Newbie.Live in MI.Want to make good choice.Could use some advice.

You live in a tough area meaning "nothing coming in or out" to make a bad situation worse is this countries economy...However there is a light at the end of the tunnel...Most of these large carriers that would be interested in you have a 200% turnover rate...So if you can wait, I am sure a job is within reach...

 

I also live in the mid-michigan area. It is hard to fin a job out there right now. It definetly sucks. I went to tri-area school it was really good, I liked it very much, my instructers were very good. We coupled and uncoupled everydat so I thought it was good. My ##### was they could get a little nicer rigs, the rigs they have r pretty beat up. I also didn't like having to try and sit on the bunk while riding all over. But overall very good. I got a job with prime, you could give that a shot. Roehl told me too far north just like a lot of other companys did. As for cdi driving school I heard don't quote me that the course is five weeks long, and it more then twice the money. Ne ways good luck hope it works out.

 

Good luck folks. I ended up leaving Nationwide when a friend helped me get into a local job. I'm hauling auto parts back and forth from Flint to Toronto everyday. It's a really cushy job, Toronto traffic sucks but I am paid well.

 

hey opposable, how do i get into something like that? home everynight? good pay? im in. lol good for you.

 

I hate to bring you bad news but I think you've been told stories by a recruiter or someone that doesn't know. You've been out of work since April and you'll have a longer stretch to go after you come out of school. You can forget that 1 or 2 weeks out at a time if you go OTR. Most spend months training before you're let loose with your own truck. And even then you'll spend more time out on the road than you expect.

You've got 1 strike against you with your accident on your MVR and nothing is going to equalize that. What I mean is your experience in a 24' straight truck is not going to help you that much. An accident on your MVR is not good. Most companies want experience in the same type of truck so if you had experience on a semi your accident might not stick out that much. But of course it all depends on the company and their insurance company.

I do believe there is hope for you thou. But you're going to have to shine better than all the rest. Your best bet is to have a face to face interview with the prospective employer so you can explain that accident. You'll be able to see right away if you stand a chance or not and if you do you can close the deal by asking what you need to do to work for this company. That shows the employer that you really want to work for them and of course you can persuade them anyway you choose. It also lets you see if you want to work for these people too.

You'll also want to take the route everyone takes by using the internet and recruiters. I think I'd write up what happen with the accident so you can give your side of it. But don't just stop with this. Download a list of trucking companies in your area and get out and see them. You'll have to edit the list because most places you'll get are truck rentals but you will find a few companies. You never know unless you get out there if you might have passed up the best job. And who knows you might walk into the office and a driver just left for any reason and they need a driver right then.

I worked at a company before I retired that was considered the top company to work for. Everyone wanted to get on with us but everyone thought they didn't have a shot. We went to hire a new driver and the applications were very out dated. One driver made that comment to the community loading rack and I had a flood of drivers wanting to put their application in. So you never know and you'll feel better if you cover all your bases.

 

Nationwide is a bad company! They lie, cheat and steal!!!

 

I worked for them for a year and a half got home 3 times in that time. Loads were always given later. Which made the driver late delivering. I did not ask to go home much. But when I did, they didn't get me home. My last load I asked to be home for 5 months. I kept reminding them every week. Before load to go home time, I told them on phone and on qualcomm "Do not give me another load after this, as I am due for home time." Went to shipper picked up. Drove to receiver and wrote on qc again "Do not give me another load after this as I am due for hometime". Got unloaded put my mt call in and another load popped up. I qc again to take it off me, due for hometime. They sent back to take it and they would get me back. I had to be home. No choice in the matter, I told them this. I was 90 miles from my house. Katie said, if I go home, I should clean out my truck. I did go home. On Tuesday I called and Charlie told me to pick up a load and bring the truck back to Omaha. And they would get me a airline ticket back home. I did deliver the load and delivered a sparkling clean truck to them. For being nice and delivering it to them. I got no pay on 2 loads= $650 + a 100. fine for not taking the load on my time off and they did not get me a ticket home. They escorted me off the property and called the hotel to not pick me up or give me a room. Well I got a ride to a hotel and have to stay for 2 days. But I start my new job on Monday. & my new company pays more. And pays detention which Nationwide did not and I even will have a better truck and boss says I will get home without a fight. Nationwide is a bad company to work for. If you ever are going to quit, Make them send you a non-refundable ticket home before you give them your truck and get your paycheck cashed first. Or they will screw you over also. They lie, cheat and steal from you. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM!!!

 

Dude, this thread is seven years old....

 

Try REI out if Romeo, MI. I run regional with them. Usually out 2-3 days at a time then home for a night. Rinse and repeat.


Crap!!!!!! Didn't look at the date.