What's Was You're First Year of Trucking Like?

Not every company hires 21 yr. old drivers.
Give us you location and we can give you names of companies that hire in your area.

 

My first year was the best. I worked for a small outfit that hauled AG products. I got to pull doubles (hoppers, flats and tanks), single tank, flatbed and lowbed. That wasn't just my first year. I did that for almost five years. That was back in 96. I was 21. Ahhh, the good ole days.

 

How was my first year driving semi truck, (1994): driving 14,000+ mile months, month in-month out, then mixed with a few weeks of driving 5,200 miles (single driver), dropping trips to make that crap language work out; These days, emphatically opposed to working those same models...and will get up in your face with whomever who advocates nonsense. Read the book, follow the models in the book. If, a some "Professional Driver" advocates something that is not in the book...walk away from the FREAK.

 

Good point. I knew a woman who was in that situation and she became an owner operator because of it. She ended up shuttling auto parts in state for Honda suppliers.

 

that's a good way to start out

 

Good location.
Submit job applications during the first week of CDL school.
Here's a few to consider and some other drivers will also offer names of companies that hire at 21 yrs. old.

Melton Truck Lines
CTL Transportation
Schneider Bulk (tankers)
Navajo Express
Milan Express
Carolina Southern
TransAm
Don Hummer Trucking
H.O. Wolding

Put that hazmat/tanker endorsements to work with CTL Transportation or Schneider Bulk.

 

My first year started out rough. First job was with the worst company in America; made CR England look like a dream job; it was Midwestern Distribution in Ft. Scott, KS. The guy that now owns Prime Inc. was somehow involved in it; maybe part owner or upper management.
Started mailing those job apps. you find in truck stops in those little magazines you'll see in "Free Trucking Information" racks. Got a call to haul boats for Pro-Craft running 48 states and jumped on it.
That was a pretty good job, but my neighbor was driving for ExpressCo pulling lots of flatbed to California from Tennessee, so I jumped ship and went there. The guy that owned the company later started Western Express. He's passed away now, but he was a great guy to work for and I stayed there until they closed the doors. He was a good boss and really laid back with the drivers.

 

Shuttling parts for Honda here in Ohio, is actually good money! Just can't quit being a tanker-yanker ... 18 years and counting..LoL! It's where the $$$$ is... ~!

First year of trucking, hmm.....was a subcon for Fedwrex / Line Haul... twins to Sacramento. Team situation. I drove, he slept. It lasted 8 months, and thank God I lived through it. Not proud to say I ever did that gig, but that was many, many years ago. I hated the run, hated the guy that I was teamed with, and just got thru it to get to it. Sometimes, the first year is just that way.

I wouldn't advise that as a starting place, btw.. it's gotten worse since then. So I hear.

Peace, and good luck Driver.
Start small, as the others have posted. It's better than the big-boys. I'm now hauling asphalt for a smaller LLC outfit and making over 65 but under 100k.

Choices are there, and tanking pays kick - arse. Need endorsements, including haz. TWIC is an advantage, also, as I need it going to Toledo ports.... not just for crossing borders, but port-authority.

Good luck, again.
T~