Almost a rookie ... Advice please

Dont want to throw you off your job search but it would only be so nice if you could pick where you want to start. You have posted probably some of the best/easisest places to start, they love new drivers, but the team driving/dispatch or any number of things may hate your new job really fast. There are many companies that will take a new driver, try everyone, even the local 5-50 trucks in the company type jobs, for me they have been very good so far in the few years of driving AZ and a decade of straight truck before that.

Be positive. Be kind on the road, be the trucker you want others to be. Dont race ahead other drivers just to slam on your breaks and just barely make your highway exit/turn. I get this so often.

Stay off your phone while driving, I see way to many drivers on their phone and driving.

Good luck.

 

Glad someone chimed in saying not to limit yourself to only the bigger companies. The smaller companies are great to work for as well. If you happen to get in with a good small company, chances are there will be some older drivers there who will be more then willing to teach you a thing or to(even things you shouldn't know, lol). I've always driven for smaller companies. It's nice being able to have your bosses phone number at home sometimes, kind of thing.

 

Where abouts are you located?

Also, where I am in South Ontario I called about 3 trucking carriers, each saying something you had run into, but I ended the calls with this question "Do you know anybody who hires new drivers? Im fresh out of trucking school?."

They all knew places I could call that did hire new drivers and were not MEGA carriers, and the first place I called from there recommendations gave me a great job, doing flatbed long haul all over South Ontario and East/South USA Coast. It was awesome, made a bundle of money, but barely home once a week. In the end, I had to be home more, I was not enjoying it. Now I work for a local, make slightly less money, but am home every single night, weekends off, steady runs to the same places, day in and out drop and hook.

Thanks for posting and letting me post my story, good luck to you.

 

Apache Freight Lines in Stouffville is a good company and they take on new drivers... I worked there for a few years (about 11-12years ago now)... It's a good company to work for.. Not sure what they pay is at now, but I believe around $18-20/hr since I last talked to one of my buddies who is still working with them.. I can't remember how many tractors (30-40 maybe)... I was driving a brand new Volvo at the time, but I have been seeing them purchasing Peterbilt's now.. They go to the US but only a select few drivers do, most of the stuff is regional/local... The owners are nice people, the trucking yard is basically in their backyards.. The father (George) started the company and son (James) pretty much runs the company now... Family owned and operated

They are worth looking at.. Like I said it's been 12 years or so since I worked with them, but I do see drivers I worked with still there (and talk to some of them).. I only left because I ended up with a job in Ajax floating equipment/delivering construction materials... I was doing the US stuff but it was only mostly OH, MI and some NY & PA.. Gone Monday back Tuesday, Gone Wednesday back Thursday and Friday local, regional or NY day trips...

Here is the site http://apachefreight.com/

Hope this helps.. I am in Whitby it was a easy drive to the yard.. Right across Raglan Road all the way to York/Durham Townline and your pretty much there...

 

No problem... If I wasn't at the City, I would go back to that company...