OTR Before Local LTL?

Most LTL companies don't want to hire students. Insurance is one reason, and training is another. LTLs typically don't have much of a training program.

 

LTL companies like people who are willing to work and be flexible. If you can drive a forklift, load a truck, do pick up/deliver work around town and create rapport with customers on your route, AND drive well. You will never be without a job in LTL. Just don't let them work you to death! They will!

 

I was wondering the same thing about OTR before getting a LTL job.

For one, I was thinking that local companies don't have the manpower and budget to train.

Secondly, if you've done OTR for 12 months then you, more than likely, have driven in many different situations at least once.

Snow / ice, wind, rush hour, difficult maneuvering, dealing with paperwork and logs, etc.

A person has probably become much less of a liability after 12 months.

 

Experience!

Brief enough?

Mikeeee

 

From my job searches it seems to depend on the company. Some care and some don't, most seem to want you to work in the warehouse/dock first though. Makes me wish I never quit UPS when I was 19 years old, I would have had 6 years with them by now and probably a driver with them !!

 

It all depends on the situation. I drove a straight truck for two years, one day I was doing a delivery at a school. There was a driver from a food service company using the dock, instead of waiting for him to be done I loaded up the two wheeler and was pulling my product up the stairs. He was impressed and I told him I don't shy away from hard work. He was driving a tractor with a refrigerated van, he suggested I apply at his company and use him as a reference. At the time I had no desire to drive a rig and of course I didn't have a have a class A to begin with. He said to put in a app anyway because his company will sometimes train new prospects. I did and got the job, when I wasn't training I was driving the companies sprinter van delivering mis-picks, late orders etc. I actually got paid to get my cdl, I was on the clock while I was taking my road test with the dmv. 5yrs later because of a move I decided to try LTL I applied on a monday and was hired on Wednesday. I have no otr experience, I just fell into the right situation. There are some local companies that will train you. The problem I have with ltl is the seniority aspect. I'm second to last on the list, if there is not enough freight going out I get the "sorry we have no work for you today" call. I live in MN and with this extremely cold weather, trucks break down. Not enough trucks, I'm told to stay home. Most ltl companies don't care about the " industry standard" when it comes to having nice equipment. The linehaul guys get the nice rigs, city drivers gets the trash unless you share a vehicle with a linehaul driver and those trucks pretty much run 24hrs a day.

 

Wait so the whole get out of school and land a local LTL job is just a myth? U dont say!

 

Most LTLs don't want to train drivers. Most being the keyword. There MIGHT be one or two out there that'll take on a student, but the pay and hours will suck.