Is 1 year of experience really the majic number?

interesting concept there. I've done similar but not to companies that wanted 2 to 3 years. I remembered a few that wanted 6 months and i had 4 or 5 and they were willing to take me, however, didnt hire me for other reasons unrelated to experience. Hmm.

 

I have a year now and that didn't open any doors for me. Probable because I live in San Diego, there aren't even any class B jobs. It gets better up in LA with the ports, but still tough out here with this wrecked economy. Construction is in the tank and the state is going broke. I'll have to stay in OTR or move, either way, I see 2 years being a min requirement.
Although, one guy in my class lucked out at Swift and went right to local up in Wilmington by Long Beach. He had someone already at Swift with some pull..

 

Interesting. I would have thought San Diego would be better off because of the size. Thanks for the input, I wanted to hear from people like yourself in regards to 1 year experience.

As far as ports go though, I just sat for 3 days without a load in a port near Tacoma. If you haul fish, you might be in luck. lol

Thanks again

 

Like I said, so many out of work people here that any and all jobs are snapped up. The co's can cherry pick the best drivers, even the second rate co's. Because LA has the ports and San Bernardino has the huge rail yards, trucking up there in LA, Fontana, Ontario is quite a bit better.

 

Do not expect a good-paying local job with 1 year of experience OTR.
Those days are long gone.
Too much competition for those jobs and even if you do land one, you will be on the bottom of a seniority board getting all the crap runs, crap hours, possibly sitting at home when things slow down.
Guys with seniority don't leave those jobs unless they get fired, retire, or die.

Notice I said "good" local jobs.
There are plenty of "local" jobs for 8-10 bucks an hour and 70-hours per week in a daycab.
Or busting your hump unloading kegs of beer\two-liters of cola or hand-dollies full of frozen food up ramps and stairs, etc.
Those outfits are always hiring just like the coolie carriers.

The days of landing a good local job with 1-year road experience are pretty-much over.
Not saying it can't be done...but the odds are stacked against you.
If that's your plan, you're better off going to Atlantic City or Vegas and laying that $5k CDL school money on the roulette table.
You'll have alot more fun that way and a better chance to make some real money!!!

 

Thanks all, Anyone else have some input here??