Hard time finding a job

Hey guys back in March I obtained my CDL class A with all endorsements. I've been trying to look for jobs but its been sort of difficult due to the fact that I have no experience at all. I looked at Swift and warner and read so many bad comments about them that I don't even want to bother. Recently I applied to US Xpress see what the outcome of that will be for me. My DMV record is not bad at all I have a clean license with only one accident in the last 3 years and one sort of a moving violations for disregarding a sign. I keep looking but everywhere I turn they require experience or even if you tell them you have nothing but the driving school they don't even want to talk to you anymore. Thanks for taking the time to read this if anyone has any tips or suggestions let me know.

 

Did you tell them you have all endorsements ??

That almost always guarantees a job.............

Keep looking, there must be a job somewhere,

have you called any local companies ?

 

Have you sat back and applied on line or have you been out to see the companies? What part of NJ? I ask because the north part has alot of trucking companies and the south has produce trucks.

 

Umm,I agree 100% with that statement,if that is all you can find,take it,suck it up for at LEAST a year,(if not 2) and if you DONT like it there,then,move on... Listen,I posted a thread today,half-complaining,half-joking,as I DO NOT know which company to choose,-you,too,will have this problem,if you can break the2-3 year "barrier". Lastly,I have been to New Jersey a few times,(don't brag bout it) And,there are farmers there;trust me,I am from a farming family,and they are ALWAYS looking for someone to haul grain and what-not...Trust me again,you will NOT get rich working for a farmer,but,you will get needed OTR experience. Check out the paper,elevaters,or even knock on a few doors.. Back to the top: There are many,many people who make a living at Swift and Werner and the mega-carriers...When you start at this,you HAVE to take chances,that's the way it is...

 

I live in the Northern part of NJ about 25 min away from NYC. Tomorrow I was actually planning on taking a ride near some commercial warehouse and asking if they are hiring for either local deliveries or OTR work.

Overall I think I might wait maybe another 2 or 3 weeks and then put an application with Swift. I can't wait around all this time and keep thinking that something will come out of it. Currently I am also awaiting my Twic card which will make me even more eligible.

Sorry if I said that my DMV record is all clean what I meant by that is I don't have anything serious on it like DWI things like that.

 

I agree with the other posters. I run a driving school in Pennsylvania. If you are willing to lose the idea that you won't work for a large carrier there are plenty of jobs available.

That applies even if you have license that is *clean* like yours is. Applies even more if your license actually IS clean.

I had a guy who graduated in the last class that put in an application every time he saw they would hire graduates... He had 25 offers. He filled out applications on-line and many times had a recruiter calling him BEFORE he even got his computer turned off.

The jobs are there, if you are willing to take them!

Good Luck!
Chris

 

Accidents and moving violations are serious if you plan to have a driving career. Failing to read or understand a sign in a truck can lead to disaster. Once those violations are five years old they mean nothing. If they aren't three years old then some will have a problem. Drivers without these problems will be choosen over you. Don't downplay them. Hit them head on, take responsibility and move on.

You are starting out, you will need to lose the mindset that you don't have to start where most before you started. Don't waste much more time or your training will have little value. Here's my standard copy and paste advice, take it for what it's worth to you.

You need to research and find out what the important questions are. You can make an above average living but you will make sacrifices that other jobs don't require. Read the "good companies" and "bad companies" section on this forum and get an idea of what company you want to work for and what kind of trailer you want to pull. Don't just go to school and then try to figure out where to go.

I don't know your financial situation. Don't take training from a company if you can afford it or get it with financial aid. You will be their slave for up to year. If you leave they will trash you DAC and credit record. Check out your local community colleges and employment office.

Just know that most training and trucking company recruiters will do nothing but lie to you. They will let you talk about what you want and then tell you what you want to hear. Trucking is about moving freight to make money for the company. Your home time, family, paycheck and everything else comes second.

It is not like any other job. Local is usually backbreaking delivery work 10+ hours a day, 6 days a week. Often you unload dozens of times a day or you are a salesman. In my area most dump truck jobs pay less than a good factory job. Regional is lots of loading and unloading time, fewer miles than OTR and not as hard as local but will wear on you and push your HOS limits. OTR is out 3 - 5 weeks with 3 - 4 days home, less manual labor and more miles.

You'll probably have to pay your dues before you get the gravy job. Weekends off, if you are lucky enough to get something like that starting out, may be home Thursday afternoon and leave Saturday night or home Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Loads deliver on Monday early and you leave in time to get them there. Often your home time will be in the middle of the week.

Regardless of your driving choice, after school you will go through company training. For OTR this can be six weeks to three months with little or no home time. The first phase is usually $400 a week and the second phase is $500-550 a week. Some pay less. One company pays 12 CPM for training.

One last thing, you don’t want to wait around too long after training or you’ll have trouble finding a job. If you get out before you have a year in, when you try to come back a few months later you will find they want you to start over.

 

BigJohn54 thanks for the info it did clear a few things for me! I applied to US Xpress I will wait a few more days see if they call me back so far I just received an email from them. I see Swift all over the place they are a really huge company and I keep getting cards and job offers from them. I know what people have said about them in the past but I mean in reality its really what you make out of the company some people might see things diff with them and I mean some guys that delivered to my store where I work at drive for swift they don't have anything bad to say about them.

 

You are very welcome, Tom. I would hate to recommend any of the Mega-Companies and have no experience with any of them. I know starting out your options are limited. That being said, I think you could do much worse than Swift but I can't prove that.