Werner

Exactly. Big ### sleeper truck trying to back in a tight spot, with 2 ditches on both sides, traffic, limited visibility, AND sleep deprivation lol.

 

I forgot about that. Most of the dollar stores I know are in a decent area but I will admit that the area around them is sometimes hard to get into in a car so I'm afraid of trying it in a rig.

That's the funniest thing because an actual trainer came to school a few days ago and told us something entirely different. He had a pretty nice rig set up with a flat screen TV and PS4. He said that he was training people and home for the weekend. He makes about $1500/wk and the dollar stores weren't hard. I asked about the PS4 because I can't understand when one would get time to sit down and play it. He said there's plenty of down time and that he plays it as the person he's training unloads at the dollar stores. Something about that didn't sound right to me. Shouldn't he be overseeing instead of chilling in the sleeper playing games? Otherwise he seemed like a great guy.

With him saying there's a lot of down time one would think there would be time to sleep. I'm hearing all sorts of conflicting messages about this. One person says that dispatch will give all sorts of ridiculous hours and you'll never get sleep. The recruiter said something about driving fourteen hours a day. That just didn't make sense and I think he slipped up when he said that. What I don't understand is how I'm supposed to empty this rig at so many different stops at so many different times a day. One thing the trainer said that I'm sure is true is that the dollar stores do not care. They are paid by the hour and in no rush. He said one store took him all day long because they took their time. Another store was done in an hour because they were trying to get the work done. I don't understand how I'm supposed to be moving so fast to get from one store to the next to keep my pay up when I have no control over how fast they move. Am I missing something as to how this works?

And does Werner have any other jobs besides these dollar store accounts? Any that anyone might suggest I bring up with the recruiter and try to get into if I go with them? Maybe OTR? Would that be any good with them?

 

If the Dollar accounts were any good they wouldn't have such a big driver turnover and they wouldn't be constantly recruiting to fill the vacancies.
One of the basic tenets of driving...the good jobs and the good companies never advertise. You have to find them.

 

I understand that but would they hire students right out of truck driving school with a brand new CDL? Or is it necessary to go to any mega just to get some experience under your belt? I've found a lot of jobs but most want verifiable experience. Some jobs even want two to three years. This whole time it's been my understanding that you have to deal with some mess for the first six months to a year then the world is your oyster. I'm beginning to think that working for a mega might be the only way to get the experience but I don't know.

 

Megas are probably the easiest way for a rookie to get experience but there are plenty of other driving jobs available.
Most of it is just being in the right place at the right time. Networking helps, too. Talk to other drivers, local drivers, and they'll be able to tell you the ins and outs of finding work.
Don't be afraid to knock on doors or make phone calls. All they can tell you is NO and maybe you'll get a YES.
The best jobs never advertise. They don't have to.
It can be discouraging but if you put out the effort you'll find something.

 

This "trainer" said the Dollar stores weren't hard, because he's doing none of the manual labor.

We have a guy right out of school working for us. Started at $21.00 an hour, full benefits, and home every night and weekend. Works 9-10 hrs a day.
Go knock on some doors.

 

Exactly. I stopped explaining this to rookies. I'll just leave them to their Doom.

 

Same with us. As far back as I remember we've never had to recruit drivers.
As for that "help wanted" sign on the back of trailers...its just another way of saying that if an applicant has a CDL and a pulse he can probably get a job there.