Where to go after graduating from a school

Jake, you have basically listed the top mega-carriers of which to pick from. Is there any reason for listing these? Have you talked to a school recruiter or something? Just trying to get a feel for why new guys only list the mega-carriers to choose from.

Your chances of success and making good money are exponentially higher at the smaller companies. Yes they are harder to find and harder to get on with but are all worth it. Maybe ask yourself WHY these companies are having to spend millions of dollars on advertising to get YOU to work for THEM.

Take your time and do your homework. I highly recommend you stay away from the mega's and do your best to find a really good smaller outfit. Even companies like Central Ref. aren't mega-carriers but are larger carriers that are good to drive for.

Also if you say you aren't opposed to running like reefer or flatbed I would certainly look into it. For instance, Reefer pays more and is the exact same as a dry van (driving wise) the difference is that you get paid more and your options for freight are twice as good. You can run refrigerated freight and dry freight. This makes your earning potential higher. If you are running a dry van you can only haul dry freight.

Flatbed also pays better but is little different then just hauling regular freight. There is certainly more physical work involved though this sometimes can be good. Exercise is never a bad thing.

Keep your eyes open, maybe check Craigslist frequently. I have often seen some really good gigs on there. One thing for sure, make sure to thoroughly do your homework and really try to find other options then the top 5 mega's.

Good luck man...

 

Jake,

The school you are going to is good. Sounds like the curriculum is way above what most shake and bake schools give. You will not have any problem getting hired by any company that hires new CDL graduates. I can't comment on other companies but I started with Werner and after a year with them I am an owner operator and still with them. My road training with them consisted of 275 hours behind the wheel that took around 8 weeks. I had a good trainer and have had good fleet managers. Other companies require less hours with a trainer but I say the more hours with a "good" trainer, the better prepared you will be to solo. I have had no regrets going with Werner. I run dry van 48 state and Canada. I'm averaging 3,000 miles a week and in the black most weeks but overall make way more than I did as a company driver. The key to success is having a good attitude, good work ethic, and communication and you'll do well with most any company. I chose Werner because they have a terminal in Dallas which is 45 minutes from my home. If you go with them, complete the OTR training and work for two years then you can get a job with any company after that. Like I said, I've had good experiences with Werner but not everyone can say the same. Build a decision matrix with the things that are important to you, rank them as to their importance then start talking to recruiters and drivers. A lot of what the negative posts I read on this forum I view with much skepticism especially when the author can't spell worth a crap. There are always two sides to a story. Do your research and make the best decision based on your findings. Best of luck and happy holidays...

 

That sounds positive. Do they do pre-hires (I start truck driving school on Feb. 4th)?

 

Yes, you can pre-apply. There is a question "State you attend(ed) Truck Driving School" so that indicates you can apply while attending school. Also, if you are a veteran with available educational benefits, VA will pay you while you are participating in their Apprenticeship Program. This is in addition to the normal wages you would receive from Werner. Once training is completed in the program, you will get a nationally recognized training completion certificate. I'm sure the other big companies participate in the program as well.

 

Which one of these has the least hands-On Freight? Reason I ask is because I have a herniated disk. Let's say as long as I don't have to lift 50+lbs constantly, I'm ok.
From other posts and inquiries, it seems Dry Van is the least intensive of getting a "work-out"?

 

I would have to say that reefer probably requires the least amount of physical work. Tanker requires dragging hoses and climbing around. Flatbed you will be tarping your load and strapping it down and such. Also involves climbing around. Dryvan can vary depending on the company. You can haul anything from potted plants to paper or furniture.

If you haul reefer almost all of your loads are done by lumper. Most companies don't want you touching freight when it comes to reefer. You may have to watch them from time to time and do a count but that would be the extent of it.

A lot of companies do a wellness exam now so you would have to at least pass that. With a herniated disc they may look at you as a workmans comp risk.

I can tell you one thing for certain and that is that your herniated disc will worsen the longer you drive if you aren't exercising daily, taking care of yourself and keeping your weight under control. When you drive over the road for any length of time your muscles in your body get considerably weaker. Especially in your back! The muscles in your back are what keep your discs and spine in place. When they weaken things begin to slip and bulge, often leading to muscle spasms in the back which I'm sure you know is quite painful and usually debilitating. I have had this happen many times when I let myself go for any amount of time. I can tell you with certainty that is very important to exercise every single day when you are out there because your body will go down hill quickly!

Besides diet and exercise I also try to keep good posture while driving down the road. To help with this I keep the lumbar support inflated on my seat and sometimes even roll up a towel or small pillow behind my back.

 

The most I've ever done in dry van is install blocking and bracing and then removing it. The shipper has always had a nail gun for installing and the usual crow bar on the other end. You'll be sweeping your trailer out from time to time also. About 80% of the time it's drop and hook and the other 20% will be live load/unload. Some companies advertise 100% no touch but I would take that with a grain of salt.

 

The most I've ever done in dry van is install blocking and bracing and then removing it. The shipper has always had a nail gun for installing and the usual crow bar on the other end. You'll be sweeping your trailer out from time to time also. About 80% of the time it's drop and hook and the other 20% will be live load/unload. Some companies advertise 100% no touch but I would take that with a grain of salt. Of course, there is the infamous lumpers lurking out there as well.

 

Why don't u look at a local community college for you CDL? $3k is no deal.

 

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