Newbie FAQ

I'm dispatched out of Indy but live about 30 miles northwest of Louisville, KY. I'm on an out 8 days home 3 days schedule. And those 3 days are 3 full days. They considered me an inexperienced driver when I hired on because I only had about 2 months of driving under my belt from a different company.

 

number 16 98% chance you are going to prison for running illegally? Really why don't you just tell the guy you get the death penalty.

 

Attachment 74102 Question: is this too much stuff to bring to training? The duffel bag is 30 in. Long by 15 in height and width. Note: Orientation is in Wisconsin so I had to pack a little extra clothes for the weather conditions

 

Delle1961, what you may have to do is find a trucking company or other place of business with a huge lot that has a lot of
Room and ask the owner or manager could you park your truck there for only a few days per month. Then offer them like $50
A month. That's worked out for me and my dad the last 9 years!

 

Newbie question...I have recently applied at just a couple of places, Maverick, TMC, and Roehl. Of the three, two have turned me down, TMC and Maverick. Maverick commented that it was due to my employment history, meaning a lack thereof for the last 3 years in which I did some graduate school work, and believe it or not, campaigned for political office. I am a retired Army Officer who doesn't really need to work, but I really want to go on the road. I just graduated from United Truck driving School in Murfreesboro, TN last month and I have a Class A CDL. So, no whining here, just curious if my work history is going to be an obstacle to being hired. I prefer to flatbed and I will at this point go to work for anybody who is at least marginally reputable just to get a year of experience before being too selective. I am currently waiting on a reply from Roehl, where, get this, a fellow classmate and CDL school graduate is now in orientation. I'm also 54 years young and just curious if age is a factor now too with regards to the hiring process. Thoughts and comments appreciated!

 

Swift has a flatbed division also, people talk about them but it is one of the major carriers so it's expected to have bad and good being that it is so big.

 

MajRobster, I don't think age will play into it at all. There are lots of new drivers around your age and, the trucking industry being what it is, someone will hire you. It may not be your perfect situation though. You'll have to put in time and prove yourself to the companies out there that are more selective.

In my opinion, there are basically two types of companies. Those that hire new drivers at low wages so they can haul loads as cheaply as possible, undercutting their competition. These are your companies like Swift, C.R. England, etc. New drivers typically go there long enough to get OTR experience so they can then find a job at a better company. Pay is crap, benefits are usually crap and you'll spend more time on the road than they originally quoted you. The industry kind of promotes this though. It's a tough gig at times but working at companies like this tend to weed out the non-performers.

Then there are companies that only hire drivers with proven experience and skill. These companies typically require two years of OTR experience, good work history, clean MVR and good CSA scores. Even if you have the amount of time under your belt they require they will make sure you aren't a job hopper. Two years with one company is way better than five years with four or more companies. They will also make sure you aren't a liability by limiting how many tickets you can have in a certain period of time (including personal driving in your car) and that you aren't going to do something to raise their CSA scores. These kinds of companies tend to be smaller fleets, but not always. Pay and benefits are almost always better. They even tend to get you home more often. These companies make money because their service is way better than companies like Swift. They can justifiably charge their customers more because they can reasonably claim that they have better on-time percentages, lower damage rates and much better customer service. These are the jobs most drivers desire, and probably what you're looking for.

Bottom line, start out with one of the crappier companies and put in your time. Drive safe and don't job hop. There are a lot of these types of companies, find the best offer in your area and go for it. At 54 you probably have teenagers at home or are an early-stage empty nester so put in your time now when your kids don't care if you're home everyday. Then, when they're older and have their own kids you'll be able to work a job with one of the nicer companies to get better pay and home time so you can spend it with your grandkids.

Good Luck Driver!

 

Thanks much phillipc! Best advice I've gotten so far. I have looked at other companies that may be willing to hire and train a new driver from the many that are out there. USA Truck is the latest and I'll be talking with them and applying on Monday. Still waiting on further information from Roehl too. Werner has called and contacted me as well and Monday seems to be the day of my next move. Thanks again!

 

Well said phillipc. Dispatch is often differnt between the two types of companies too. Ive found that smaller fleets that hire the more experienced/safe drivers usually have more experienced dispatchers. Sometimes they were also drivers so they know what it's like being on the road. This is a small thing that ends up being a big plus when working for a trucking company.

 

I agree, in our 100 truck fleet all of the dispatchers have been there and least 5 years and 2 were drivers. Makes a big difference