Hiring students in Florida?

Chances, did you check with covenant and stevens?

KH

 

KH, you hit it on the head when you said Florida is dead. ALL of the Truckers down here are feeling it. Anyone can check, they'll say maybe in two tofour weeks, it's BS. Friend of my Dad's, an O/O, said he's never seen it like this. On the other hand, a move to Mo. might be the best. That's where I'll be Monday with Wil-Trans. Might even wanna check them out for yourself. Refer teams keep rolling. Heard nothing but good stuff about them, so I'm excited!

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the support. No one but us Floridians truly know how rough it is out here. I keep saying in my posts to others, don't believe the recruiters, they just want bodies. Ask the companies, or their drivers to get the real answer.

 

If anybody thinks 15 months is a long commitment, think back to some of your previous jobs. How long were you there? If you have multiple jobs of less than a year, than these companies out there are gonna shy away from you anyways. 15 months isn't that long, and to boot, it's not permanent. You can leave when you want, but you will have to pay for the training. About $3,000, or stay and pay nothing with over a year OTR experience, which goes a LONG, LONG, WAY! Hmmm, decisions, decisions, yeah you know what you should pick! If $3,000 sounds like a lot, consider what other companies charge if you don't fulfill their commitment. $5K, 6K check and see. Some are 1 year, some 18-24 months. Yeah I'm good.

 

That's the truth! It's so rough here in FL that D/H (an O/O) found his current company in AL. So far, so good. But it's only been 3 weeks.

 

:smt038 One of the best post I've read! I love when people on this forum say "You could make more working at McDonalds". Well here in Florida they aren't hiring either! Florida's unemployment rate is around 10.7 right now, its not just shortage of trucking jobs, its the shortage of jobs period. Like Chauncestanbul said, when you live in Florida, you've got to get your foot in the door any way possible. That could mean Wil-Trans(who I recently applied to), Swift, C.R. England, Central, Prime, etc. You more experienced drivers probably vomit looking at those companies but for guys like me, who have never even been inside of a truck, its about the long term goal. I know it might be hell for a year or two. Hell, I even expect it to be. When none of the other companies will even talk to you when you say the word Florida, you have to go with the companies that will. Its that simple for me. All you Floridians, keep your head up and do what you gotta do!

 

Exactly! Getting the experience is what it's all about and is what opens the doors. You have to start somewhere and experience is experience. It isn't like 5 yrs ago when you could have your pick. Yes, even the Micky D's here aren't hiring so good luck with that. We had a Walmart open and over 10,000 people stood in line to put in applications. It's easy to talk big and tell someone what they should do, but until you've been in our position...it's hard to truly understand.

I had to fit into these little boxes that the trucking companies wanted. For me, it meant getting an address in another state. Got it done though and am now getting that precious year of experience OTR. I got hired as a student too. Nothing is going to fall in your lap anymore. You have to work for it.

 

Unfortunately I do not qualify for wil-Trans as I have held more than x amount of job in the past three years.

KH

 

Was that the Walmart in Largo, Fl?

 

is it seriously that bad back in Florida? i guess i've been gone too long.. what are the chances of a person jumping right into the o/o scene straight out of school? are things just as bad for them too?