Becoming Discouraged

When I was your age, I was starting I.V.'s, performing CPR, Splinting Fractures, and pulling people out of burning cars. Hell, I delivered my 5th baby before I was 21. The one thing they would not let me do, was drive the Ambulance, that is until I was 21. The reason I say this, is don't get discouraged. I know it seems like you are being held back, but someday you will understand....... when you get old like me. Try to get some other work, driving or not, and keep your nose clean for another year or two, then apply. It doesn't sound fun and it's not what you want to hear, but that may be the only solution for now. Keep your chin up and stick it out. You'll be older before you know it.

 

I was 22 years old when I started driving trucks.That was 1980.Back then when I went looking for a job it did not seem there was much asked of me other than,can you drive?Do you have a license?No one ever asked for medical card nor a background check nor my credit history.Things sure have changed.Anyway,you asked about what jobs might be available when you turn 21.You might consider a LTL carrier.I did this when I wanted to be closer to home.It's good money,good benefits and they have training progams now.When I started with one company they required 5 years clean cdl a license,proven work record.Now they will train you while you work the dock,take you to your road test while still getting paid a decent wage.When you do get your class A from MVR your pay rate goes up almost 4.00 per hour or your mileage rate equal to the same increase.You do work hard for this money but it is easy to gross 50,000. your first year.Linehaul drivers can make 65000. to 75000. at top rate.You do start out at the bottom so you may have to work nights,do linehaul or local p and d. It can be a long day but it is a start.Good luck.

 

LTL is less than truckload freight. Roadway, Yellow, etc pick up and consolidate into TL or truckload and send over the road. Then breakdown and deliver to consignee at destination terminal.

 

Your best bet there is to ask the recruiter. But off hand I would think that for verifying for a hiring area they are going to want a pysical addy.

What you might do is call the company anon and chat with a recruiter a bit and then ask them. Somthing like "Hay how do you verify hireing area? Becuse I live out in the sticks and have to use a P.O. Box in town for my mail." Then once you have the answer you might be able to come up with a better way to go about this. Maybe temporarily living with relatives becuse you and the gal are on the outs atm.

While I understand why companies have hiring areas. You would think that they would have a "gray" zone around the edge for the people that just happen to live a few miles to far <<<< that way.

 

If you go to one of the large LTL companies they are almost all teamsters and everything there goes by seniority. There would be no guarantee that you could start driving when you hit the right age. Working on the dock for a few years at union wages with benefits is not a bad deal and you would be home every day. But if you've got the bug to go trucking just wait it out untill your birthday. You've waited this long, so whats a few more months matter.