Any advice on a job search?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by b303, Oct 3, 2015.

  1. moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    You live in Denver, I think DFA (Dairy Farmers of America) hires drivers directly to haul milk tankers. It's over 20 per hour with OT paid I think. You need to specialize in something that makes you more valuable than just a warm pulse driving the truck down the road. For example, get a weigher/sampler and you can haul milk. Get some loading rack cards and you can haul fuel. Get all endorsements and clean up your MVR and you will be at the top of the list. Call the Teamsters union in Denver and see if they have any availabilities. Chances are all large distribution centers will need truck drivers , and Denver is ripe with opportunities...
     
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  3. GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    Never leave a paying job to look for another. You've been at it long enough to know what type of truck does what. Select that type and go and talk with the drivers. Get the information right from the horses mouth. All you see in these big ads are companies that dispose you at any little thing and hire the next. They've got stacks of applications from drivers that just look for jobs on-line and put no effort into finding out what a company is all about. Mostly new CDL holders coming out of school where the instructor or recruiter has beaten into their heads that these companies are the only path to make it as a driver. This is where you'll find the high turn over rate because it's no sweat off their nose to find another driver and let you go.

    Do you have a clean record? If not you're be better off staying right where you are. I have seen companies force a driver to get a ticket or tickets so they are trapped at their workplace. Ask yourself this. Do you think and good company that pays good, has good benefits, and respects their drivers have the need to advertise for a new driver all the time? We never advertised and had a stack of application that resulted in the last one being about 5 years out.

    What I would do is find a company that you like and fits your needs and then go in and talk with the boss or bosses and tell them you really want to work there. Fill out an application and then about 3 weeks later go in and up-date your application. Find something you can add like a new type of truck. Something like doubles to triples or anything like that. That will give them the message that you really want the job and would be a good employee. Keep checking every month and just be friendly around the terminal for a couple of minutes then leave. You'll want to build your reputation but not too much so you're not known as a hang around. Do that with a few companies and I'll bet you'll find a good job and be a lot more happier. Good luck.
     
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  4. TahoeTrucker

    TahoeTrucker Light Load Member

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    I live in Fort Collins, my suggestion is to call or even better dress nice show up with a resume in hand and you'll get a job. I don't bother with craigslist, just look up the places you want to work and stop by. A face to face meet will get you a good job. Remember that good companies don't need to advertise.
     
  5. SISYPHUS

    SISYPHUS Medium Load Member

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    Magnum LTD hires out of Denver. Feel free to visit with some of our drivers on the Magnum thread in the Favorite Companies section. We haul alot of beer out of Ft Collins, so getting you home would be effortless!
     
  6. CargoWahgo

    CargoWahgo Road Train Member

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    swift has a dedicated for Denver mattress to furniture row in new mexico.

    Matches your ideal job xD

    Last exit before it turns into tolls.
     
