New to trucking and car hauling, I need some advise!

First let me say that I, a 2 year carhauler and 26 year trucker, admire your desire to become a professional carhauler at such a young age. While most carhaulers did become a carhauler after driving elsewhere for many years, I have met several drivers who became carhaulers as their first trucking job. Some of these drivers have been hauling safely for 30 years for both Cassens and Jack Cooper. Allied did hire rookie drivers occasionally before they were bought by Cooper. If you could get a yard job, moving cars in the lot, this might be the only way in at 18 with one of these companies. Next best way, in my opinion, would be as others have recommended, get a job with a reputable towing company. Then at 21 with 3 years towing experience, you might be one of the best carhaulers to come down the pike! I suggest you go to the Teamsters Local in your area and introduce yourself to the carhaul business agent and local president. Explain your desire with a positive attitude and you might get some needed help or advice. If you can't meet with them initially, go back until you can. Go back often enough with a Teamster shirt/jacket on that they refer to you as the kid who is one day going to be their best carhauler/Teamster. Do the same thing at any carhauling company/terminal that you hope to work at one day. Make a positive impression on the Terminal Manager and dispatchers. Most people will respect your persistence and your passion at such an early age. Don't let the negative people influence you, there will be many of these people in your life. They will tell you you can't do something, don't let them keep you from doing anything! Negative people are always going to try to influence you and discount your worth as a young person, especially a young person with drive and a great attitude. It might take you 10 years to get the job you desire, but 3 years from today, with some effort, you might just have one of the best trucking jobs in America, in my opinion. Good luck!

 

First let me thank you for your service to this great country! Next let me challenge you to learn something about the people, most of whom you haven't met, that with your uneducated tag you have chosen to slam. Come hang out with my 47 year old "Lazy Union" but. See just how lazy I and my co workers are. You might be a hard worker, I repeat might, but I can promise you will not out work me or most of my coworkers. By the way, many of my "lazy Union" co workers were serving with you in the military. Were these guys covering your but in the field lazy then too? Just because you heard something on Fox News or Glen Beck, or something someone else claimed, does not always mean its the Gospel. I like most of my coworkers have not chosen to work Union because I want a free pass, but because I am very good at what I do. Therefore I deserve to be paid the best pay available for doing so and in trucking this happens to be a union trucking job in "most"cases. If you want no say in your workplace, no retirement and generally less pay and benefits, that's fine. But I am worth more than that! When you generalize about any group, you are going to be wrong every time. To all of the Union haters, who will undoubtably come back with a story of some Lazy person whom happened to be Union and therefore all union members have to be lazy, grow up! I have worked with lazy people in non union jobs. So does that make all non union employees lazy too, i think not. I suppose it has to be so if I use your logic. Let's get back to being professional drivers who do a great job, whether we are union or not. It's your choice not to work union, I respect that. It's my choice to work union and I don't care if you like it, but when you choose to attack my choice, I will attack you back.

 

Greetings, I live just north of Los Angeles and just got my CDL.....I would really like to start driving in the automobile transportation industry...fleet car, United Road, etc. Any suggestions? NO experience yet but eager. Also what is a descent rate of pay to look for so that I know I am not getting ripped off due to inexperience.?

 

I have 26 years xper. on 10 car, on the beginning I was fighting bad habits from simple freight hauling, took me 2-3 years to drive lake in "ballet" ( curves, passing, quick maneuvers, WINTER DRIVING ) loading heavy cars possible on the bottom, distributing weight, and much more. Y don't have bad habits, with Y good attitude & experience instructor (make sure he drove at least few years portable parking lot ) go for it, good luck.

 

Emmigrant...who did you drive for?

Thanks