What are the better jobs?

All kinds of opportunities...as long as your record is clean and you haven't hopped to 3 or5 jobs in 2 years. Depending on your likes there is the tanker/chemical/fuel hauling , then there's the food service side (lots of hands on work here , but the pay and home time is better than most) , the LTL companies have great pay and home time also , lots of P&D though , flat-bedding (more hands on ) dump bed..(dangerous lower pay) the sky is the limit really....I'm sure I missed a bunch. I did the food service thing myself though...worked for the same place for 30+ years and retired......

 

For me usually the smaller local outfits were better to work for. They are the ones most likely to treat you better and on a more personal level when you need home time or have Doctor appointments or whatever.
I made 62k last year with a small 9 truck company.
The problem is they can close the doors and leave you jobless if they have financial problems.

I am getting ready to go with a larger company doing local truck load Monday through Friday and home nightly.
Not sure how i will like it but they have the option if i want to go back OTR.

Everyone has different needs so if you find something you enjoy stick with it.

 

How about some actual company suggestions? I have 1 year experience now. Every time I think I can stick it out two years here to go someplace like T Horzen, my current employer screws me again! (insert rant here)

I just finished an on-line app with Poly Trucking, they have a positive thread on here. Sadly there was no box for "disregard state of residency, I have no desire to visit ex-boyfriend where my license is"!

 

A lot of the better jobs don't have to be driving a semi.There's a concrete company looking for drivers at $24.00 an hr.Im applying there Monday.

 

better jobs all depend on what you want..I have a good friend that does ltl he loves same thing everyday..he makes great money I work for a private carrier make a little more than my pal doing ltl I cover 7 states for me I like that better than what he does but he likes his gig better than what I do..look outside the box for your better jobs .local deal running tanker, mixer,dump,dairy, beverage industrial gases the list goes on and on look for companies with trucks not trucking companies you will find better jobs..

 

There are certain things that are driver preference.
1. What kind of wagon you want to pull
2. Drop and hook or live unload
3. Solo or teams
4. Automatics vs manuals
4. Regional vs long haul

But IMO, the things that make a job a good job are
1. Real world trucks. Not Beancounter trucks that have been detuned by some idiot who isn't smart enough to work at the shop at the TA. the wrong setup in a truck and you will struggle, the truck stays in the shop and your pockets hurt.
2. No handholding by the company. I hear drivers say all the time that they want a job where they're treated with respect. Really? Do your job. The respect will come. No desk jockey should ever have to set up pick up and delivery appointments for you. No one should have to call you to wake you up. No one should have to tell you when and where to fuel. You do a crappy job behind the wheel, full fledge slacker, yet you want respect. The better jobs will not even try to handhold. If you're not productive, you get canned.
3. Money. Many trucking jobs pay you just enough money for you to get by. The lease purchase outfits pay you in a way that you stay hungry, but won't starve to death. That's actually a slow death by malnourishment, but we won't go there. The better companies will actually put money in your pockets. You won't just get by, you can actually thrive.

 

1. Dry van
2. Either
3. Solo
4.manual
5. Long haul

 

I use to drive logging trucks it was a terrific job. Then road trains and hh / os good experience for a younger driver building his skills. Now that I am @ the end of the road I just do it for the money. All the fun is gone.

 

Any response to your app yet Patty?