I just received my Class A CDL. I have zero experience and am looking to get employed . Can any drivers offer some advice. I'm looking for something local as I want to see my young boys grow up.
Thanks
Steve
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Senior Member
I just received my Class A CDL. I have zero experience and am looking to get employed . Can any drivers offer some advice. I'm looking for something local as I want to see my young boys grow up.
Thanks
Steve
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It has to be fought for and defended by each generation."
Ronald Wilson Reagan
Senior Member
I don't have a CDL but I'm in the trucking business.
Depending on the goods you transport you may be better of financially and emotionally doing long distance. In certain areas short distance takes a toll on you mentally and being home doesn't mean much when all you want to do is crash and be able to wake up early
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Senior Member
I have a bunch of buddies who drive trucks. All are local now. All started out OTR with some less than stellar companies like Swift doing team driving with a guy who has been there a bit longer than you. I think my buddy said at Swift it was 1 year and then you were the "lead" or "training" instructor or whatever.
You generally, from what I know, have to have 2 years experience to get any decent local jobs, of which, depending on where you live, there could be a lot, there could be little.
My buddies are all pretty happy. 4 of them all work at the same place that is a small satellite terminal of a nation wide company. There is only 6 trucks there so they have 3 or 4 of the 6 and one of them is the dispatch/hub manager so its a pretty chill place. I think they show at 6am and are usually out be 3pm. One guy shows at 10 and leaves at 6pm. They have other guys that work for them that do night line haul out and backs every night about 8-10 hours of driving. 2 others work for PFG Foods(which is like Sysco) that delivers to restaurants and what not. They both seem to like it, although its usually a 4am trailer pickup, but they are done by noon a lot of the time as its kind of a "work at your own pace" type of gig and is not hourly and I believe they only work 4 days a week(mon-thursday) for their 40 hours. I believe they said they typically work low 30 hour time frame, but get their 40 hour salary.
Senior Member
A friend of mine hauls gravel around SE Michigan. When he's working he loves it, but they do get laid off during the winter months.
Senior Member
Don't limit yourself to thinking that since you have a Class A you have to drive. I've had a Class A going on 10 years and have maybe 50 legit miles. A Class A is a great perk to have over other applicants at jobs where it's not required.
Senior Member
LISTEN TO ME. Few things in this life I can speak with authority on...trucking is one of them.
I trucked for 13 years..had well over 1.3 million miles under my belt. Class A with Hazmat endorsement. Canada too.
IF YOU VALUE HAVNIG ANY SEMBLENCE OF A LIFE....IF YOU WISH TO KNOW YOUR CHILDREN & SEE THEM GROW UP...IF YOU DONT WANT TO SPEND OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS OF CASH AT TRUCKSTOPS JUST TO EAT OR SHOWER...IF YOU LIKE TO STAY CLEAN ON A DAILY BASIS..IF YOU DONT WANT TO BE BROKER THAN ALL HELL...IF YOU CANT AFFORD THE ABSOLUTE SCREWING YOUR GONNA GET FOR ANY MINOR D.O.T. OR TRAFFIC VIOLATION, LET ALONE WHAT YOULL PAY FOR A MAJOR ONE...IF YOU WANT TO RISK YOUR LIFE GOING INTO THE ABSOLUTE WORST, SHITTIEST PARTS OF EVERY MAJOR & MINOR CITIES AND TOWNS...IF YOU WISH TO SLEEP ON A REGULAR BASIS...IF YOU DONT LIKE BEING PUSHED & PUSHED & PUSHED TO DO "ANOTHER LOAD"...IF YOU WISH TO BE HOME FOR EVEN A FEW HOLIDAYS, AND FUNERALS, OR IMPORTANT EVENTS....IF YOU DONT LIKE BEING TREATED BY SHIPPERS/RECIEVERS LIKE ABSOLUTE GARBAGE WHOSE TIME MEANS JACK SHIT TO THEM WHILST THEY SIT ON THEIR UNION ASSES...IF YOU DONT WANT TO HAVE TO GGET MEDICAL TREATMENT HUNDREDS OR A THOUSAND MILES AWAY WHERE NO ONE CAN GET TO YOU...IF YOU NEVER WANT TO HEAR YOUR CHILD SAY "DADDY WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME"?..OR YOUR WIFE SAY WE GOT BAD TROUBLE AT HOME, I NEED YOU HERE NOW, ONLY TO BE TOLD BY DISPATCH.."WE'LL TRY"...I BEG YOU TO THROW THAT FVCKING LICENSE IN A GARBAGE CAN, GO GET A REGULAR LICENSE, AND NEVER..EVER CONSIDER THIS FOOLISHNESS AGAIN. IT IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING YOULL EVER DO. Come back here in six months & tell me how right I am. MANY HAVE.