  7. b303

    b303 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 2, 2015
    Denver, CO
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    I drive for Quicksilver (the courier company.) It's a small company, and the people are great. As of now, I think we have (VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE) maybe 20 or 30 class b drivers, and 4-6 class a drivers. (AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE. I AM LAZY AT KEEPING UP WITH OUR NEW DRIVERS). Nothing if not willing to help in any circumstance They have been generally honest with me (outside of the initial pay potential, which was VERY optimistic, but not totally unrealistic, like some carriers. That was 4 and a half years ago, though). I started in a class b truck (a bit of a heap, freightliner curtainside) but eventually found myself (after a few years) in a semi. Early, I drove mostly an International day cab (which was just ok...reliable). Eventually, I ended up in a Kenworth T680. (Don't tell my company this, but this is WAYYY more truck than they need for the occasional night out of town. I cannot stress how much I love driving this thing. SOOO comfortable, ergonomic, easy to shift. GREAT visibility (awesome mirrors that don't block traffic on perpendicular roads you're trying to turn onto. GOOD GOD I LOVE THIS TRUCK. GIVEN AN APU AND A FRIDGE, I WOULD LIVE IN A T680 AND BE HAPPY). I can't stress how much I love this truck. If it weren't for this truck, I may have quit much earlier (P.S. I haven't quit yet).As of today (10/8) we have two sleepers, my beloved T680 and an International (Prostar, I think. It's ok, drives nice enough. Not as comfortable as my GODSEND Kenworth, but really totally fine). They have VERY recently (within the past week) shuffled the office a bit to allow our awesome truck dispatcher (JJ) to take over some more duties related to trucks. They have a new guy(Tim, not new to the company) take over the day to day dispatch of trucks (all of them, class a and b). I'm sure this will will be fine, after the kinks are worked out. The new guy is definitely friendly, helpful, and totally willing to listen, just not sure how long it will take to dispatch local runs in ways that make sense. I'm sure he will get it running well quite soon (it's only been a week or so) seeing has how he has JJ as a good backup.
    Here's the basics: people so far, including management (so far, 4 years and 7ish months in) are generally awesome. Haven't had a problem at all with anyone. Benefits suck ###. NO insurance whatsoever. I'm sure that they have the basic workmans comp, but nothing else. Also, vacation pay is terrible. I get one week a year (5 days) paid at $75-$80 (I can"t remember it exactly) a day. So basically (if you drive a class a mostly) maybe 2/3 of your pay for a week. Any time I've requested off has been given to me, no questions asked. (The latest I've given them is 3-5 weeks notice for vacation time, I think. The last time wasn't a whole lot of notice.)
    So here's the crutch. Last year, driving mostly my BELOVED T680 (lots of lumber to SW Colorado, 2-3 day trips in the summer) I made about 49,000 pre tax. I wonder if (without any proof) that was almost a fluke. I did run quite a few insulation runs to nearly all parts of Wyoming (the company moved their HQ to SD, so those runs have unfortunately ended.) (I think, but am far from sure, I was the highest, or close to highest, paid driver at the company (this is purely subjective, but I think an educated guess.)) As of October 1st, If my previouse pay averages out, I'm on pace to make between 40,000 to 45,000 this year. My numbers aren't great, don't have a pay stub in front of me, but last time I figured it, that seems about right.
    Bottom line: I get the impression that they have hired a few new class a drivers. So they must be hoping for more class A work in the near future (been pretty slow on that front so far this year). I'm not really sure what kind of income you could expect from this company with a class A. (The last year I had on solely class B (straight truck work), I thnk I finished with roughly 36,000 ish pre tax (don't quote me on that, I'd have to go check my w-2s). That's with anywhere between 8-12 hour a day,M-F (depending on how busy they are). I've spent a fair amount of time hopping in whatever class b (26,000 lbs straight truck) was available to do local stops a few pallets at a time (which is the bread and butter of the business). Most of our customers (Hydrofarm, esp.) are awesome, some others (unnamed) are ####.
    You'll be treated well. The people are generally great (even if they don't know ####, they'll transfer you to the few poeple who do.) The pay is pretty mediocre unless you catch some good Class A work. The benefits are nonexistent (outside of very mediocre vacation pay). If you have actual trucking questions, you may find a driver or two to help, but this is primarily a courier outfit who happens to run trucks. You're kinda on your own for specific questions (although the office will be happy to help find the answers if they can, although basically no one there has trucking experience.)
     
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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Pretty good suggestions on here so far; Dairy Farmers of America sounds really good.

    System Transport runs dedicated out of Commerce City.
    Navajo Express has dedicated runs; out and back & uses Kenworths. Some AZ turns and some pulling doubles heading into Utah, etc and some other stuff.
    I'm not a fan of Prime, small & slow trucks, but they do have a dedicated terminal in Denver for reefers.
    Magnum Ltd. was mentioned & this company has an excellent reputation.
    You can stay in the Western states with Pride Transport and James H. Clark & Son; they have that option.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2015
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  9. moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    Yeah, as a former milk hauler I heard that straight from my former coworker's mouth. We would sub haul for DFA at my last company. DFA takes care of their people.
     
  10. TahoeTrucker

    TahoeTrucker Light Load Member

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    I've heard mostly positive things about DFA, the only negative would be that some of the dairy's smell horrible but the work isn't bad and they pay well.
     
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