Is OTR required to gain experience?

Perfecto Staffing | Discover Your Next Career
This one runs ads for drivers in Clarksville, TN

 

• SYSCO NASHVILLE
• Clarksville, TN · Full-time

Hiring Requirements

• Class A license without any of the following restrictions: (L,Z) Air Brakes, (G) Night Driving, (O) No Semi Trailer or (K) Intrastate Only
• We can accept trainees as long as they have Class A license and valid medical card.
• Local
• $1,200 - $1,300 total weekly avg. pay
• 800 avg. miles per week + hourly + other pays on each load
• $5,000 sign on bonus
• Usually home every night and off weekends.
• 

 

United States Postal Service
Tractor Trailer Operator (TTO)
In this role you will regularly operate a heavy-duty tractor-trailer in all weather conditions either in over-the-road, city shuttle service, or trailer spotting operations. Benefits may include health insurance and retirement. This position requires a commercial driver’s license. Many TTO positions offer short delivery runs allowing you more time with your family at home.

Job duties include:

• Operate a tractor-trailer for an assigned delivery route according to a schedule
• Pick up and deliver bulk mail at postal installations, railroad facilities and airports
• Monitor the condition of the tractor-trailer and report accidents, defects or failures
• Pick up, load, carry and deliver moderate to heavy mail and packages

Top jobs – Careers – About.usps.com (YouTube video on hauling mail in trucks)

 

Again, stress the fact that you're retired Army truck driver.
"I drove Class-8 trucks and all other sizes in the Army for 20 years."

 

I grew up in Murfreesboro man! Shout out to all the middle Tennessee folks lol. Local gigs in the south can be dicey to get right out now school, particularly down south. Occasionally there are drivers who get a local job without having OTR. I used to drive for Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group in Goodlettsville. I don't know the actual name these days, could be Splash Transport, or Keurig. Back then it was only me and another driver that had OTR experience. I would try Coke, Pepsi, Miller Lite, Budweiser. All.of those will be a bit of a commute, but I'd look at hauling beverages, they can surprisingly decent turnover.

 

The construction companies operate differently than most, especially the bigger companies. You might work 7 days out of town and then 7 days off, moving heavy equipment on a 7-8 axle rig. This type deal will usually be on road construction. These types are usually seasonal and political, so proceed with caution.

Paving companies will mostly be dump truck work, but there’s always a lowboy in the mix. Paving is work, and that asphalt is at 500degrees (you will feel it through the cab)

Your big crane companies will need drivers too. The majority of doorslammer companies in the US will be the 30-100 truck regional jobs. They’re all over the place, and they always need drivers. Thing is, you actually have to go driving down your local state and US highways. Most people looking for jobs are just too lazy to get out and look.

They might not be able to hire anyone off the street, but I’d wager that most company owners would definitely want a 20 year military vet on the team. The owner will figure out how to get you on. The trucks will be more common sense, without the mega carrier cattle prods and hand holding. The smaller companies will have their direct customers and more performance based. In other words, they won’t operate on the mega carrier stupidity. You call, they answer. Tire flat? Tire gets fixed asap. Truck breaks down, they tow a bobtail out to you and you keep moving.

You will notice that there’s many drivers, noobs and rookies even, that have this diva mentality, where they only want to run when it’s sunny and 75 degrees. Diva types don’t do well in performance based anything. So these are usually happier staying at the megas.

 

One thing to consider: those standards and requirements tend to fluctuate depending on how bad that company needs drivers at the moment. Now granted, at this time, the general freight market sucks the high hard one, but if a particular company finds themselves shorthanded right now for whatever reason, they may be inclined to hire you. Just keep on applying; you only need one outfit to say yes.

 

That might be the case in your area and traveling companies seem to be getting more common but around here they're all local on local projects. A CDL laborer for any of these places is a good solid job with room to grow into other areas. Even into the office if one wants. As long as you're not in a sanctuary city it pays well. Even landscaping companies can be a good place for local work. Just can't be a diva that's afraid to leave the cab and get down with the crew.

 

I was offered a job where I would work 7 on 7 off moving the dozers and earth movers. Paid well, but my main goal now is to be in the gym and see what I can do better before I get too old.
I was offered a furniture job, gone Monday-Friday, $2000/week net (W2, no cattle prods), had to fingerprint but I rather fingerprint furniture than groceries and beverages. 15 truck operation hauling strictly for a local furniture manufacturer.

 

I'm with you on the age thing and food delivery as a new guy on the bottom of the totem pole sucks at my age.

Furniture is certainly a better deal. It's still physical. Keeps a man in shape but with lower chance of an overuse injury. Get to see different "sites" often usually daily too.

Good thing about furniture is driving jobs can be had even without a CDL. Lots of under 26k straight trucks delivering all sorts of home and office furniture.