads gone. I had a truck that was losing coolent like crazy. With a shutdown on it which can be fun in rush hour traffic. I think id enjoy OTR if I found a decent company to work for. Id love to see more of the states. Have hardly ventured outside of Michigan. My only worries is getting out there and just not getting the miles. I will defentally check out conway and see what they got going on. I've applied to a lot of differnt local companies, even companies that require the exp I don't have. The way I look at it worst thing that can happen is they don't hire me. NTB is hiring in my area, but require hazmat. Swift has offered me a job. But they seem to be in the same boat as Werner.

    OTR driving seems to be pretty much what it looks like. Long day away from home. Live in the back of a truck for a long period of time. Fight like heck to get dispatched home. Like I said I dont have anything tieing me down here. I would not have a problem being gone for a long period of time.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.