Attention all rookies and wannabes: Local Jobs for New Drivers

Two. One 8 years ago and a little over 5 years ago.

 

I plan talking with some companies regarding this issue and will probably apply anyway. I just wanted to have idea of the uphill battle I am looking at.

 

If I land a local gig that would be suhweet and I would be very grateful. However, I would love to see the country at a nice brisk 60MPH. But that's me.

O&O,

Zero

 

To add a little curve ball too, local companies also don't look to highly on the OTR guys. For one, OTR guys are for the most part lazy, they whine a lot, cant back, and as soon as things get tough or don't go their way they leave and go back OTR.
Don't flame me from this, but its straight outta my co-workers and driver managers mouth.

Granted it is not all guys, but the majority. I did 3 years OTR and see where they are coming from. Good luck getting an OTR guy to unload his own trailer, or not throwing a fit just at the thought of it.

 

Good and informative thread Harvey! Kudos sir!

 

Agree and disagree. Seen(and we still have a few) OTR drivers come off the road and excel were I work and could back just as good as they drive forward. Seen local drivers come here to and had to be the laziest POS ever. Could go both ways, I think it is more of what the person is like and not were they came from.

 

I worked for 1-800-G*T-J*NK for 2 years doing jobs some people would never do and possibly couldn't do. Ever seen the show Hoarders on A&E? Yeah, I've been on site working during filming (TV star talking here people! J/K). Not easy, nor clean work. I've hauled loads of concrete, bricks, cast iron stoves, household and industrial appliances, tires, yard debris, furniture, roofing shingles, dirt, and the list goes on, all by hand or shovel. Hard work does not scare me one bit. And to top it off I did that job starting at $9/hour. So as far as being lazy, that's not me. I have great work ethic with references to prove it. The company who hires me will get what they pay for that's for sure. Be it local or OTR. If the locals would look past someone like myself and won't give them an opportunity just because they went OTR, then I want nothing to do with them either. It really bums me out that there are local outfits that feel that way.

 

If you ever go out OTR and talk to some of these drivers, you will get a clear understanding of it. Not all are, but there are some that will blow a lid at the idea of unloading their own trailer.

I have with my very own ears heard drivers threaten their DM's of leaving the truck where it is at if they have to unload their trailer because "I'm a truck driver, not a ###### lumper."

Sad but true, and the irony is OTR outfits do not recognize local exp. We do more backing and city driving by lunch than the OTR boys/girls do all month.....

Our outfit would rather hire a guy straight out of school and mold him/her the way they want them too, then have some premadonna OTR guy come in, realize we do more than hold a steering wheel and quit 4-6 months later.

 

I'd imagine that in this economy it's hard to find local gigs that will actually hire a recent graduatewithout some form of experience aside from driving school. I feel like almost every CDL holder would love a good paying local job and that alone scares me because I would think that the market would be oversaturated with them trying to apply. I'm not saying I'm not going to try!

O&O,

Zero