Is there Intermodal for rookies?

I know Chicago has "entry-level" intermodal work. You drive a really beat up old tractor that may be missing gears and play "avoid the scale" even if they're portable. Unfortunately staties set up those portables right out side the rail yards when the coffers get low. Pay is around $18-22/hour.

 

Schneider might be your best option to look in to if they have a terminal in your area. They seem to be everywhere, and might be a decent place to get your feet wet.

 

Go park next to the port entrance and see what companies are running in and out of there..

Right down company names and start making calls.

Schneider as mentioned above and JB Hunt do a good bit of that work.

 

#### am I stupid. So simple, never would have thought of it

 

of course if you live in the area you'll never see the house that's usually how it works..

 

Don't hang out to long though if I was Port authority a d saw that I would think you were up to no good

 

Ive hauled them. They give you a tractor and tell you to get this box (With a large multidigit number and letters and shipping name) plus a password sometimes to get the box itself.

You already know what you are going to do with that box. Deliver the load, bring it back to the yard, or run it down the road to the next ship dock or rail yard and give it to them. Or turn it into the Military at a Depot base installation for processing. I once waiting on a load of matches in a 40 foot box in richmond Depot. They had to count and verify the matches. No Im not kidding. It was a long wait. That was one of the reasons i remember it.

One other thing Ive done with boxes. Take it out of the baltimore ship yard, take it to Harrisburg with a Federal USA Red ball seal on it to be broken only by a US Customs agent there at the airport before delivering same.

You will not be a rookie long with the boxes. They are relatively simple. The biggest thing for you to learn is to get inside that yellow painted rectangle in the ship yard where they take boxes off you or put em on you with the large machines. Make sure you stay right where you are in those spots. It's really important. Otherwise get the 4 corner locks off, find the papers and go on down the road.

You will need a TWIC and other papers to help you gain access to the ship dock. Things have changed quite a bit since 9-11.

 

Schneider requires 3 months experience to pull containers, unless you're in Chicago.