Some hire rookies and some not.

I'm new, so I don't know squat, but, you may want apply to some companies even if they say they require experience…I just started with a company that says they require 2 years OTR, and I'm fresh outta cdl school…and no, I was not "pre-hired," as they technically don't do that.

Just a thought, and good luck

 

Having an OTJ training program is fairly extensive and requires a lot of things be in place all the way beginning at the application phase on through the orientation phase, and into the OTJ phase and it's monitoring systems. Either you have these elements in place or you don't. Primarily, only those who are fully self-insured can provide this as most liability insurance underwriters don't want to touch a company where 10-20% of it's drivers are completely inexperienced and un-tested.

 

Actually, most will consider rookies. They have to say you need xxx experience to satisfy their insurance requirements. Put in some face time at a company of interest and sell yourself. You'd be surprised....

 

Would you put an inexperienced driver in YOUR $200k worth of equipment and send him solo into the wild yonder with a pat on the back and a "good luck, hope to see you back here"? Most anybody can display a modicum amount of skill in a "road test", but the real world truckers deal with daily and your little community or country setting are two different things.

 

I heard some companies get large tax breaks for hiring new drivers. If I had my own trucking company I wouldnt hire new drivers as I have seen so many new young guys totally tear up spanking new trucks and trailers. I remember I was going to swap trailers with a new guy and he was four hours late for hitting telephone polls since he drove down a neighborhood that had "no trucks" signs. Plus even only after two years I been to some places so many times I know where to go by memory alone and the detours, which streets and truck stops will be packed, etc. so I deliver loads much quicker than someone following a GPS through Chicago during rush hour.

 

I heard this once here, and it's true. A rookie will tear stuff up. It takes an experienced driver to really make a mess though. We have experienced drivers here. Two of them completely tore trailers in half. No joke.

 

This was an "experienced" driver. Like I said. It takes experience to screw up this bad!!!