Help getting started in Ontario

The demand is down right now, they don't need more drivers at the moment. This industry is very cyclical, it's just in a slow period right now. It will recover, it always does.

As far as companies, it depends what you are looking to do. Would driving into the gta be ok if you were getting in the truck for a week long, or more? Or do you want to be home every day? There's also always concrete trucks, dump trucks, garbage/recycling trucks, local delivery trucks, etc. You could also go to the industrial areas where these trucks go and just watch and take note of what companies are coming and going and contact them. I used to go to Conestoga cold storage a fair bit in kitchener. 299 trillium drive if you want to go check it out. I think Brian Kurtz is in the area as well, ERB, maybe Doug Coleman, sleeman brewery is in guelph, Tim hortons and the beer store distribution also in guelph I believe.

 

The way things are right now it's pretty slim pickings on places that will take on a new driver unless your desperate and go to Brampton.If Challenger will give you a chance to get some experience you should probably go with them.

 

Right now your only concern should be just getting hired by anyone with not having any experience . I had to man up and borrow money from my mom to take a refresher course at a extra $3500 after just paying $3000 for getting my AZ just to be able to get hired from schneider and all the other big companies. Right now is probably the worst time to be getting into trucking . I know at kriska they have owner ops working one week on one off and has stopped hiring drivers for the most part. Even charger who under bids everyone is parking trucks . If Challenger will even hire you right now go with them get your experience then move on . With Schneider National now gone you don’t have a lot of companies in your area who will hire newbies. In the Gta area i can only think of three Bison,kriska or Highlight

 

Problem is insurance will hurt anyone who try’s to hire you unless they are self insured.. I know some owner ops with decades of accident and ticket free experience who tried to hire on their 20 to 25 year old sons .. it was going to raise their insurance well over 100% . Both ended up signing a truck on to a Manitoba carrier so the sons could get experience and turn 25 … years and years of the Brampton Mississauga crowd ruined it for small carriers …

 

Pretty sure the clowns at highlight are still hiring new drivers. They prey on no experience drivers.

 

Don’t bother with Challenger if you’re going solo. Hands down the worst place to work as a solo driver. Nothing but short east cost loads for solo drivers. They will give you a few good loads in the beginning to keep you smiling but you will soon be dong short east coast runs if you’re lucky enough to get that. They used to have solo drivers run west but that stopped years ago. Solo drivers are lucky to get 400 mile runs now.