Help! Trying to make a decision!

send out applications. whoever calls you, go.

get it done and over with, then move onto another company when you have at least 6 months experience.

 

I always tell a newbie to pick a larger company to get experience with several types of equipment and also to see what kind of bull you will put up with in the industry as you will see all of it with one of the major carriers. After that, see if its ok with you and stay there or look for a smaller company that specializes in what you want to do. There are drivers for both types and you don't know which one you are until you have tried. you might like flatbedding otr or prefer a dedicated, home every night gig. I have done both. Now I'm home every night and off every weekend and I'm finding that although it sounds like nirvana to most drivers I'm not so keen on it. I didn't know that when I started it.

 

##### driver, i'm "keen" on being home daily, and off weekends..why don't you like it so much..??

heck, i get paid BETTER than OTR, and BETTER than working for an LTL carrier...!!!

 

I average about $900/wk. The money is fine I just don't care to be home that much. I like to see different things and actually like sleeping in the truck and waking up in a different place every day. Like I said, there is a job that suits everyone and until you try the whole gamut you won't know what that is.

 

Take your time, evaluate what you might want to do (flatbed, van, tanker etc). Picking a good company is easy, but they aren't usually looking.

So unless you get lucky, and I'm not saying "don't try", just realistically realize that they may not want you. Experienced drivers don't just come out of school, so other than a CDL license you have even less to offer them than someone that's been out awhile....soooooooo here's the first thing you need to learn.

Patience, and flexibility.

Patience: Not every company is going to be super, so pick one that is hiring, that has good equipment and drivers that don't hate driving for them. Get your time in, either after you've tried those good companies and been turned down, or while you're driving for someone else in the meantime while applying to those good companies. When you get your time in, continue to apply to those good companies.

Flexibility: Not every job is going to be a good fit, but being able to work together as long as they aren't total jerks, you learn AN aspect of the business, and this shows you have experience and are flexible to the needs of the job...and staying with that employer while you get a year in, shows you aren't a quitter. This is contingent on you doing the first things I said, making sure they have good equipment and are generally ok to drive for. A company that let's the equipment go, stops fixing it, changes work policies that are draconian to the drivers, will soon lose their drivers. Nobody expects you to stay under crappy conditions, but you have to try.

Good Luck.

 

Absolutely my friend. It's like getting paid to camp out and see the states.

 

i "did my time" running OTR and it got tiring REAL FAST.

i did the line haul thing, the LTL thing, you name it.

i like being home, and waking up to a different woman, rather than a different place.

the only "problem" though i have with waking up to a different woman, is my wife's objections...!!!

 

cyclmn, for the most part, if a company tolerates trainers who treat the trainee crappy, then that company will probably treat you crappy as well. a good experienced trainer for a good company will teach you far more than enough to make it worth your time being with them. from what i have heard, of the list you posted above, watkins-shepard seems to have about the best reputation. a company i was gonna recommend because of their training program wouldnt hire you living in Cali. that is TMC Trans from des moines, iowa. they get a lot of flack on here, but i worked for them for 17 years. they can be a good place to start driving, and to start flatbedding too.