New driver, no experience looking for work

dont give up when the time is right everything will fall in place

 

Not too sure what the job market in new Brunswick is like, but it should be possible to get Canada only work if you look hard enough. I know many companies in my area that to Canada only. If you can't find a job in your area and want to do OTR you can also travel to a nearby company terminal and drive from there. Age shouldn't be a big factor my dad started driving at 49 and he's 59 now. There is no shortage of trucking Jobs, I'd say even for a new driver you have quite a few options.

 

Age is not a problem. Most companies consider us mature, reliable and dependable.
Recruiters usually make a pitch at the schools. I’m not familiar with companies in your area
Whatever you do don’t run team unless you are really hard up for cash!
Good luck

 

For the first 3 months or so you should partner up with an Owner/Operator or a 5 year+ veteran team driver (someone who's been doing teams for at least 5 years) who is willing to sit in the passenger seat and watch you drive, and show you the ropes. OTR work can be lonely so make sure you listen to your body and cut back your workload if you find the loneliness becomes a habit in itself. For me 50-60H per week seems to be the sweet spot between getting enough bank, and getting enough time to do life outside that rolling cage. Depression is the white elephant in the room when it comes to driving truck so get help if you start heading downhill too fast, mentally speaking. If you are well-connected socially before trucking, try your best to maintain those connections or you will end up finding out you're just a stranger to them, later on down the road.

Short-Haul or regional runs will provide you the least amount of stress due to minimal city driving, while still being able to maintain contact regularly with your social life. You can reduce your risk of crashes by driving at night, when there is less traffic.

Also avoid any company that refuses to put your employment agreement in writing, or seems the least bit shady. When picking a company aim for the ones that are NOT common carriers. They are the companies that own the products they are moving by truck, that's the ones you want to target first because they have more control over the purse strings, and it's one less middleman between you and your paycheque, which often translates into a bigger paycheque. I suggest you try Canadian Linen first. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

 

My vote is Schneider, they have a big terminal in St Johns NB. Good Training, lots of runs, never short of freight, and its a good place to train.

If you were in Ontario, I would say Challenger.

 

Is Challenger out in NB?

 

Out here in BC there's tons of job ads for guys willing to run team. Almost all say no experience needed. Granted, that group usually runs 4 to a truck, but if you're lucky, you'd only live your life dangerously while sleeping when the other clod is driving. The only downside is that you'd have to learn a new language. I won't get into what they do to the floor of the sleepers so they don't have to stop unless for fuel....