Getting hired with no experience

Totally unnecessary. Lots of companies that pay a good wage will hire a new driver. You got to go out and look for them though. Apply in person. If the person in charge of hiring gets a good vibe then they'll more than likely give a new driver a shot. The guy who walks in in sweat pants, dirty shirt, flip flops and hasn't showered in a few days isn't going to get any further than, "sorry we require X amount of years experience" or "sorry the position has been filled".

When you do apply in person have all necessary documents. MVR printout, med card, ss card, CDL, etc.

 

Most if not all starter companies have trainers.But all companies,no.Some require like a yr or more exp.There websites will tell you if they have a training program.There is a member here named Chinatown,hes a nice guy and gives some good advice.He may give you a list of tanker companies that has training.I know Schneider has a tanker division that trains.

 

Hi Pink, I would avoid tankers till you have a years experience. After a year, you will have a good perspective on handling the weight and size and have a good perspective of traffic from a professional driver's view. most of the OTR companies will take you out with a driver trainer for a short time, but, most of your training will be experienced based. I drove for 18yrs, so I can say that I trained for 18yrs. If a driver tells you they've been driving 18yrs, there is nothing that they don't know, and you can't teach an old dog new tricks, those are the drivers to stay away from! Trucking is a good career, remember, it is YOUR license, not the dispatchers, not the owners, not your buddy's in the next truck over. Keep your license clean. The advantage of tankers is it's less physically demanding than freight, steadier than gravel hauling, but being new, I know you take what you can get. If you last 3yrs with no chargeable accidents, log book violations, you will be able to pick and choose the jobs you want. Good luck to you and your husband's new career, and most of all, have fun!!

 

Yes look up Custom Harvesters on the web.there will be about 50 of them hiring starting in April,Most will help get a CDL and You will work your butt off.Be prepared to be away for 4 to 5 months be prepared to work 18 to 20 hour days Lodgeing and meals will be provided and you will get paid to learn to haul heavy on narrow back roads with sharp turns and steep hills. You will also learn how to do a lot of mechanical work on the trucks tractors and combines.This is the best way to get into trucking but most are to sissified to go and work that hard.

 

That's a lot of it right there - present yourself, beat the pavement, knock on doors, blow up phones.
Persistence often pays off. Roadrunner is right, it can be a rough start without any training, but I did the same - and made it through.

 

Pink, not all companies have a training program. Some companies, good companies will hire drivers fresh out of school or a CDL program. I did not go through school, i took a cdl class which basically taught me the inspections required, drove a truck around for a few hours and took my state skills test. It just so happened the state examiner knew the owner of the company I work for and recommended me. (Yes I got lucky) Friends of mine, other retired military opted to take the local driving school class and are now working for the same company. We don't have a training program, but then again the owner is real good at reading people.

 

Just wanted to throw a dose of reality into the thread. Its not intended toward anyone but these schools are in business to make a profit. Not everyone that "passes" their courses will succeed in the real world. This industry is hard and to be successful and SAFE requires a high level of God -given common sense and intelligence. No trainer can teach that. You either have it or you don't. Sink or swim. I went to DMV in 1995 and took the written and road test and passed. I currently train for my company and "finish" trainees in the Northeast. This is after they have run 2-3 months with another trainer all over the midwest and west. That stage can be heartbreaking because these new hires have paid out several thousand dollars for a CDL but they do not have talent or intelligence to use. They end up being miserably stressed out or worse a statistic. Its not for everyone. If someone is a marginal passenger vehicle driver it will be more of the same with 65ft only its much more at stake. Life and death.

 

Couldn't agree more with this comment.

 

Man... You guys are such Debbie Downers for sure. My first 350 commercial miles were pulling triple trailers. I am still in the game two years later.