What Questions to Ask?

That's where I got started.

 

You will get allot of experience working at a farm. In and out of small driveways, muddy slippery conditions, long hours. That is how I got my start. I like the work and the people so much that after 25 years I still go back and help the some group of guys out during harvest that helped me get my start.

 

If your really not wanting to go otr get on with a food/beverage company. At the most doing food service you might have to sleep in the truck 2 nights a week or if you get into a decent company they will put you up in a motel like my company does. You'll deff work for every dollar but you will make more than at a bottom feeder otr gig

I recommend food/beverage for the new drivers. You will learn valuable skills like backing/city driving. It's the place to hone in your skills. If you then do go otr you will be laughing your ### off watching the guys that can't bump a dock in the wide open

 

Keep sending apps to local companies. Even if they want exp a lot will still consider you if you keep calling and showing interest. Some companies do that to weed out the slackers. The company im at said the same but I still got in w/o 2 years exp

 

I feel some of the "2yr Exp" requirements are for weeding but some are as a result of insurance, and the carrier trying to keep a decent rate. You'll probably need to do some door knocking and hand shaking to find out whether or not they can or will be flexible in the experience requirement. First impressions are huge and a good boss/manager will usually be a decent judge of character, a face to face introduction can open doors that are otherwise locked!

As others have stated, Farm , Construction, Logging, or Local Delivery work are all better ways to learn and hone your skills, there is little or no room for error in hitting that narrow entrance off the narrow dirt road! You will learn to handle the truck, or you will move on!

Also I feel that because of the higher "risk" associated with "off highway" work that the additional risk of a new driver is more palatable, or has less affect on the carriers insurance rate, Point is Construction and Logging insurance is through the roof no matter the driver! So they don't see as much of an increase in their premium to higher a rookie. (I think)

 

I too got my start on the Harvest Run. 18 years old right out of high school in a 72 IH cabover 22' grain truck with a 9600 JD combine (the biggest combine on the market at the time) on a small combine trailer behind me and the header in the bed. Oh how I miss the good old days.