Starting in the industry

How about ABF?

 

What on earth is a "non-conviction"? How old is it? If you are working to "get it sealed" then it sounds like a conviction to me....Most mega's just want a warm body in the seat holding the steering wheel so if you can stand somewhat upright and pass a whiz quiz without studying, you're probably in. APU? Maybe. Home weekends? Doubtful. Cheap bennies? Another maybe but doubtful. $900/wk? LoL...

Anyway, to be honest, I'd say you're setting a very lofty goal for being a rookie but hey, stranger things have happened I guess. Just start pounding on doors once you've finished school and go from there. Just be forewarned that if a recruiter's lips are moving, there's a very good chance that he or she is lying. I think most on here will tell you that for your first couple of years you won't be home very often. If you want to be a skate boarder, hit up your local building supply companies and the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes; maybe you could be home every night.

 

Try Eastern Freightways

 

Don't know too much about OTR or Regional, so I'm not even gonna try to pretend I know anything about them. Not sure about how your conviction is gonna affect your opportunities either. But if you're looking for Local, try looking into LTL. Most LTL companies nowadays will either have a dock to driver program or have a training academy. YRC and ABF are known to hire new students and train them in their own academy. Both are Union jobs, so the benefits will be pretty good. ODFL and I think R+L are also known to hire new students. Fed Ex Freight and Estes are known to have a dock to driver program. Practically all the LTL Companies offer some type of training program. UPS Freight I don't think has any type of dock to driver program, but they do hire Full-time Dockworkers though and you may be able to get a Jockey Position since Dockworkers are the ones that Jockey, or possibly be hired and trained as a Combo dock/CDL driver. They're also Union and excellent benefits as well.

Beverage companies like Pepsi and Coke are known to hire new students. McLane and GFS Foodservice hire new students too. McLane offers a $6000 sign on bonus in some locations and they also have they're own training academy as well. But these jobs can be physically demanding though.

Waste Management is also known to hire new students. Some of them even recruit at schools. Even seen television commercials about them hiring new students. Not a glorious job, but they are Union though. Good pay and bennies.

If you don't mind driving a Delivery Van, UPS might be anouther option. Also a Union job with execllant benefits and they top out around $35 an hour. Plus you can be on a waiting list to be trained as Feeder Driver if you wanted to drive Tractor Trailers. Fed Ex Express also does the same thing as well. USPS Letter Carriers top out around $29 an hour currently and will be in the $30's since they just got they're new contract. Government job, so the benefits are excellent.

Or you can also try being a Route Sales Rep driving around a Bread Truck for companies like Frito Lay or Bimbo Bakeries. A lot of the bread companies are Union with excellent pay and bennies. I've known Bimbo Bakeries RSR drivers that made over $100k before and only worked 8 hours a day.

 

Well than....if Food Service was your main goal....ring ring calling @Mike2633. Anything you need to know about Food Service, Mike can help you out. He's "da man".