Entering trucking because...

Georgeandson, I'm not capable of getting another line of work, or I'd be working right now. I have too much education, not enough experience, and thanks to the economy, nobody will hire anyone with less than 2-5 yrs exp. in any field. I tried going back to a previous employer in a different industry, but they're even more skeleton crew than they were before. I'm hoping that *trucking* --- as crazy as it is, as dangerous as it is, as alone as it is --- will allow me to hop aboard. I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm just trying not to blow it right out of the gate and make rookie mistakes. Closing in on 47 years old I have to do this right the first time.

 

There is literally only ONE community college in Cali that has a truck driving class offered, and it's way down in Long Beach. Only one. I think even West Hills in Coalinga has decided to only do company contract training.

 

I have applied at Dollar Tree, fast food, etc for minimum wage. I have applied to the county as a driver, took their test, and got #2 score of about 60-70 people in the room. I must have really not understood what they wanted in the interview because they hired someone else down the line with a lower score in a second round. How do I know? I have a friend who works at the county at that very place.

Dollar Tree min-wage cashier...they won't even interview me because I have an education and they assume I'll just move on. I'm also 46. I'm a minority in the workplace, but that doesn't seem to make any diff. Companies also get kickbacks for hiring people on general assistance, but that hasn't got me a job yet. I was in the public library and overheard someone saying they are about to start working at Dollar Tree... and I don't want to sound judgmental, but they must not be willing to hire the average person. THey ARE willing to hire ex-cons and people with drug histories, like trucking companies, but an educated person who's willing to work for pennies and who has a history of unemployment, who's willing to work hard, can't catch a break. I could apply in Patterson for Amazon order fulfillment - if I am totally giving up and don't care if my soul dies... What I've heard about them is worse than trucking.

I would be happy with $400/week right now for any amount of work. I am a single parent and willing to leave my teenager at home with grandma and wonder if I'll ever see him again, to try trucking. This ain't no hair-whipping-in-the-breeze I-wanna-see-the-country airhead maneuver. If you can help get me a job in California, doing general labor, you just let me know. I'll get my steel toes on.

 

Hey thanks for the suggestion -- TDA also has a school right up the road from me. I was trying to avoid Swift, afraid they might try those maneuvers where they do what they can to kick you out during training so you owe them money. I am now willing to work for a "bottom feeder" company (as others call them) if that's what I need to do. Just don't want to be scammed.

I was thinking I'd like J&R Schugel if I can get in right out of school.