Need Advice - FL cant find opportunities

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Openroad99, Oct 30, 2024.

  1. Openroad99

    Openroad99 Bobtail Member

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    Im want to drive regional or OTR. I do not have my CDL A yet.
    I know that some carriers like Swift offer academy. I would be like to take advantage of those academies but I am also willing to go to a local private CDL school here and hopefully get hired by a company that offers tuition reimbursement.
    The problem is that I live in Miami Fl. A place that Swift and Prime have told me that they either dont hire from Fl or that Miami is too far south. Which is understandable but what options or opportunities do I have?

    I have family in Tampa Fl and Austin Texas but they dont fully support my decision to drive. Are there any companies that will give me an opportunity in Miami? Im willing to move as well but Im not sure if any company will hire me off of the promise that I’ll move. With an offer I’ll happily move where Im needed. But without one its very risky.

    Swift recruiter told me that once I have a CDL I can take a 2 day road test with them and potentially get hired. Is my best option to get my CDL here and apply and talk to as many companies as I can?

    I really need help, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
     
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  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Companies will hire you based on the address on your CDL.
    I'll post a list of companies that hire Miami drivers.
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2024
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  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Now Hiring – South Region | PureStar
    CDL & Van drivers.
    Convenient ways to apply:
    • Apply in person by visiting one of our facilities, Monday through Friday:
      • Miami – 14640 NW 60 Avenue, Miami Lakes, FL 33014 (305) 823-2278 (Hours: 8:00am-3:00pm)
      • Opa-Locka – 2320 NW 147 Street, Opa-Locka, FL 33054 (305) 823-2278 (By appointment only)
      • Orlando – 550 Gills Drive, #300, Orlando, FL 32824 (407) 439-0955 (Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm)
      • Fort Lauderdale – 3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (By appointment only, email here)
      • Kissimmee – 6000 Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, Florida 34746 (407) 586-2145 (Hours: 9:00am-4:00pm)
     
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  5. Openroad99

    Openroad99 Bobtail Member

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    Will I have to change the address on my class E license or residence? If possible I would like to keep my residence here in Miami.
    I obviously wont mind changing the address on my CDL to a relatives address or rent a cheap apartment somewhere.
    My biggest stress is having to get an apartment say like in Georgia and not get any offers and effectively wasting money.
    Thank you for the quick response.
     
  6. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    DO NOT GOT TO CDL SCHOOL UNTIL YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO WORK.
    Every trucking company doesn't hire newbies from every CDL school. Some CDL schools don't offer certain things which means their students can't get hired at a particular company. Usually a school that gives 160 hours of instruction is fairly safe, but a few companies want students with 200 hours of instruction/practice. Some trucking companies offer their own schools, you call them academies, and they get a nice long look at the student during that school period so they feel more comfortable hiring their own students than some random stranger from a random school. If you got to a trucking company's CDL school you are signing a contract to work for them an equivalent for 12-24 months or pay the cost of school. If you quit or get fired before meeting that obligation you will owe them money. If the companies with their own schools are the right company for you, then go to their school. If they are not the right company for you to work 12-24 months do not go to their school. It's not a free school. Its a school you pay for. Almost half of the trucking companies that hire newbies offer Tuition Reimbursement TR. Once you start working you get paid wages, based on your miles driven and get get a fixed amount of TR that you can apply to any outstanding school loan. Another way to pay for CDL school is the WIOA grant through your state's unemployment office. WIOA grants can pay for almost ANY TRADE SCHOOL, not just trucking. It's a grant, you owe nothing.

    You need to figure out how often you need to be home, and for how long, how far are you willing to commute to work each trip, or you are not willing to commute. You need to know what trucking companies are in your area if you want to get home every weekend or daily. You need to know how much income is your minimum to justify not being home for days or weeks, what type of freight you prefer to haul (dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker), and what parts of the country you want or will tolerate driving in over and over and over.

    Your question, is like walking into a room of strangers and asking what food should I eat? It depends. We don't know if you are days away from starving to death, or looking for a 5-star steak dinner for the ages?

    Do not decide about where to work based ONLY on web sites, recruiters, and recommendations from online strangers. Make any company put you in contact with current working drivers on the account that you will be hired to do. If you ask the Army recruiter can I sleep until 9am every day if you join the Army, he will say "of course" our drill sergeants are nice and gentle and they rub your back while you try to go to sleep.

    If you have long periods of unemployment, criminal convictions, speeding tickets, license suspensions, or violations on your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) those may have a huge impact on even getting hired so mention them if you want accurate info.

    DO NOT GOT TO CDL SCHOOL UNTIL YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO WORK.
     
  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Keep your Miami address for now.
     
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  8. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Some trucking companies do not hire CDL holders from FL because there is not enough business for them in FL and you may not get home. Some trucking companies hire only above I-4 interstate. You can wait until companies turn you down for having a FL CDL before deciding about moving to another state or using address of a relative in another state. FL is kind of a black hole for many trucking companies. Lots of freight coming into FL, not much freight coming out. Miami is also considered high-crime area in trucking so companies don't want their truck sitting around on your home time unless you have a secured parking area. You should not consider leaving it parked at a truck stop during your time at home. You will need the trucking company to tell you of a drop yard you can leave the truck or you will need to pay for a parking space in a secure area like a towing company, RV storage area, or a customer with a secured facility. Just hiding the truck behind some strip mall or grocery store is a massive invitation to have the truck vandalized, stolen, or broken into.
     
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