How to go local (without experience)

+1 on the insurance issue, I got lucky at my first job, not only did I have to do local but I had to stay in mass for 3 years till I turned 21. I have never even been in a sleeper truck

 

Agree with the OP, its possible. I got my license through a private fleet for the company i work for Ive also been waiting on a spot to opeb up since narch.... tarting to look else where, being an extra gets old

 

Craigslist & Careerbuilder for local jobs. First, ignore the part of an ad that says "X" number of years experience required. That is not written in stone. One time I worked for YRC Logistics (non-union) & they would occassionally hire recent grads for full time local work. I once worked for a union company that also hired recent grads for full time local work; actually had a choice of local or OTR. Both companies ads stated "2 yrs. experience required." Some drivers, like me, don't want local or regional work. I tried both and hated them & always went back to OTR quickly. The jobs are there, but you must be persistant in looking and putting in the applications. For example; get your tanker endorsement and you may land a local job hauling dry bulk cement to job sites of ready mix companies.

 

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I got hired in linehaul... When I interviewed, I told the manager (sean) straight up, I have never even driven a tractor trailer, but if you give me the chance to take a test drive ill impress you and make darn sure it is worth your time. And I did...

when I got back from the drive, the trainer said to Sean (he has never driven a truck, yet he can hook up, back up, and drives very well. All he needs is a little more time getting used to the gears for these kinds of trucks. His personal truck is a manual but this is a whole different world)

I will add that on top of asking for local jobs, a huge part of landing a job is presenting yourself. When I went in for my interview, even thought it is just a warehouse/driving job, I wore boots, nice jeans, a collared shirt and a collared pullover sweatshirt. I wore a nice watch and shaved. Presentation has A TON to do with landing a job, doesn't matter where you are going.

 

nascarchuck

I live in Waxahachie. 30 mins south of dallas. The job you described yourself as having is exactly what Im looking for. What is the name
of your company please?

 

Check your PM's.

 

Old thread but GREAT info!

 

Great thread. I recognized it after skimming through it again. Probably one that helped me out before I went to trucking school. After I read about linehaul, I knew that was the type of trucking I wanted to do. But I thought I'd need 1-2 years of OTR experience. I came to find out, through threads like these, that that was completely false.

Times have changed. LTL companies will and do hire student drivers with a fresh CDL A, and folks off the street without a CDL A. I've found that location trumps experience. I live in an area where I had over 1/2 dozen LTL companies to choose from when I finished trucking school. The North East is ripe with LTL, but there are pockets of LTL all over the country, and when there's one LTL company, there's usually another.

I landed my linehaul job right out of school, and hope that I'll retire from my company. One and done.