Advice for new drivers from a new driver

In thirty years I'll be 83, I might mistake him as one of the seven dwarfs and ask him out.

 

What kind of driving do you do?

If you've been driving for 17 months X 4 weeks per month that is 68 weeks, divide 8K miles by that and it's and average of 117 miles per week... that just doesn't sound like very much driving to me.

 

I tell "newbe's" that ask on here, basically the same thing, Get all the endorsements you can, you don't have to use them, but will get you the nudge in the hiring process if the other driver does not have it, also I know its kind of pricey but get a TWIC card(most companies that require one will reimburse you) asap, you may be asked to go to a port sometime. And this one usually starts the biggest hailstorm of negative comments, but I'll say it anyway. If I was a rookie fresh out of driving school, I would seriously consider Schneider's tank division, I know everyone picks on the great pumpkin but they are paying you to learn how to handle chemicals, even if it turns out tanking isn't for you, the experience might open doors later down the road. And while I'm up here on my soap-box I would also like to warn ALL rookies, The recruiter is paid on how many of you get hired, not by being totally honest, you will NOT start at the top of the pay scale, and you probably will NOT start in a brand new truck, and that has nothing to do with the name on the door of the truck it is 100% because you are a rookie period. Those are privileges that have to be earned, it is not one of your rights. If every driver with 20+ years quit today there is 19 years worth of truck drivers coming up behind us to take our place, so you still won't start at the top. Get all the education you can you never know when you'll need it. God I sound like my father....I'm done.

 

Great thread 5.56!

This quote is IMHO the essence of the issue in this industry for new drivers. After 6 months experience you have a few doors open, after 1 year you have quite a few doors open, and after 2-3 years you have most doors open. This is driven (pardon the pun) by the cost of insurance. Better companies want proven track records not only to reduce insurance cost, but to have a more experienced and professional crew of drivers.

Even though there are some good paying jobs out there for new drivers you aren't going to be making the same big bucks as a seasoned veteran. No matter what, you need to be mentally prepared to put in your time, learn, and gain precious experience in order to get where you want to be.

"Have a plan. Work the plan."

 

Indeed and I agree with him.
Took me 1 year of OTR to land a daycab gig good enough to pay the bills, another year to make dayshift at that job and another 14 months after that to get weekends off which just happened last week.
I now work 5 12's home every night Mon-Fri and should gross about $50K in 2014 if all goes well.
No hazmat, no tankers, no doubles or triples, just a '53 live floor hauling wood residual products.

 

Thanks for this thread drivers. Good read. My step dad always told me smart hard work only makes you a better man. My motto has been plan like your gonna live a hundred more years and live like it's your last day. I've talked with RevKev on the cell and I've all but decided to go with McElroy. My work experience is mainly construction/painting and logging. Back in the nineties I drove some at night hauling timber. But most of my time logging was operating a rubber tire cutter, a loader/delimber, or a skidder. I'm no stranger to manual labor and I've never been known to shy away from the hard stuff. So i reckon flatbeds just seem to be calling my name.

THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS AND OTHER POSTS LIKE IT

God bless