CDL with no exp, is it possible to start off driving local?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by coolcbhandle, Jul 3, 2007.

  1. coolcbhandle

    coolcbhandle Bobtail Member

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    Jul 2, 2007
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    i have a cdl but only a few days of experince driving a truck around town

    so i have a cdl and no experience

    im looking for a job that i can get 6 months to 2 years experience driving local around houston

    so far i dont think it is possable, seems like the only way to get experience is to pack up and stay gone

    if i had experience i would drive a tanker for a chemical/petro company

    is there any way to get the 2 years of experience i need to drive a tanker
    and stay local
    cause when i get to drive for a chemical company i will get to stay close to houston

    i just got hired on at schneider but i have not called them back
    they want me to go through a 2 week course and then ride for 2 weeks with a trainer 300 bucks a week
    and im not sure if there going to charge me a couple thousand for the course

    i found another company western express inc
    they said since i have my cdl they just want me to ride with a trainer for 6 weeks and pay me 300 a week

    right now the western express is looking better, but still it is over the road

    is there is a company that will start me off driving local and not try to get me to pay for classroom since i alreay have my CDL ??????
     
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  3. tjgosurf

    tjgosurf <strong>New Driver Helper</strong>

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    You do realize your local question is answered about every 6 hours here right?

    And as for Schneider, they have their contracts on their website you can read thru, I doubt you will so here is the summary. They agree to loan you $4000 for the schooling, work for them for a year and they will forgive the loan.
     
  4. coolcbhandle

    coolcbhandle Bobtail Member

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    Jul 2, 2007
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    it is true that i spend my forum time at another site and do not know my way around this site and although i could have scanned the site for info faster than most newbies
    to be totally honest and you already know this...
    i would rather place my question and wait for responce, because this is a simple question and could help another person in my situation if they read it
    if this question is asked every six hours then tell a mod to make
    a sticky
    i sence a little negativity but the info is appriciated although i stated that im not sure if they want to charge me for school, and if they do want to put me in a loan contract i will just go with western express because i have a cdl

    so now that i have had to respnd to you to try to salvage any hope that someone will answer my now hi jacked thread

    i ask
    I have a CDL with no experience,
    is there any way to get the 2 years of experience that i need to drive a tanker and stay local
     
  5. leannamarie

    leannamarie "California Girl"

    The local jobs can really vary depending on what part of the country that you are in. Look around in the classifieds, and not just under trucking jobs. Lots of small companies need drivers for local work, class B stuff.
     
  6. slim66

    slim66 Bobtail Member

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    Mar 3, 2007
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    I just posted the following response to a similar query in the Trucking Jobs section:

    This question comes up pretty often. The general consensus is that it is very difficult to get a local delivery job with no experience. To get started you can try checking local excavating / construction companies or gravel pits. Some will hire newbies to drive dump trucks, truck and pups, side/end/belly dumps, etc.. Likewise you could try lumber yards. Food service or soft drink / beer delivery jobs are often another option if you have no experience. There are drawbacks to all of the above but you will be getting experience and will be home every night. My school instructors always said just because an employer says it 'requires' 1 - 2 years OTR in their ad doesn't mean they won't consider you as long as you have practical behind the wheel experience, even if it's not OTR.

    Whether or not this would lead to a tanker job, I couldn't say.
     
  7. larryh31

    larryh31 Light Load Member

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    Jul 24, 2006
    Washington, DC 20032
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    Calling Schneider National is probally your best bet for geting some expiernce under your belt. Yes, this means going OTR for awhile, but it will greatly improve your chances of reaching your goal. Most companies want you to have expierence because tankers are more likely to roll over than dry vans.
     
  8. Skunk_Truck_2590

    Skunk_Truck_2590 Road Train Member

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    Feb 16, 2007
    Stonewall, LA.
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    Everyone has to pay their dues (OTR time) I'm not so much as bashing it but I am againest the fact of rookies getting good local job's straight out of school without paying thier dues of OTR experiance when the experianced deserve an offer on those local positions first.
     
  9. Mike'

    Mike' Medium Load Member

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    Nov 22, 2010
    Toledo, Ohio
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    That doesn't make any sense.
     
    Badmon Thanks this.
  10. TREE

    TREE Heavy Load Member

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    I am a rookie and i drive local,i may not make six figures but i make pretty good money.
    I had this job in my sites for 2 years and would-not let it go,i worked a full time job while i went to school.
    Lots of people told me i couldn't do it ,but i did.
    If this didn't come open i would have went otr,but local was my goal.

    Something may very well happen,but it will not be because of me.
     
    Trungster Thanks this.
  11. jgremlin

    jgremlin Heavy Load Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
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    1. This thread is over 3 years old. Chances are better than not the person who originally asked the question has either found a driving job they're happy with or are out of the industry completely by now.

    2. Going OTR is not paying dues, its going OTR. And no, everyone does NOT have to do it. The only people who go OTR are those who want to and those who aren't savy enough to find other opportunities.

    3. There is no such thing as deserving a job simply because you've driven x amount of time OTR. In fact there is no such thing as deserving a job period. Nobody owes you anything in this world.

    The employer, and often the employers insurance company, set the minimum requirements for the job. In addition, the employer sets his or her own personal criteria that they look for in potential new hires. As an applicant, you either meet both of those or you do not. But I can assure you, there are local jobs out there where having OTR experience or even a certain amount of driving experience is not on the list of criteria for getting hired. There aren't very many of those jobs, but they do exist none the less.
     
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