What a flippin let down, is it really about who you know????

Well said. I never heard of an LTL outfit wanting or desiring OTR experience. What for? To hold a steering wheel for 10 hours a day.

 

Give it a shot. All they can say is no. OD recruits from my school ( or at least they did 2 1/2 years ago when I was there ) so at least in my part of the country they'll hire students. If I listened to all the know it alls in my life that said I couldn't do this thing or that thing I wouldn't have a commercial pilots license. Or a degree. Or quite a few rental properties. Or the good wife I have. Or the driving job I have now that I do solely because I want to and enjoy it. In short I wouldn't be who I am or have the success and flexibility I have to do what I want to do where I want to do it if I'd listened to ANY of the many people throughout my life who 'knew more than me'. Including my parents. Go for it and good luck to you

 

Exactly! That's true for any vocation.

 

Some Kyle companies make you start by working the docks and when a spit for you opens then you train to drive. I have learned to don't listen to people like that just go process them wrong

 

The OTR experience just shows that you can handle a truck. Maybe. But there is so much difference between OTR and local that it is like comparing apples and oranges. Of course if you have OTR "experience" that is filled with "boo-boos," well, you can figure it out.

Nightwind, I have been following a lot of your posts. I think you are more intelligent than to let some jerk off who has taken his tongue out for a walk, and let it slip its leash, bother you.

Does "WHO YOU KNOW" make a difference? Hell yes! Of course it does. If you have an "in" somewhere you want to be, use it. But don't think for a minute that ANY of these companies won't hire you if you don't "know somebody there." That just isn't the way it is, for the vast majority anyway.

Get out there and make human, face to face contacts with the companies you are looking to go to work for. Get an interview, make a decent impression by just being yourself. Don't try to BS them, because they will see through it immediately.

You will never get a job that you don't actively go after, unless there are some mighty unusual circumstances. So get out there and get busy. You'll find your job, and just maybe it will be with Odie. It's a good outfit!

 

I am 30 years old. I am considered one of the youngest drivers in my area. Truth is most of our guys are retiring or getting close to retiring. While driver turnover is the biggest cause for shortage, unfilled positions by people retiring is also a contributing factor. This is true throughout the entire LTL/trucking industry. Case in point, we have two P&D positions that have been vacant for the past four months. We can't find drivers. Many LTL carriers are having similar issues and will hire out of schools. The only person that can tell you that you cant get a local job is your hiring manager.

 

Good companies Like O/D maybe tough to get in, but not impossible. I've had many of those jobs that for most people are impossible to get, ut, having a good driving record, work ethic and appearance will get you a long ways. Talk to drivers from that company, they may be able to tell you who to talk to.

 

So let me get this straight - you haven't talked to anyone at the terminal and are just going on what some bozo in class told you?

I will grant you this: it's not the greatest time of year to try to get on with any LTL company, but OD is steadily picking up business and expanding it's operations, so they might be interested.