Unemployed and unsure....

Sounds like hometime is your biggest priority. I've never worked for them, but I Roehl has a lot of good hometime options and they have a pretty decent reputation. Knowing your location would help, too.

 

That Schneider dedicated would probably work for you.
If there are no children involved and your fiancee just has a mediocre job, then consider running coast-to-coast and letting her ride with you full time. See the country and bank some money for your future. Might even find a new location somewhere you like better than Buffalo. A few young couples have posted they did that and were able to pay cash for a nice home in just a few years.

 

Check these for more local/regional stuff:
Sysco - entry level driving jobs
Covanta Energy
Airgas Inc.
Lily Transportation-delivering to NAPA Auto Parts stores.
Knight Transportation-dry van Northeast Regional.
YRC Freight - Drive4YRC.com
Destro & Bros. Concrete Co Inc
Agricultural Transport
Ward Trucking
Buffalo Biodiesel Inc-$18.00 hr.
ABF Freight
Ferrellgas
Hogan Transports

 

Lookup the teamsters in the buffalo area. Talk to them. Yaneverknow.

 

First off don't be so hard on yourself. You got let go......big deal. Dust yourself off and hop back in the seat. Get yourself back into a combination vehicle like Schneider if thats what you can get right now and stick it out for a year. Have a good talk with the fiancee that this is your career and want to make an honest "Go-Of-It" to better yourself and the family unit. Get a little time in and the good jobs will follow. Theres LTL P&D, Fuel Hauling and other stuff. Just make a bona-fide effort and it will bear dividends.

 

Problem is you dont have enough experience yet. You gave up way too quickly. You as a driver should have been prepared to work your first job for at least 1 yr. You also state you ran OTR but nervous about tractor trailer? Thats not good not good at all sounds like this trade is not for you. Consider doing something else

 

Nah - You'll be OK. Who wasn't 'nervous' their first few months. Nervous makes you careful.

If the hometime is a biggie, I'd look into the LTL or tankers. ODFL has a terminal in Buffalo - you can only ask.

Good luck. Don't be discouraged.

 

I started off in the winter as well and man was I nervous going through the mountains in PA, WVA, Maryland, and all other places in between for six months and I still get nervous. Like Blair said "Nervous makes you careful". Thats the name of the game out here.