Is 1 year really enough anymore?

I hardly see ads asking for one year of experience. They seem to all require 2 or 3. Are the insurance companies getting stricter or what?

Was told getting into trucking "get your year in accident/ticket free and then you can write your own ticket."

Maybe by the time I'm done with 2 or 3 years everyone will be asking for 5!

 

Yes, one year is enough to learn the system and how to safely operate a CMV. However a good driver never stops learning. I don't know of many of the top carriers that require more then 6 months to a year. Heck some carriers will allow a driver to train with 6 months experience!

 

I mean, 1 year is enough to open a lot of doors. If your trying to get into a specialized division of trucking then they may definitely require more experience. Also, many smaller companies have to require 2-3 years experience due to their insurance provider.

 

They have to pay to bring a new driver on, you have to gain the trust and respect and get to know the operation. , 1 year is just starting to on that process, so many job hoppers anymore they just trying to avoid that.

 

Not sure where you're at but here in the Philly area there are ads all over Craigslist and Indeed requiring 6mo-1yr. Some even appear to be paying pretty decent too. If I wasn't happy doing what it is I do I would probably look into a few.

 

Not really.

It isn't just insurance companies, we don't have a drivers shortage so owners, smart owners and fleets are getting more picky.

 

Everything I was looking at required just 6 months, and though a few were Megas I didn't think they were too bad.
I.E. Melton and Danny Herman

I ended up getting hired driving tanker for a small outfit with zero experience except driving in school

Went for a 2 hour spin with the company driving instructor and he reaffirmed me that my shifting needed some work, no floating allowed, my double clutching can get weak.
But he said over all the way I handled the truck with a loaded smooth bore was workable.

Slow and Easy and expect the unexpected.

 

You got it backwards.
It used to be a year at your standard OTR or
Local company.
It used to be 3 to 5 years before any good job,
(Linehaul,fedex,and the Walmarts of the world
would even let you fill out a application.

Now some of theses same places are taking students.
Pay no attention to there requirements,just put in
The application and see what happens.

The hiring standards have went down,not up.

 

I’m pretty sure a lot of places state minimum experience simply because that’s what they’d like. What they need and who is available is another matter. From what I’ve seen of others here that rings true.

It’s like that in lots of industries. Take air freight for example - UPS, FedEx generally like pilots with considerable time/experience. But every once in a while a younger buck will slip into that sought after gig.

 

I got in with Shaffer after 15 months experience, and a clean nose.