New CDL Holder and New to Truckers Report Forum

True.... I mentioned one if my old companies to someone the other day and I would still be there if I hadn't had a baby. And he said omg!! I bet u hated it! No wonder it's a former company. Then I informed him that I loved it there and he was shocked.. I guess each their own

 

TroyD,

Stick with any company for a full year and you will pretty well be able to write your ticket to any trucking job. Some companies require more experience due to insurance requirements. On the note of flatbed vs. van, there are a lot of factors to take into account. Weather: do you want to strap, tarp, and chain in the rain, snow, cold and hot? Do you want to be responsible for the loading and securement of the cargo? So you like drop and hook? The list goes on. In short, flatbed is more physically demanding and has stiffer penalties for improperly secured load. Van's are minimally physically requiring and if the outside looks good, meaning you have done your inspection and everything is in compliance, you won't get any hassle on the load.

Welcome and good luck.

 

I'd go #2 just for pure convenience of route

Local gig sounds good being winter and all by the time you have a regular route it'd be nice and pleasant out.

 

I will add this too, the flatbed one being mainly steel companies, I assume a lot of coils. The places I've been to often allow tarping inside. Not all, but quite a few. They don't want an orange steel coil going to the can maker or whatever it is they make with that stuff.

 

Ask the company, they will know if a lot of their customers allow it or not.

 

Few things to consider:

#2) If they really have a bad CSA score, I would stay away just for that reason. At some point, without a doubt, you are going to be pushed to do something that you shouldn't be doing- not a good position for anyone, especially not a new driver. You need a place that you will make money and they kind of will coach you along as you need it and keep you out of trouble. It's in their best interest to do that.

#3) Unless your home time means everything to you, this is the worst option of the three. you may be waiting for some time. Usually, those types of jobs are pretty physical.

#1) You have to decide if you mind tarping and strapping. I used to haul steel on a flatbed. If the steel is all the same, it isn't too hard to chain it down. For odd sizes sometimes you have be tricky. We were always inside when we got loaded.

Also consider, some flatbed companies won't hire guys without flatbed experience. Maybe not always, but flatbed tends to pay better.

That percentage and pay sounds pretty good for just starting. But I think you should consider that this place gives such good benefits. That's a huge bonus for any job.

 

Have you called Schneider? They have lots of home daily/weekly accounts and may have something in your area.

Also, and I know you said you wanted to be home weekly but hear me out. I would check with Rhoel about their 14 out 7 home deal (I think that's what it is). Schneider had something similar when I worked for them, but that was 9 years ago and things may have changed. Ask.

Anyway, reason I bring it up is that, in my experience, you get so little home time when you go home frequently that it almost feels that you aren't home at all. Home weekly generally means 36 hours on the weekend. Get home late Friday night and back out Sunday afternoon for a Monday AM appt. time. It leaves little time to do much of anything fun or involved. When I was doing the home daily thing, you're still working 12-14 hour days. You've got enough time at home to eat, shower,and little else before hitting the sack to do it all over again. There's a reason so many day-cabbers carry a pillow and a piece of cardboard...

Maybe that FB company is promising you'll leave out Monday AM and be back in time for the 6 o'clock news on Friday with $800 snuggled up in your bank account and if that's the case, that's probably what I would do.

BUT! and again, just from my experience; quality of home time > frequency of home time. Just thought I would throw this out there. Good luck.