Getting local job with no experience

Is this even possible, or am I just dreaming.

I would like to earn my CDL and drive a truck, but I'm having a hard time imagining being away from my home and family for large chunks of time. I wouldn't mind being home every weekend, but being out for 2 weeks plus isn't appealing.

Now I know that there is probably no way that i would be able to get a local or regional dedicated route with company sponsored training, but I would be willing to pay for the CDL training out of pocket. I've already been approved for company sponsered training through Decker, and have contemplated just sticking it out for a year and then looking elsewhere if they were unable to give me something better.

Is this possible? Am I completely naive? Any advice would be much appreciated, such as companies I might want to check out, or even good OTR companies with large hubs around DFW, since I've been reading it's a good deal to be located close to where the company is located.

 

of course nothing in life is "impossible" but from my experiences here in ohio i can tell you that i have applied for a job at nearly 100 companies and of that maybe 30-40 have been local and of course i have heard nothing. not saying you cant...i just have found it to be very unlikely. seems as if everyone wants that one year experience and the "better" jobs want two.

 

there are plenty of companies where you can be home every weekend. most local gigs for which a newbie MIGHT qualify would be extremely unappealing. the local jobs for which you have to have experience are bad enough.

 

Yes, my current job is extremely unappealing at best. Finished truck school end of October, started looking for "local" or regional work. So I accepted a position delivering home heating fuel, residential delivery, and crossing US-Canada border. The pay is bottom dollar, the hours are making me crazy- on call- worked christmas eve. and new years day and most evenings. BUT I'm close to home, when I have time off it is at home also, and it is hourly pay, not mileage pay- (that would be starvation wages at this company). The ideal job would have the "local" benefits and better pay for the service of crossing the border ,class A, haz-mat, tanker, etc.
All of the local and regional carriers want to see OTR experience, time will tell if they will give me a chance at a better job with them, based on experience here. Basically I'm driving a bobtail with a tank on the back, thats not in the same league as a tank truck with tank trailer, or double tanker.
This was the first job offer to come my way and I took it. Local work has more guys wanting it than positions available, so it seems.
My son and I need to spend time together, that means more than money right now.

 

If you want a local job, then you have to suck it up like the rest of us.. I started out 3yrs ago OTR, kept my record clean then went and found a local job. Most want any where from 1-3 yrs otr before hiring local. Most of the time it is the insurance companies that dictate how much experience one needs to be considered for a local position. I had a hard time being away from the family,but sucked it up and put in my dues..

 

I have been driving almost 10 years now and I can honestly say that I did it; I went with Swift (BIG mistake) when I first was out of school, was in the truck with my trainer (who didn't speak to me the whole trip) and went from Troutdale,OR to N.C. and then to Texas (where I got off the truck and flew home) and I found a local job.

I didn't go with a trucking company however; I drove for a new furniture company that delivered new furniture to furniture stores and I drove 18 wheeler and was there 3 years and did just fine; so I can say that yes it can be done but you have to research and find a company that has a trasnsp. dept. within it and then maybe you can do it.

 

My brother in law tried to go with Werner. After quitting two different trainers, he decided that wasn't for him. He found a local job, home every night, paid vacations, etc. Money's not great, but he doesn't need much where he lives. It can be done, but don't count on it.

 

Sure can, i came right out of school an got a short haul job. Long day's but im home every night, an off the weekends unless freight need's to be moved. So yea it can be done, i think it depends where your at an what the city or town u live got to offer you know?

 

As has been said... it is POSSIBLE. It is difficult. You have to watch for the opportunities. You are not going to make what you would with OTR experience. To get a good paying local job, you are most likely gonna need to do your time like all of us.

 

I hear ya, im almost in the same canoe, but i have some driving w/ my cdl (i got my cdl on a harvest crew towards the end of milo harvest) im gonna try in the morning to get a construction company that is building a bypass for hwy 71 aound kimball nebraska to talk to me even though they are asking for a years experience. thier ad says 11 hour days pulling a sidedump, 5-6 days/week for $13-14/hour, which shouldn't be too bad for me since im not married if you don't count my car. outside of that. I know of a cdlb job up in the mountains and some jobs driving in the oilfield (long hours and hard work, but good pay).

I think that all we can do is buckle down, be willing to settle for less, and do our best to prove that we have what it takes. im willing to take the crap truck to get in the door (although my mechanic background will help me out there)

better to shoot for the moon and miss, then aim for the gutter and make it.