Last edited by Straight Shooter; 03-21-17 at 07:09.
The obedient always think of themselves as virtuous rather than the cowards they really are.
Senior Member
Arik..with due respect...OTR is the lowest paying shit job on earth. Unless & until he get 3 or more years experience, he will starve to fvcking death. Ive been off the road over 10 years now..and these piece of shit trucking companies STILL pay the exact..OR LESS..cents per mile they did back in the late nineties and early/mid 2000's! Getting paid by the mile is THE BIGGEST SCREWJOB EVER! It ought to be outlawed. NOBODY can ever bullshit me again about OTR driving. If you like any sort of a social or family life...your gonna be FVCKED. "Emotionally better off doing long distance"? WHAT?! I never heard nothing like that in my life...its just not true. Again, not trying to call you out or start a war, but OTR trucking is MAINLY for social outcasts who don't care about a life, or getting laid or have families and who primarily NEED to be away from normal, decent people. Guys that don't feel the need to bath. Who you couldn't turn on a CB radio around a child or anyone decent because of. Who drive A TRUCK...with two, three nasty ass dogs and its so filthy inside and smell so bad you wouldn't ride with them if Satan were after you. Ive said my piece. Anybody who thinks Im wrong, go do it 6 months. Holler back.Originally Posted by Arik
The obedient always think of themselves as virtuous rather than the cowards they really are.
Senior Member
Like I said, depends on the situation.
My boss pays % of the load. We go Pa - Wa. Load up in PA, drop off in Wa. Load in Wa and come back to NJ. Each load is slightly different so no two pay checks are the same and occasionally there's a dry spell and the trips become Pa - OH or Pa - MN but the drivers get paid very very well.
When we did local, meaning the driver was home every night, it was a mess. First the loads were cheaper so the driver made less money. Then our "local" was Pa - Fredericksburg VA - N. NJ - Long Island NY. Leave home (PA) early to beat the DC traffic. Load up in Fredericksburg and back north to Northern NJ. Drop off there then continue to Long island to load up again. By the time you get done with NY traffic and Long island roads your home in the evening and ready for bed to get up early again to beat DC morning traffic the next day. And if God forbid there is an accident or road construction, especially in NY, then you're pretty much screwed. Businesses close and you have to stay overnight and wait. All our drivers have families and kids and they all asked for OTR. Load up once and you're good to go for several days hassle free. No clock to try and beat not as much traffic, they know they have a few days before their next stop
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Last edited by Arik; 03-21-17 at 08:08.
Senior Member
Holy Shit
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It has to be fought for and defended by each generation."
Ronald Wilson Reagan
Senior Member
I sell compressed gases and welding supplies. If you already have a class A, you might want to look that direction. Airgas, Norco, Praxair, etc, are all very competitive and offer in town jobs for 90% of their drivers. Not to mention most have excellent benefits, 401K and vacation time. SOmething to think about. Our drivers are home with their families every single night.
Last edited by WickedWillis; 03-21-17 at 11:16.
98% Sarcastic. 100% Overthinking things and making up reasons for buying a new firearm.
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