Can't find a job

I know working OTR is the worst when you have kids, I have 4 of my own, but once you finish your OTR training there are a lot of companies that will be able to have you home every weekend or at least 3 out of 4 weekends a month. Once you have 2 years under your belt a lot of the door will open up to you and as long as you don't receive any tickets you are in like flint.

Driving straight truck doesn't count as experience, they looking for class A work. Some straight truck work pays well so I would say that about them. Heck the best job in my state is for a construction company that does road work for the cities and state, their all union and do construction in the warm months and plow in the cold months. But even with 17 year of experience I don't know the right people to be hired there and some 18 years are hired on there if you know what I mean.

 

I would expect that in order to find what you may be looking for you may need to go otr for 6-12 months, at least. It may be difficult to be away from your child, but the reality of this business is that most local driving jobs want otr experience. You might find something with a construction company. There is some road construction going on now, so that might be an option, but it will likely be hourly work and as others have stated, hours may be long. As someone who has hired drivers, it is difficult to hire someone with little or no experience due to insurance requirements. I need 2-3 years of recent experience to get by my insurance carrier, but I also have preferred rates. Use some imagination, check your local state employment office. Many driving jobs are listed. Good luck.

 

Try the big carriers and see what they have to say. J B Hunt keeps calling my hubby about a regional job, even offered more money the last time she called. She just doesn't seem to get that a regional job outa NJ is NOT a great thing when home is in Fl.

And I don't think I'd beleive a regional job that says I promise you home time every weekend. Horse puckies, seeing would be beleiving. IDK you could get lucky.

 

So you quit the pizza joint job that had you home every night to be willing to take a job that has you away from home every week. Makes a lot of sense.

 

If you are looking to be home every night, try yanking coca-cola or beer trailers around. I drove a Budweiser route truck when I was in shape. I was home every night and made a good amount of money. The problem was that it was probably the hardest and most physical job I've ever had, and i grew up workng around farming and logging. 14 hour days slinging beer cases and kegs will wear you out. Also, you need to be a people person because technically you are a salesman. I got to where I didn't like people anymore, so I found something else to do.

You might want to think about some flatbed companies if you don't mind working and getting dirty. I've got a friend that started out working for McElroy's out of Alabama. He was home on weekends because McElroy's was a Christian company and, according to him, they wanted him in the church house on Sunday getting right with Jesus. Now I don't know how much of that's true, but I know he was home most, if not all, weekends.

But, in any event good luck with it. Just remember that more often than not, the closer to home you are, the more physical the job is probably going to be.

 

Unfortunately for those with children, OTR seems to be a requisite. I'd recommend biting the bullet and getting that OTR experience under your belt for 6-12 months. Then you will find that a large segment, if not the majority, of job opportunities open up for you. The company you train with might very well have local jobs available, but will likely require that you start with OTR before you apply for local. Local jobs are popular, so they aren't generally available for trainees or new company drivers.

 

It's a JOB finding a JOB.. Takes a lot of work and time but in the end it pays off..

 

You're in the wrong business. And on top of that you want weekends off, something which a lot of local guys have to earn over time. You may want to readjust your expectations if you're planning on getting hired somewhere.

 

Plus, in the summer months, companies have rider programs that let you take kids under 18...

 

Lol good luck with that. You'll need it.