Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Which areas of the country is the trucking industry more in need of drivers?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by cdpeery, Sep 11, 2012.

  1. Sep 11, 2012 #1
    cdpeery

    cdpeery Bobtail Member

    4
    0
    Sep 11, 2012
    0
    I am in a unique situation where I can relocate to another part of the country. I just moved to the Illinois (by St. Louis) from California. I have yet to switch over my license. I have relatives in both Illinois and Missouri, and I could live in either state. I also have my folks in Florida, and I really wanted to go get my CDL there because they have no state income tax there, whereas here by st louis i would pay 5 or 6 %. But in researching the subject it seems that florida is the "black hole" of the trucking industry. This led me to investigate where are truck drivers in high demand more so than other places, and I was not able to find that info. Is Florida really poor for trucking? Obviously the reason I want to get my CDL is to be able to work anywhere in the country, but I would like to eventually drop the OTR thing and settle for a home every night job somewhere. Can anyone tell me what areas of the country are they really needing drivers in, and are paying top dollar to get them? Thanks for any replies..
     
    cdpeery, Sep 11, 2012
    cdpeery, Sep 11, 2012
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. Sep 12, 2012 #2
    Geo_

    Geo_ Light Load Member

    53
    21
    Aug 31, 2012
    Coatesville, PA
    0
    Every company has areas that they hire from and areas they don't.

    South Florida, Northern New England (maine), Some of Montana etc etc and Illinois (because of licensing requirements) can be problematic when trying to find a job. Not because freight doesnt go there, but because it's outside the normal shipping routes and getting you home for hometime can be difficult. Illinois has some licensing rqquirements that make it diificult for a newbie to get company sponsored training if needed.
     
    Geo_, Sep 12, 2012
    Geo_, Sep 12, 2012
    #2
  4. Sep 12, 2012 #3
    Geo_

    Geo_ Light Load Member

    53
    21
    Aug 31, 2012
    Coatesville, PA
    0
    oh and to answer your question, as long as you live in the major shipping lanes or near them, St.Louis for example is a good one, you should have plenty of companies to apply to.

    As far as pay goes to a new driver.......well, if I were you get your CDL on your own, dont go to a company sponsored program to get one. Check the local community colleges and schools in your area and pay for it/finance it yourself. You wont be under a contract to a company at lower wages for up to a year. Most companies will re-imburse you for the money you spend on your own school at no additional expense of yours. but if you go to a company sponsored school, most will lock you into a contract for up to a year and deduct $xxx.xx amount of money each week to pay them back for school and they lock you into lower mileage rates as well.
     
    Geo_, Sep 12, 2012
    Geo_, Sep 12, 2012
    #3
  5. Sep 12, 2012 #4
    cdpeery

    cdpeery Bobtail Member

    4
    0
    Sep 11, 2012
    0
    Thanks geo. I appreciate all the input. Does anyone know if it is more advantageous to live in one place over another? For example, would someone who lives on a coast be better positioned to make longer runs than someone from the midwest? If i had to go OTR it would seem to my newbie mind that it might be better live in ,say, Los Angeles. Maybe runs back and forth to the East coast. It seems like your first year you are OTR, and likely for that time you will be team driving. Since pay will likely be low, at the least I would like to be getting miles and not sitting. Does anyone know of a CDL mill that has long runs and really keeps you moving? If someone knows of areas where they pay well above the national average and jobs are plentiful that would be great. Thanks guys
     
    cdpeery, Sep 12, 2012
    cdpeery, Sep 12, 2012
    #4
  7. Sep 12, 2012 #5
    Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

    15,317
    210
    Jan 31, 2012
    Green Bay Wi
    0
    seems to me payscale is pretty much the same all over for OTR drivers as we live in the trucks all over
    but i go thru saint louis almost weekly so you would get time to swing by the house
     
    Cranky Yankee, Sep 12, 2012
    Cranky Yankee, Sep 12, 2012
    #5
  8. Sep 12, 2012 #6
    123456

    123456 Road Train Member

    10,555
    5,747
    Oct 22, 2010
    32179
    0
    Avoid Floriduh !!!!!


    Keep moving, nothing to see here.......
     
    123456, Sep 12, 2012
    123456, Sep 12, 2012
    #6
  9. Sep 12, 2012 #7
    Jorihe84

    Jorihe84 Road Train Member

    2,763
    1,333
    Sep 1, 2010
    North Florida
    0
    Florida is a black hole if your running OTR. There's a few companies running regional down here that got the area pretty much locked down so of you can get hired on with one of them then you'll be ok... But they are far and few.
     
    Jorihe84, Sep 12, 2012
    Jorihe84, Sep 12, 2012
    #7
  10. Sep 12, 2012 #8
    pilottravel2002

    pilottravel2002 Medium Load Member

    688
    156
    May 25, 2011
    Tucson,az
    0
    Ny,Nj,Pa...
     
    pilottravel2002, Sep 12, 2012
    pilottravel2002, Sep 12, 2012
    #8
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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