Any companies that are hiring local with no experience in PA-NJ?

Chinatown crushes the “gotta gave OTR experience to get a local job” myth... yet, sure as ####, a bunch of these guys will be spouting that nonsense in another thread next week.

 

FedEx Freight - has program for drivers with a cdl and no experience: Newark, NJ
"FedEx Freight Driver Development Course"
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Click ---> Apply On Company Site
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Thanks for the great suggestion guys!

I started applying to a few of the companies mentioned today, so fingers crossed.

Appreciate if u think of any more.

 

PA and NJ are two of the worst states to drive in a commercial vehicle. Anyone willing to put their 50-200k commercial vehicle at risk with a new driver on PA or NJ roads is asking to lose that vehicle, or customers, or their insurance policy when (not if) something goes pear-shaped.

 

Shoot for a line haul job; much easier and more money than with P&D (local pickup & delivery)

 

I don’t know. I drive here every day. I don’t really have any issues. Maybe I’m just used to it? I dunno, seems pretty straightforward and simple to me.

 

Hi Farmerbob. Would you be kind enough to elaborate some more as to why PA and NJ is so much worse than other states for rookie driver?

Since as a rookie that's where I'll most likely be starting out, I'd love to arm myself with as much knowledge as to the gotchas out here in this region.

I would really appreciate your insight.

Thanks!

 

1. PA and NJ both have some of the worst freeway/interstate on/off ramps in the civilized world. 200 feet before having to merge after coming around a hard corkscrew ramp is insane for a truck, and you see a lot of them in PA and NJ.

2. PA and NJ cities both tend to have lots of atrocious truck-nightmare roads, since a lot of the major cities were laid out when we called ourselves colonists, not Americans.

3. PA and NJ have semi-rural areas with really steep roads that can be incredibly dangerous in bad weather. NJ doesn't have as many of these, but in the areas bordering PA, there are quite a few. For example, the Hackettstown NJ Mars facility has two main access routes. One has a stupid short exit ramp from I-80, the other takes you through a tiny little town and through a double-dogleg turn that's basically a pray-as-you-go turn, hoping no four-wheeler will be speeding around the turn at 30 miles an hour over the speed limit and underrun you. In NJ they have only recently finished re-doing the US 322 route from I-80 to Mechanicsburg. There used to be two long stretches of 7% grade that were scary when there was even a hint of ice on the road. That was a US highway. There are state roads and county roads that make that old route of US 322 look friendly.

4. Some of the interstate interchanges in both states are just plain stupid, even beyond horrid on and off ramps. For example the interchange on I-80, exit 4, Columbia, NJ has three Eastbound exits, and the cleanest and easiest exit that drivers will want to take to get to the TA there (going Eastbound) is over a weight restricted bridge. The legal route requires you to make a U-turn in the middle of the interchange. Seriously. Not a traffic circle, a U-turn.

5. Toll roads. LOTS of lane changing required (lane changes = more risk), and most of the toll booths are more than a little tight for a new driver to navigate. Experienced drivers learn to deal with only having three inches clearance on either mirror when going through tolls, but new drivers can easily bang up some mirrors before they learn fine control.

6. Bridges. In PA around Pittsburg, the bridges tend to be marked with stupid signage that are not as clear as they should be, and new drivers can get confused by signs like "Maximum Truck weight 30 tons, combination vehicles 42 tons." Also, Low bridges.

In general, the Northeast is a horrible place to drive as a newbie if you don't have an experienced driver talking you through it.

 

In my experience I find driving in Pa & NJ easier than Atlanta & DFW.

 

Yeah, but the biggest cities in the country are almost all bad. PA and NJ are whole states full of bad. IMHO.