Do I even have a shot?

If you're applying in a "big" city, the odds are in your favor. Definitely sell yourself up like Pattyj said.. Be sure to emphasize that you're a hard worker and youre not scared of physical work, because your prospective job probably has dock work involved in it.

 

Road drivers usually don't touch freight, they hook up their set of doubles and go their merry way to a bigger terminal, drop one pup on the parking lot, back the other to the dock, go get the other one and repeat.
dont worry about driving the doubles or backing up ( for one you don't backup both pup at the same time and for two, just back it slow and steady )
as for dock work , it depends on your terminal. the longer routes, have a shorter lay -over and therefore no dock work.
Also road driver can do a swap at a meeting point,

As for automatic/ standard, its about half half regarding the fleet nowadays. Though the road drivers tend to have the newer trucks and automatic

 

You will do fine. U already have the job. Welcome to fedex freight!

 

Never lie to them. But you don't have to blab everything that is on your mind, either.

What, you a neurotic house wife or something?
Stop worrying about it, and think about something else. Surely you can find something else to worry about? Bills? Wife and girlfriend meeting up with each other? That type of thing...

 

Yes absolutely I was you. I drove an automatic side loader. Didn't have a lot of 10 speed experience. Then I went over to GFS had to re learn how to do 10 speed and how to back up, but GFS didn't really seem to mind not really and now a year plus later and I'm fine. Heck they even asked me at GFS where I learned to shift so good. I told working right here everyday. Trust me FedEx freight has hired new guys, before or guys without a ton of experience they have guys who work there who will train you who have been around the block a lot you'll pick it up.

I went from side loader to 10 speed before I knew it I was hooking up sets of doubles and everything. You have the right license and endorsements trust me it might not be fun for the first couple of months, but you'll gradually climb out of the woods and 3-4 months into it you'll have it down pat.

If your a road driver you probably won't be doing to much backing anyhow I mean some people can I can't but doubles are not to easy to back up. Some people can back them and there's a lot of people that can't back them.

I was a terrible backer when I started at GFS I still don't think I'm that good, yet I've done some of our toughest back in's there one stop we do have that I really struggle with and have a hard time with. There were two other guys who had a hard time with it too, and there's a trick to it and I don't know the trick and one of the other guys told me he said "I'll teach you the trick and then you'll back in there in one shot too."

Your fine and I think FedEx even has a couple automatics running around so you got that going for you too, but yes I would leave the beer company and go to FedEx Freight you will get experience in doubles you'll get valuable 10 speed experience it's a no brainier. Probably get good fork lift experience probably a lot more opportunities yes I would go for sure.

 

Any company you go to there going to give you some training on how they want things done, they will stick you with a guy who's worked there for 10-15-20 years or has you a good amount of experience and those guys I've driven with a couple none lately, but back in the very beginning I've been with a couple and those guys they don't get rattled real easy and trust me there not going to let any thing happen if you have shifting trouble and your training they don't get to scared they will make it happen.

When I went to GFS after doing beer there were a couple times when the guy in the passenger seat had to grab the shifter and go to the right gear. Trust me though you do it every day those times will be fewer and further between and in 6 months you'll be a master shifter and this is coming for me I thought I would never get shifting down in my opinion I was the worst at it all and yet here I am so if I can do it so can you. Just takes some practice.

 

Don't worry none about that big fearsome 10 speed. It's a kitten compared to 13's 15's and 18's doubles over, under and sideways LOL.

When you hire on, shut up about what you are afraid of and take that tractor out for a spin a few miles down the road. You will learn it or it will learn you soon enough.

Every time I get into a strange rig the first hour is horrible. I don't even need that long. As others said, a few miles will settle down right quick.

Backing into the dock? Heh. Try aiming at a individual house at 2 am in a cul-de-sac with a 53 footer blind side. Docks... heh...

 

Most of our trucks now are automatic.