Little experience / Needing advice on where to go next...

Three weeks training with USA Truck = http://youtu.be/OJ8WKscGo8I

 

Just being as respectful as possible. The fight I'm referring to is the one you're fighting. You're the one attempting to break into trucking. Not me , I'm done with it , worked for the same company for over 30 years then retired. In that time I learned to listen very carefully to those with the experience that I hoped to gain. You said that you had problems with 2 companies...then proceed to say the problems with those companies were they didn't get you into a truck fast enough. Well there are things , many of them that you haven't experienced yet...that is the main reason for those companies wanting a longer training period....you just seem to be UN-able to understand that sitting behind a steering wheel is all trucking is.....well sunshine it ain't.

Being a professional requires the right mind-set...you said it yourself , you can pass any skills test....that isn't what makes a driver.....what makes a driver is the ability to keep a cool head in all kinds of situations , on and off the road....a good driver is a good listener , a good problem solver , a self motivator , and has the ability to remain calm when most folks just fall apart. You will be expected to deal with folks that have not a clue about just what it takes to do your job , all they want is their freight....no matter what it takes...you have to be able to work with folks on the dock that are really stupid sometimes , and still others that think you're the stupid one....I mean you'll deal with this on a daily basis...then comes the stress involved with the driving itself , terrible weather conditions , heavy loads , time constraints that seem impossible....see where I'm going , much more than moving a steering wheel and and shifting a few gears.

The physical driving is actually the really easy part of a truckers job.....The professional , not only has to be able to drive , he needs to be part mechanic , part dispatcher , part customer service representative, and even part diplomat at times....This is why I say you're not ready yet , no one is ever totally ready ever...we all learn a little something everyday , the day you know everything trucking is the day you should just walk away....

 

Give Navajo express a try

 

You can always try knight transport. I went to their orientation for 1 day. they still call me 6 months later asking me to come back. While I was there for that day, 3 others in the orientation group were prior knight drivers who came back because they liked their job there more than the other ones they could find. They said that knight does actually take good care of drivers and that they give you tons of miles and pretty good money. But they will also keep you running for weeks at a time which I wasnt prepared to do. They don't require much experience and sit you most likely in a nice volvo. Worth a look friend.

 

Hey Railroad Guy ... I recently quit Super Service to climb on board with JB Hunt which will start next Monday for me. (Orientation) Anyhow, in addition to Chinatown's suggestions, I would recommend signing up for Super Service LLC in Somerset Kentucky. Because of your limited experience and they way companies have people bouncing around like "we" do, they will most likely have you go out with a trainer. My training period only lasted 2 and a half weeks and I was signed off by the trainer as ready. Came in and done the road test, passed ... and had my first solo load SAME DAY. I was brand new to trucking myself to add. I stayed with Super Service for 2 months and 23 days only to have quit for JB Hunt. My reasoning was the .10 cents more per mile and I hope I made the right decision. In retrospect, I would suggest to any new driver to stay on with a company for a minimum of 6 months before trying a different one. In the case of your medical DOT physical, ... anywhere you go now days, the company will want you to do a new physical and get a FRESH 2 year card through their hiring process. Super Service pays 31 cents per mile with 22 cents being taxed and the other 9 cents PER DIEM. It works out pretty good in my opinion and they will give you 2500-3000 miles per week depending upon YOU. If you show your driver manager (dispatcher) you can handle these runs, you will stay consistent at this mileage rate. At this point, I myself am a little worried that I may have messed up by quitting SS for JB Hunt. But only time will tell. Good Luck! Cheers!

 

30 plus years !!! .... This guy knows what he is talking about !!! This is where a lot of us new drivers screw up, thinking we are "entitled" to things and coming into the trucking industry thinking we can do it, no problem. An easy job. I started with getting the CDL back in December 2013 via a grant program the government put into effect for laid-off coal miners. Having been a miner for the previous 5 years, I thought ... "If I can laboriously work the hard and dangerous work of a coal miner, I can do anything!" I thought trucking would be an easy (perfect) job to continue the cash flow. Man, was I wrong! In mining, I had already learned to shift gears by hauling our auger coal out of the pit with a Mack dump truck. The pre-trip inspections, regular maintenance, etc., had already been a part of my life for several years so I felt confident. I even felt comfortable while I was out with a trainer, mainly in part, because he helped manage the affairs throughout our time together. I.E. Trip-Planning, Dealing with shippers & receivers while I done the grunt work, etc. The real test and consequently, the REALITY, came when I went solo and had to manage everything myself. Time management and "office" work as well as E-Log documentation (HOS) in my opinion is the toughest part of the job as a rookie. Just when you think you have it figured out and things are looking up, something else pops up causing frustration. Here's an example: I was running a heavy load across I-68 in Maryland and didn't want to be late. You never "want" to be late. Anyhow, I had just started my 14 hour day and figured everything was in place to make it on time and be available for the next load before the pay period ended that week. I hadn't made much money and I 'needed' one more load to cover a poor week. I made it to the consignee on time, but guess what? It took the receiver 5 hours to get me unloaded. Of course, I got dentention pay ($75) but it screwed my day and consequently, my week. TOTALLY out of my control! This happens. There are many X-Factors out of your control that will cause aggravation, frustration, and even sometimes the wonderment of quitting. This is just a small example of things that aren't always ideal about the job. When these guys give you the advice of keeping a cool head, don't take it lightly. They've been here and done it a thousand times. I strongly advise that you stick it out with a company for a minimum of 6 months to a year and learn as much as you can. You probably won't make a killing and undoubtedly, you will face frustration and encounter new scenarios weekly, but your rookie year will be vital to take in as much as you can about the job and learn to apply this initial experience for the long haul. This is a hard job and it will be your livelihood while you're engaged in it, so do NOT take things for granted. CHEERS!

 

You live in Blairsville..try Millis terminal in Cartersvile or Roehl, terminal in Ellenwood.

And you will still have to talk to a recruiter