looking for work

Getting your TWIC card may help being in Jersey.

 

Conway is probably your best bet if you want local or line. You will be trained by them and have to work the dock but they will eventually get you in a truck. Not a great place to work imo but good to start out with if you don't want OTR.

 

Calling or e-mailing a company is a big mistake in my book. I believe you need to hit the bricks and show your face. Show the companies who you are and you're ready to work. We always liked a driver that showed up in person because it told us they are eager plus it gave us an idea on who that person was over some paperwork. You can gain more information by applying in person than just calling or mailing an app. It also makes it harder for the employer to trash your application. A phone call is easy to hang up and the mail is much easier to trash. You can also find out if that company is not hiring maybe they know of a company that is. You can ask them what it will take to hire on with them. That alone shows them you're very eager to work. If you like the company get your application updated. If any information changes go in and make sure your application shows the change. We had a guy that came in once a month just to see what was going on and he got hired. I asked the higher ups and they said he was persistent and ready to work. There's a hole lot of benefits to showing your face and there's much to gain over the regular guy just calling or sending in his or her application.

 

Class B would probably be your better bet. They will actually look at you as more than qualified because you went the extra mile and obtained a Class A license. This will definitely help in getting a local gig. Like you said too, it will help you get your foot in the door and if there is a chance or opening for a Class A driver since you already hold a license you maybe moved up into that position. There are all types of different gigs involving Class B driving. From dump trucks, to garbage trucks, gas trucks etc...

Good luck man..

 

Nice to know someone is out pounding feet to get a job, unlike most who complain, sit at home and wondering why nobody is calling. Good going Wheretogo!

 

Well it's pretty much been the same even since I started trucking in 1997. The school straight up told us it would be next to impossible to get a local driving job without a year of experience. The school said the industry is set up that way because OTR companies have such a hard time getting drivers. So if you do go OTR, make sure you obey all the laws and don't get any violations. Whatever company you go with, stay with it for a year. If you quit and go somewhere else it looks bad. That Nestle job sounds good but then again you won't be getting Class A experience and it won't be counted.

 

the nestle job is more money then many make out on the road
you would probably be local enough so no logbooks etc
you get a TWIC card and hazmat you can beat the bushes over at the port of newark for container jobs


then you need to move to the shore get out of the armpit of NJ

 

at least with a Class A-CDL, IF it comes up and a company needs a trailer pulled with a straight truck, you'll be legal to do that also.

Even a dump pulling a tandem trailer for a bobcat or a loader/backhoe requires a Class A license. Even some of the 1 ton and bigger (F450 Etc) pickups with a heavy tandem trailer really classify as a Class A.