cdl grad-well paying local jobs a myth?

do you have any capitol to start with? going completely on your own is great. you have to pay close attention who you do business with. you also have to think in rounds. meaning. you have to have your back haul before you take the load going there. you better get use to pulling for ch robbinson,cargill. no body likes them. everybody uses them because they pay. that's how it is. so you have to build a client list of brokers to use. you also have to be willing to work with people you don't like. plus you need to remember. the company you start. doesn't owe you anything. and there are going to be more times then you can care to count. that you are flat broke. so how i did it. I wrote a check to my self for $300 a week. that's what the average worker makes. everything else went to the business. and when i closed the doors over the holidays in 2008. i was still flat broke. I sold off all the equiptment to pay off the bills related to the busniess. one thing you need to realize. is you are always paying for something in trucking. you end up with really expensive toilet paper called reciepts. out side of that. you need to create staying power for the business. that's easier said then done. I'm not trying to chase any one off from there dream. just remember. it's a dream. how it comes true is nothing like the dream you have.

you need to remember. you only have to have 2 things in this world to survive. food and water. everything else is a luxury. so by keeping your self hungry. you will work harder to keep the business going. if you can remember this when starting and running a business. your chances of having staying power are better.

 

The good news: Yes, it's possible to make that. I make more than that and I'm home every night and off weekends and holidays.

The bad news: My company does not hire inexperienced drivers and driver openings does not happen often. When they do have an opening they get lots of applications.

Go suck it up and get yourself some experience and stay out of trouble. Remember, your first trucking job is to prepare you for your second and your second job is to prepare you for your third.

Correction: My company did send some guy to trucking school once but he was a veteran employee who transferred into transportation from another department. He had a certain skill that we needed.

 

An idea for you to consider is pulling grain. That's what I do. I tried otr and came to the conclusion it wasnt for me, I got on pulling grain with 3 mnths experience. It definatley doesnt pay well, less than rookie otr pay, but it get's you that valuable experience you need to get the better job's. The person who posted about the Mom n Pop's outfit is pretty accurate. As long as you have your cdl, medical card and can pass a road test your chances are pretty good

 

Maxk,

From conversations with my co-workers over the years this is the unscientific, marginally accurate conclusion that I came up with. I work for a chemicals company. I'm sure other chem companies will be roughly the same when they look drivers:

1) Everyone had 5+ years driving experience before they got hired on.
2) They worked for 2 or more companies before getting on with this one.
3) They worked local driving immediately before this one.
4) They worked for their last company for 2 or more years.
5) 50% started out their driving careers with the megas while others started with local mom and pops.
6) 80% were over 30 years old when they got signed on.
7) Former employers include: UPS, FEDEX, US postal service, Major oil and chemical companies, Coke, 7-UP, Various tanker lines, US Food Service, KRAFT, Schneider, Swift, JB Hunt, etc..
8 100% live and are comfortable driving in the city.
9) Very clean driving record.
10) 70% were referred to the company by current employees.

LUCK plays a very big part in getting your dream job. Keep your eyes open and be ready for it. If you fail, wait, then try again.

 

the problem with that is 99% of most recent CDL grads can barely shift gears, much less maneuver trailers around obstacles like other workers and other drivers in and out of spots at the same time.

the really good local and home every night and off weekend jobs are at least 2 years. the one i just got was 3 years OTR required. i was a month shy of 3 years and got the position. and im here to tell you, i wont go anywhere else. i love this job. home every night no later than 6, most days its around 4. i still do 10 and 12 hour days, but im at home and in my bed every night. and off most weekends too. now and then the boss nominates a few people to work on saturday if no one volunteers.

 

Does anyone have any excuses for the fed ex driver's? I know in my area if there's a truck involved in some sort of accident, 70% of the time it's a fed ex truck, and reading other's comment's it's not just my area.

 

they drive like effin morons. i passed a guy texting in a green volvo in tunnel hill ga yesterday on I75n that was all over the road texting.