Recent grad looking for suggestions

I agree with everyone else. Pull your DMV report and do a full background on yourself. Something is not right here if your accident drops off in a few weeks. Just so you know they usually show up for 5-7 years depending on the state you live in. Most companies only care about 3 years for insurance reasons.

Also get a copy of your dac report just to make sure. It's free. Takes a few weeks to get.

I hate to say this but you seem to be going at this with the wrong attitude. Like another poster said. Driving a 1959 ford dump truck full of leaves is no where near the same as an 80,000 lbs tractor trailer. I drove an oil truck for 5 years and had to deal with surge along with a very heavy vehicle. If I remember correctly it was around 40,000 lbs. but I know for a fact that I don't know how to drive an 18 wheeler. Could I get in it and fake it? Probably. I drove one before and have my class A and I'm a good driver. But don't be too sure of yourself. That will get you hurt quick!

Patients is one of the most important things to learn about trucking. There will be many times when you are sitting there not making any money. You are going to have to learn to deal with waiting if you want to be a truck driver.

Just look at it this way, You are way ahead of me in your quest to become a truck driver. I'm sitting around waiting for the courts to expunge my criminal record and they keep giving me the runaround. For all I know it could be another year before I get it taken care of. Not to mention the fact that I've had my CDL for over 20 years now with no experience. Strike 2!!! But I'll tell you something. I want this bad enough that I'm positive I will get it!!! Even if it means paying to go to school all over again! I will be a truck driver!!!

Sometimes if you are willing to give up so easily on something it's because you really didn't want it in the first place. You may realize that one day.

Oh, and I applied at over 40 different plumbers before i found a job when I got laid off. And that was just to survive until I got myself set to become a truck driver. And i have over 10 years experience! Don't give up so easily if you want it that bad. One ticket that is about to come off is a very small hurdle compared to some.

 

Best advice so far.

Again, why are you only applying at large companies? Start hitting the bricks and knock on some doors.

 

I would think your location wouldn't have much to do with it. Delaware is in an area with a lot of big cities within driving distance. The companies might not be located near you but there is a lot of freight running up and down 95 which is not too far from you. I live in new jersey, right outside of philadelphia and there are tons of trucking companies in this area. I agree down where you live there really aren't a lot of them. So you might have to drive to get to work. Might not be a bad idea to save up some gas money and research all the trucking companies around philadelphia. You can stand at one and throw a rock and hit the next one. With some good planning you could take a day and apply at a whole lot of companies. Without driving long distances to get to them.

I do know of a few companies around here you may want to try. Some with web sites. National freight, vineland NJ ( has a web site) is a big company not far from me. They say on their web site that they will train drivers with a CDL. I've heard bad things about them on here but I would take that with a grain of salt. One post said they have trash equipment but I see their trucks every day and they all look brand new. They have a lot of trucks and a lot of guys working for them. And i've only heard a little bad about them. So if they were that bad with that many drivers there would be posts all over about them. They do OTR, flatbed( pods account) and a lot of local running up to NY. You could possibly be home every night. Also may want to try Bradway trucking in vineland NJ. They are mostly regional east coast. From what I hear do a lot of beer runs to up north. They have their own training school through the local community college. So I don't know if they take newbies or not but know they do hire out of their school. Aslo I talked to a dump truck company a while back that said they would train newbies. But when I talked to them( 10 years ago) they were not looking for drivers. FSC is their name. I think they are out of vineland too. Or close to it. Talked to a lot of their drivers and they said they were making $700- 800 a week and up. Might be worth the drive if that sounds good to you.

Also try conway LTL. They have a few terminals around here and a training school and probably a terminal close to you. also look into working the docks for a company like them or other LTL's. It's possible to work your way into a really good job that way. And that would give you some time to put that ticket behind you a bit and get in good with the people that hire the drivers. I also heard Pitt ohio hires newbies. Not sure it thats true or not. I think they have a terminal in delaware county, pennsylvania. But i'm not sure. Also go online and type in "trucking companies in delaware" Or any other place you are willing to drive. A list will come up of all the companies in the area. Start at the top and work your way down. If they are close go there. If not call. When you get to the end of the list, start over again!! Leave messages on their answering machine. But don't tell them you are a newbie until they call you back. That way you at least have them on the phone.

Definitely check all your records to make sure they are right. And start at the beginning of your list you already talked to again and keep bugging them. Even the megga carriers. Someone might get tired of you eventually and cut you a break. Thats how I got the job I have now. I would wake up every morning and pick at least 10 plumbers to call. Most wouldn't answer and I would leave a message. When I got to the end of the phone book I would start over again. My boss called me about a month after the first time I called him even though I didn't talk to him. He got tired of hearing my message on his answering machine and one day he needed help because a guy quit on him.

Just don't give up man!! You can do it! It might not be easy but things that are good usually aren't. And as long as you keep a positive attitude the people on this forum are more than willing to help you out in any way they can. Some good people on here!! But being positive is going to make them want to help you more. Give it all you got!!

 

I gotta say, I lived in DE for 8 yrs and I knew of several people that drove for some of the mega carriers. My dad for instance, picked up the phone one day to schneider, filled out an app, then did their training program and got an dedicate acct up in wilmington for Chrysler. I know of several that went to JB Hunt, Mercer, and TMC, etc and delivered loads to HD, Lowes and other lumber yards.

So De isn't an issue. yes its small, however, it's built up a lot and Tilcon was hiring drivers, the state was even hiring CDL drivers a few months ago.IMO, I would run a full back ground check on yourself and even have some call some of your references you have down as a refernce and see what they are saying. If they are saying bad things about you, then that's not allowed.

I wouldn't give up just yet, especially if you really want to drive

 

You're right, Theres no chance for you! I guess thats what you want to hear. I think you missed the positive attitude= more help part. I tried!