Thinking about driving for a refeer first if i can get on

Maybe you could try SRT in texarcana,,Ar I have heard that try are a good company but I don't know if they take newbies

 

Saw your post. First off I would recommend you get the book "Bumper to Bumper" it's a good book to learn from as it covers all the basics, and not so basics, of truck driving. Probably the most comprehensive book I have read on truck driving.

I only say this because of how many times you have retaken the tests. It's important to have that knowledge down and firmly implanted in the noodle housing group as it may save your life or someone elses someday.

As for refer driving, I have hauled refers for two companies. One I won't even mention as they are not worth my effort to type their name and would not wish them upon my worst enemy.

The other, while difficult to get hired onto, is okay. Not the best anymore but stable enough and reputable enough to get your foot into the door of the trucking industry.

Look into Shaffer Trucking. They are undergoing changes at the moment but they pay well. As a new driver you will get paid more then if you signed onto a "break-in-company" and got pittance pay of .28 or .32 per mile.
After training, which will be 8 weeks, you will get an assigned truck (no slip seat) that should be in good condition (new drivers get better equipment than seasoned), and decent miles. Figure an average of around 2500 to 2800 per week for at least 6 months before they begin to taper off.

Shaffer takes new people and has a set up with a local college for CDL training. Call to make sure that your current school qualifies. I believe they want no less than a 6 week school. They may take a 4 week under certain cases but don't quote me on that one.

Also, make sure you have everything with you when you go to hiring orientation. All jobs with dates, phone numbers, addresses for last 10 years. Transcripts for all universities/colleges. Social security numbers and birthdates for dependents. Names, address, phone numbers for 4 personal contacts (1 may be a relative). If you worked for a company that is out of business or you were self employed bring copies of your tax returns for that time period as proof. No date gaps are allowed, period.

The company is picky about who they hire. If you get to hiring orientation then you are pretty much in the door. If Shaffer does not work for you then you can move over to Crete and haul dry van with a phone call. Don't want dry van then with a phone call you can move to Hunt Transportation and haul flat bed. All three companies fall under the Crete umbrella of companies. And no, Hunt Transportation is not J.B. Hunt. That is a completely different company.

As for bragging rights about hauling reffers. There really isn't any. All you really do is flip a switch and press a couple buttons. That's it. Now if you want bragging rights move toward heavy haul. The guys with the extension flatbed that is so long they need a pusher. That's bragging rights in my book. I did a little in the military and it wasn't for me. My claim to fame is hauling an F-16 on it's landing gear down I-15 from Miramar Naval Air Station to Santee air museum in 1993 when we took over the base. Picture made the paper, hehe.
I do know a guy that hauls the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle (2 hauls a year). Don't know how he stumbled across the job but that is one (at least to me) that has bragging rights.

One great plus about hauling refers is that you will get good at backing. With refer loads you will do a lot of live loading and unloading. So backing that truck into the dock one great plus. Too many schools only teach you to point the truck and drive forward, the real skill of a real truck driver is backing that beast into a tight spot with room to spare. You will have no choice but to learn that hauling refers.

Best of luck to you. Don't forget to get the book "Bumper to Bumper" by Mike Byrnes. Amazon has the 4th edition for as little as $34.95. The 3rd edition is cheaper but is missing some new updates. Still worth the cost.
Stay away from the Author Alice Adams unless you want to get into trouble following her "advice" and "expert" knowledge. A last minute word of warning there.

 

They take newbies. But they are a "division" of Covenant. Although many things are differant, Covenant still cracks the whip.

 

Many reefer loads have midnight to 6 AM deliveries. They require you to manage lumper money. You get the run around. You don't get paid extra for any of it. You are expected to be sleeping in your log book while you are dealing with lumpers. If you aren't sleeping in your log book you will screw up your next JIT reefer load.

 

True to a point. Most of my loads have early morning delivery times 5am to 8am most of the time. Or late evening 9pm to 12am. So you will drive at all odd hours or be waking up at 2am to make that 5am delivery.

That depends on the company. Shaffer has contracted accounts for the vast majority of their loads. Most lumper services take ComChecks so handling the money, for the most part, is a thing of the past. None of the companies I drove for (refer or van) did I ever have to use cash to pay lumpers. Nore have I ever offloaded a truck that I didn't volunteer to offload. Again it depends on the company.

I never got the run around from a receiver or shipper. Company maybe once in a while with a wrong address or confusion in billing numbers. It wasn't routine. As for getting paid for detention. Again it rests with the company and their contract with the shipper or receiver. I was always paid for all my detention if I followed company policy. The one time I was not paid it was obvious it was my fault for not sending in the detention message on time. I never made that mistake again. Know your company policies and hold their feet to the fire on them.

Now this by the DOT regs you are supposed to be on line 4 while docked and being loaded. If you do this you will burn your hours. This is true for anything you haul though. Refer, tanker, Van, flatbed, blow tank, whatever. If you are being loaded or offloaded you are supposed to be on line 4. Even if you are just sitting in the cab or in the bunk. If you do this say goodbye to your hours.
In reality you will see people sleeping, I've done it, while being loaded. I checked in, backed in, and went to sleep. I've been detained for 12 hours before. Was detained at Wal-Mart for 5 hours on occasion. All on line 2. I was not wrestling with lumpers or dispatch or management at the Shipper or Receiver. Now if you want to burn your hours so be it. Company policy states 15 minutes check in and check out required, that is what I do. DOT never busted me on it and I have had my logs checked many a time. If DOT has a problem I hand them the page with company policy and let them take it up with the company (while I look for another company at the same time of course.)

 

Almost got it right - if you look at FMCSR 393.2, you'll see that, yes, dock time is 'on duty' time - unless the company relieves you from duty, or, if you are in the sleeper berth.

(oh,yeah, I looked at this bit of the regs closely!

 

What does the FMCSR say about sleeping on the dock? :smt015

 

I've been busted and stand corrected. So much for my memory on regs I haven't reviewed in a while.