New CDL No Experience Where to Apply and Avoid ? In Alberta

Volvo's are assembled here - Volvo for years has used Australia as their test bed for new trucks. There is a company in Queensland, Nolan Transport who ran a 100% Volvo fleet, they weren't that far from where they assemble the Vovlo trucks - Nolans were used as the Volvo test company, they got all the new stuff to play with before it is released to the market. I remember when they had a couple of the then new 16 litre engines, but with '12' badges on them

I used to do a lot of work for Volvo when I was a HV driver trainer, when they sold a fleet of Volvo's we were included in the purchase, so each driver got a days driver training on how to operate their new Volvo truck - I traveled all over Aussie doing that

I only threw out all my Vovlo training stuff last week - video's etc

 

Definitely coolers in melbs.

Brisbane was way too f'n hot.

 

Does Australia need canadian truckers? What does the average aussie think of the Road trains and average trucker there?

 

Hi Brother,

Thanks for wise and great advice to freshers. I wanted your help in my case as well. If you are reading please advise me according to my situation.

I have been driving AZ (Class 1) Refer and Dry Van in Ontario from last 4 years. I just moved to Calgary last month and actively looking for job. All oilfield companies are looking for tanker experience. All Dump, Vac and Water truck companies also require experience in specific type of truck. For Refer and Dry van I don’t see any jobs posted at all. Most of them are long haul to US. I am trying to get a visa soon. Hopefully will get reliable work to earn for my family.

Please provide with your advice and refer me some good companies so that i can make a good decision. If you can help me with your reference that would exceptional.

Thanks!

 

With 4 years of experience already it seems a little strange that you’re having trouble finding employment in Alberta. Is your driver’s abstract clean of accidents and violations? Did you obtain your MELT training through a credible school?

If your experience and training is verifiable and abstract is clean you should at least be able to get back into the dry van or reefer segment.

For reefer work contact XTL Transport (Costco deliveries) or Sobeys. If you’re willing to do some labour consider food service companies. (Gordon Food Service, Sysco, Core Mark, etc).

For dry van work I’d say go with a Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Carrier. (Mullen, Rosenau, J&R Hall, etc).

Not having a work permit might be an issue with some employers so you may want to continue working towards that.

 

All good suggestions,

Right now Alberta is really taking a beating on Van/Reefer/Deck Freight. No one is hiring, not even Bison. XTL is your best bet, but be prepared for overnight work.

I would not even consider Core Mark, I work near two of their terminals, most drivers last 2 weeks, and then they are road testing again. Said drivers then come and look for work with us, to which we have to decline as we are not hiring either.

 

What’s so bad about Core Mark that everyone quits?

 

Trash Equipment, Lower Pay than Gordon and Sysco, LOTS of convenience stores with no room, no power tailgates all ramps, they say its hourly, but they only pay X number of hours per run, if it takes 2-3X longer to bad. Some of their cold storage facilities are a NIGHTMARE to get into with a truck and trailer (the fences are completely destroyed). Their google and indeed reviews, are sitting at 2.0 and 2.2 stars out of 5. If a 10 hour run takes you 18 hours, they still expect you to show up the next day, as if you only worked 10 hours.

 

appreciate this comment is two years old but are there companies in northern Alberta like this who would hire new drivers?

i ask as someone who’s working towards getting money together and a work permit with the goal of doing MELTS training in Alberta.

thanks in advance,

 

My old boss would have let me train someone, but he went out of business at winters end...so it is possible however unlikely.