Looking for a good local job with a normal schedule for a new driver

I hear ya. Just venting a lil bit. I live in a state where these cops retire in their 40s with bookoo pensions and benefits, then get to go moonlight somewhere in retirement. What kills me is these guys entrusted with authority are nowhere near perfect themselves and do the same things that they are supposed to enforce the law against.

Anyways, good luck to you. Ltl is tough on the body until you get, say, 15 years under your belt. Then you can bid on a 6am start and just be used as a spare and do trailer swaps all day or something like that. Linehaul isnt bad I guess, but the sleep schedule is rough and you can still work the dock when required. Really, the only job I can think of in trucking that would require little physical effort is hauling dry van otr. But if youre wanting a local gig with a normal work schedule, be prepared to use your back and muscles.

 

Well put. Nice job staying calm in response. Welcome to the board.

 

Suggest looking beyond boxes. Not that there's anything wrong with those.

Bulk cement and fly ash, sand, concrete mix truck, water, dairy, etc. If you get some time in, there are next-level tanker jobs like fuel, cryo, hazmat, etc.

Start noticing trucks around you, what they do, and what time they do it. I kept a clipboard and wrote down names when I saw something interesting or the trailer had a "looking for drivers" banner on it. Sitting at a local truck stop can help.

The first year will be rougher because local employers who will take a new driver are typically high-turnover, so there can be pay and equipment issues. After you get some time, a variety of experience will help you sell yourself at a better employer.

Suggest not buying into the idea that you have to stick with your first employer so you don't appear to be job-hopping. Anyone who accuses you of that doesn't know what a racket this industry can be, they're living in a bubble and I'd avoid them. That will include some of the larger companies who let HR tell them who to hire.

The experienced people I've shown my resume to all laugh when I tell my stories of how horrible some employers are, they already know because reputation gets around. Making it through some of those experiences with a clean license is a recommendation in itself.

I wanted a variety of experience and I was curious about what some of those trailers do and how they work, so I followed that.

But if you get into an apprentice driver program at one of the LTL's, or go into US Postal as a TTO, those are long-term prospects, however you will be somewhat captive. Seniority can be like golden handcuffs, you've seen how some people will trade their health and well-being for it. Postal would let you triple-dip on retirement.

 

Do that. The LTL carriers require all endorsements, including tanker due to the requirements of some of the freight (bulk liquid totes/IBCs).

 

If you can learn to drive construction equipment the rental companies like united and herc have pretty good hrs. I did ltl for 20 plus years and its a good job but if your the low man your gonna start between 10 and 12 everyday and still not gonna get off until 8pm to 10pm everyday so family life is still screwed.

 

Why avoid union? I’m planning on going to school for my class A in the spring. Wanting to do local p&d work and Holland ( union if I understand correctly ) is a company I’m thinking of trying to get on with, for the reasons A- they pay actual overtime pay and B-they don’t use driver facing cameras....from what I understand.