Advice Needed for Newbie Interested in Truck Driving

Advice? Okay.....

• Figure out what carrier(s) you'd like to work for--THEN ask them what schools near you from which they prefer to do recruiting (and/or look that up on their website--if it's there).
• Avoid any job or account that services "dollar" stores: Family Dollar, Dollar General, Everything's a Dollar, etc. Those jobs are meatgrinders for new CDL holders--stay away from them!!!
• Avoid hazmat tanker jobs until you get at least 2 years experience--elsewhere. Those jobs are too risky for drivers who lack experience.
• Avoid starting out with Schneider. Why? Your time out on a trainer's truck will likely be MUCH too short.
• Divorce rates are pretty high with truck driving jobs, as you would expect. If you can stay more local, your odds of such are of course lower. I got into trucking largely because I have no spouse, no dependents, no pets, and a clean driving/criminal history. My latest gig has been hazmat tanker, hauling fuel--& home daily (but NOT with Schneider).
• In the long run--you will look better to future employers if you can stay with your first carrier for at least a year. Longer than that is of course, even better.
• It's easier to go ahead and get all your endorsements (tanker, hazmat, and doubles/triples) before you start driving for a carrier. If you go with an LTL company--those endorsements are required even before you hire on. Think of those endorsements as "door openers"....and money makers!!!
• Trucking jobs involve A LOT OF HOURS. Plan on being at work at least 60 hours a week; more than that is rather common.
• Use the info given above from Chinatown to get your CDL on your own, and not through a carrier. When you finish your CDL, and you start looking for jobs, you are working with a "level playing field," and you are thus not obligated to anybody for repayment.

--Lual

 

If Roehl Transport doesn't have any local area jobs for you (and they probably won't)--the following are some more local area job leads for you. None of them mention any required experience--and all appear to be local, home daily. If interested--inquire within, after you get your CDL:

Midwest Motor Express -- Local Truck Driver -- LTL

and

Lipari Foods, LLC -- Local Foods Driver

and

Gypsum Express, LTD -- Local flatbed drivers needed -- get paid to learn

--Lual

 

I can concur on the "Dollar" accounts. It's not for everybody. I drive one of those accounts (Dollar Tree). It's regional work so, home weekly. Caveat with that is, I have to leave the house Sunday afternoon to drive three hours to the D.C, pick up my load and drive to the store and sleep there for my 1st delivery. Generally, I will deliver to 3-4 stores, HAND UNLOADING each individual box (typically around 4000 pieces). I deliver Monday, Wednesday, Friday and head back to the house Friday night after my deliveries are finished. It is REAL work. As you can probably imagine, I get to stores sometimes and they will only have one or two people there to unload so, I run behind on the next deliveries. I could go on and on about the pitfalls but, I think you get the picture.
Best of luck to you!!!

 

Good afternoon Guys,

I too am a noob trying to figure out what to do with my life. I have been in construction management for the better part of 20 years, but I was recently laid off due to company downsizing. I have always wanted to get my CDL and have recently been looking at options for obtaining. I was thinking it might help open some doors or if nothing else something I can put on my resume while looking for construction jobs.

With that being said I was wondering if @Chinatown or @laul might be able to throw some advice my way in. I have a few options of trucking academies and schools around my area, SE of Houston. Most of the Community Colleges classes are full for the next 6 months or so, but there is a 160 Driving Academy and a CDL Future Trucking Academy. After I get my CDL I would like to get into a regional carrier and maybe work my way into a dedicated route. I am also very interested in flatbed hauling. Could you guys shoot me any trucking job recommendations in my area? League City, TX 77539. I would like to stay as local as I can but I know that is a stretch. I don't have to maximize earnings and would take working for a great company and home time over maximum revenue.

Any advice would greatly appreciated!

 

@Jarrod1221
SE of Houston, plenty of local/regional jobs for new cdl school grads.
160 Driving Academy is ok
~
Truck driving school (cdlendorsements.com)
This one looks ok because it's 160 hours.
The $3000 price is good.

 

@Jarrod1221
Local CDL Driver, 1st shift
Behr Paint Company
Houston, TX 77002
$27.50 an hour - starting pay

• Experience in Construction Trade a plus

 

@Jarrod1221
Schneider has a flatbed regional for Houston area drivers and also a tanker division that trains in Houston. Schneider willl hire from either school you posted.
Ask a recruiter about those two positions. Must live within 50 miles of Houston.
Here's the website:
Schneider truck driving jobs | Hiring truck drivers
https://schneiderjobs.com/driver-jobs
~

 

@Jarrod1221
Quest Liner

• Houston, TEXAS

Sometimes hires a few new cdl school grads.
• Specialty Chemical
• Pharmaceutical
• Plastics
• Petroleum
• Liquid and Dry Bulk Commodity Chemical Industries

 

@Jarrod1221
Dedicated Flatbed | Paul Transportation | Transportation & Logistics (paulinc.com)
Flatbed dedicated division.
Must live between Sweetwater and San Antonio Texas, 50 mile radius of Austin, TX, Dallas, TX or Houston TX.
New cdl school grads; will reimburse cdl school tuition up to $6000.00

• Students – Must have graduated from an approved truck driving school
• 

 

@Jarrod1221 --

One option for kick-starting your CDL career that you should at least be aware of....

... this carrier will hire you, put you thru their own CDL school (no 6-month wait for local schools), & provide lodging & meals while you do CDL school at one of their academies -- all while paying you a salary.

When you finish their CDL school -- you have a driving job waiting for you.

Best of all -- you'll very likely miss out on the current freight recession -- since it's food-grade work:

Western Dairy Transport -- get your CDL with them -- academy in Bryan, TX

Yes...it's tanker duty, & not flatbed...but my vote sez that food-grade tanker is a GREAT place to be in a recession.

You could always switch over to flatbed later....when the freight world improves.

-- Lual