Smaller Company?

I don't know if these companies provide refresher course, but you can ask. They're small flatbed outfits.

Jordan Carriers
Howard Transportation

Most every company will want refresher since you've been away about 6 yrs.

Here's some companies that do offer refresher:

Paschall Truck Lines
Western Express (flatbed)
Swift (has flatbed)
Pride Transport (reefers)

 

You can try the company I just left. Transport National out of Oak Creek, Wi. We have a terminal in Joplin and a drop yard in Springfield. It is a decent smaller company with about 50 trucks spread out in 7 terminals. www.tntrans.com if you want care to view their website.

 

That website looks good; might have a chance there.

 

Chinatown it is not true that you have to go to the big companies to get started or start over. I wish you would stop spreading that rumor.

I'll give the op some advice on getting on with some smaller outfits. It won't happen cruising the internet. Go out and knock on some doors, talk to some drivers that you see from small outfits. Its not easy but they are out there. A little hard work from the beginning will be a lot better then the screw job most big outfits will hand out.

 

Spreading what rumor? I gave him the names of two smaller companies and "Jumbo" gave him the name of one; so what's the problem? The other names are backups if he can't find a smaller company. Not everyone has the money to cruise the highways knocking on doors. I've helped literally dozens of drivers find jobs through Private Messages; I'm not one to pat myself on the back on a public forum or accusing others of rumors, etc. when I have no idea what's going on in the background with that person. I don't claim to be a know-it-all super trucker.

 

I realize you have helped a lot of people and you pass along a lot of great info. It seems that most of the time its steer them to starter companies with their "excellent training and benefits etc etc". There are better options out there. Anyone that has a little more ambition then your average steering wheel holder can find them.

 

This is an open forum, so anyone can offer alternatives to my suggestions or anyone else's suggestions.
I'm a fan of medium to large companies for more stability. I'm not a fan of small 4 or 5 truck companies with no benefits, but fast trucks. Some prefer those though, but looking at the long term big picture, can't see where a driver comes out ahead at the end of his working life. To each his own though.

 

Stability with large companies? Look at the turn over rate of most of the large companies that you usually throw out there. I do not see how that equals stability???

As far as the benefits go the money to be made at the smaller companies more then makes up for the benefits the bottom feeders offer. Fund your own retirement account and control your own destiny vs getting paid peanuts and offered some weak 401k plan or whatever they use to lure you in.

Fast trucks.... I'll use my example to illustrate a point. Yes my truck is fast and has no governor but I don't drive it fast. The more fuel I can save my boss the more money that is available for pay increases, luxury items I would like for my truck, the more flexibility I have for time off because he does not need as much revenue to keep the business operating. That is the kind of atmosphere you get with small companies. An owner that is willing to spend money on things that I want to make my truck more comfortable or things I thing just make my truck look cool.

 

the insurance companies make it difficult to hire someone inexperienced. When I hired a guy with less than two years experience my agent at the time could not find one company to even offer a quote. I talked to a dozen or more agents who also couldn't help me until I finally found the one I am with now.

switching insurance is expensive and time consuming, in general most small carriers and new carriers hands are tied in this manner so I do think it's safe to say you will have a hard time getting hired with a small carrier. Perhaps someone who has been in business a long time and has other interests besides trucking like MJ's boss may have a little more pull with his insurance agent ?

Driver's sometimes think it is the carrier's who are being picky, and don't understand why they can't plead their case about that DUI they had 5 years ago, or how they know how to drive a truck but don't have recent OTR experience. It's generally the insurance company that sets those standards, not the carrier.