yall are freeeeeekin me out !

Yeech! I guess I won't qualify for your school, since I did research rather than just put out 25 apps to 50 companies so I could qualify for a school. And I think that if you put 25 apps out, MOST of them are going to be to lesser preferences, since that's who's (or was) hiring.
Once I'd done my research (percentage of quits, fires, complainants, general opinions and layout, location, number of terminals, safety ratings, pay, benefits, and everything I can find without talking to a recruiter) I was left with about four companies I'd actually be interested in. I literally read thousands of posts, hundreds of threads. Got a prehire from the best one of my choices and that got frozen, luckily in time before I went to school for it.
There's no way I could put out for 25 companies, because I don't SEE 25 companies out there I'd trust to stay with more than a year. If my prehire becomes valid again and the market is climbing, I may jump in. But only because I see no evidence of that company screwing over drivers. The pay is less but the job means more.

 

Some people can't afford to wait, and I'm not going to take the risk of a hiring freeze happening to a student with no back up plan. Most of these companies I wouldn't spend a year with either, though there are a few that I would. I've got nearly 6 years of recent OTR experience so I would have a different set of opportunities if I ever decided to get back on the road, than an inexperienced driver.

I don't expect that Georgia is much different than anywhere else but there are no jobs to be had down here. I couldn't point people in another direction even if I wanted to, there is nowhere to point them to.

 

I'm in Georgia, and I agree.

Point well taken. When I got the prehire, I thought it meant something. But I'm not mad or anything: I understand how it works with freight. But I STILL can't find 25 companies I'd even consider working for. I'm not going to fall back into any holes I'd allready crawled out of back when I was driving.

 

I have to disagree to an extent.... Its slow, But It looks like its picking up....Ive seen alot more trucks on the road....

Alot of O/O are quiiting and going to C/D because they cant afford the new clean idle after burner that has to be put on trucks... Now with that happening, there should be more freight....

I got Hired at Werner fresh out of school, so there are places for new people to go. It was hard for me cuzz im out on the west coast and alot of places were only hiring in the midwest/northwest. Pretty much everywhere else.


If you get your experience now when its slow, and it picks up and u got 6 months... Tons of doors will open up.

usually the ones ######## about how bad it is are the ones running no miles, cuzz they complain too much or just have a bad attitude. Ive talked to lots of truckers who said it slowed down, But they are still getting miles.

Take everything with a grain of salt...As I usually say

 

That's what I've been saying all along. You've got to find what you want but that's not what is happening with these schools. The students take the word of the school and the recruiter and neither one of them have their best interest in hand. Like RickG says these guys that have a family are promised the world and when they get done with school they either sit or work for hardly nothing and can't make it. Plus they're out $5000+ for the school.

 

Even if these guys are only making 300-400 a week and have health benefits, they may still be in a better position than if they were drawing unemployment at 350 a week with no health benefits. Aside from that, if they start now, then they will already positioned when this economy comes back around.

Are you aware that 6 months of unemployment makes it difficult to get employment, even with the worst of companies.

 

I am not a driver, I am wanting to but I have been discourged by the negative posts from current drivers and have put off starting. But I drove to SC and back today to Florida, I will tell you what, every one says swift is no good but I saw hundreds of swift trucks on the road both ways. As well a lot of JB Hunt pulling Target trailers. I am gonna contact Swift tommorow an see if they are still hiring.

 

Your first inclination may be the right one. Jobs in South Georgia and Florida are pretty slim, but it is certainly not impossible. Take a lot of care in your decision making process and do your homework. Talk to people in your area to get good information about the potential for going to work.

BTW, this post will probably be followed by a littany of negative responses. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"
Do your own research.

 

true we may not get exactly what we want(does that ever happen? Nope)but even during the Great Depression people earned money, even made their fortunes. We could all sit on the couch and cry about it or we can try. I chose to believe something will work out if I work at it. I grew up in one of the timber capitals in the 50's and 60's and then, collapse. But today there are still loggers, lumbermill workers, truck drivers. They didn't give up. Nothin wrong with changing plans if you feel it isn't right for you though. I may do so after awhile myself, I don't know what the future holds, no one does.

 

Denise,
You keep researching and pretty soon we'll be asking YOU the questions. Good job, read all you can. There are forums all over the place, but this is the Best one. Later.......