Almost new - what to do?

[trc]

Fellow truckers - I am an almost new truck driver. I graduated from a Trucking School and was hired by a company as an OTR driver hauling a refrigerated unit. I trained with the company for 6 weeks and then was given my "own" truck and drove almost 3 weeks. Combined time, I have traveled 36,000 miles in 9 months from New Hampshire to California. My last run was a nightmare from start to finish with long waits at both shippers and receivers and it was a double pickup and double drops. Part of the first drop was refused, went on to the second drop, delivered the freight, ended up having a bad steer tire which was replaced after a short time, and then was qualcommed and told to go back to the first receiver since they decided they would accept what they refused the first time I was there. I spent hours upon hours waiting at both receivers and shippers. The last return drop appointment was at 6:00 a.m. and I arrived on time. I didn't get out of there until 6:30 p.m. and was extremely frustrated.

At that point, I was only about an hour away from a company terminal and decided to turn in the truck and got a flight and flew home. That was probably a bad choice on my part, granted. I am not a youngster by any means, but couldn't find any other work so I got my class "A" CDL and managed to get my first trucking job. I never liked hauling the reefer unit, either.

I haven't driven for 9 months now and can't find any other work and my wife and I really need me to find work - lots of bills coming in and her income isn't enough. Heck, what couple these days can survive on one income!

Here's my dilemma. I have doubles/triples, tankers, and HazMat endorsements with an "X", but I applied online to three different larger trucking companies and haven't heard anything back. They are self-insured so insurance and experience shouldn't be a problem. I really wanted to go with a smaller company, but that 1 year experience or more is a REAL problem. I have to find a company job and stick it out for a year or more before I can get a job with a more local company or an LTL company, dedicated run, or something other than OTR where I'm away for such a long time before getting home.

Any and ALL advice and suggestions would be most appreciated including companies I can apply to and any possibilities where I wouldn't have different shippers and receivers every time I was dispatched for a run. Like I said, I'm not a young guy by any means, but I am a good driver and very conscientious. Thanks very much ahead of time.

trc

[trc]

I traveled 36,000 miles in 9 weeks, NOT 9 months. Sorry about that. trc

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

Originally Posted by trc

Fellow truckers - I am an almost new truck driver. I graduated from a Trucking School and was hired by a company as an OTR driver hauling a refrigerated unit.
--So far, so good.--

I trained with the company for 6 weeks and then was given my "own" truck and drove almost 3 weeks. Combined time, I have traveled 36,000 miles in 9 months from New Hampshire to California.
--So with a co-driver AND solo you went 4,000 miles EACH WEEK, hmmm.--

My last run was a nightmare from start to finish with long waits at both shippers and receivers and it was a double pickup and double drops.
--Sounds typical--

Part of the first drop was refused, went on to the second drop, delivered the freight, ended up having a bad steer tire which was replaced after a short time, and then was qualcommed and told to go back to the first receiver since they decided they would accept what they refused the first time I was there.
--That was one introduction to the Wonderful World Of Trucking--

I spent hours upon hours waiting at both receivers and shippers.
--WE DO THIS MOST DAYS, it IS part of Trucking--

The last return drop appointment was at 6:00 a.m. and I arrived on time. I didn't get out of there until 6:30 p.m. and was extremely frustrated.
--I've done the same thing with a Dry Van as have others--

At that point, I was only about an hour away from a company terminal and decided to turn in the truck and got a flight and flew home. That was probably a bad choice on my part, granted. I am not a youngster by any means, but couldn't find any other work so I got my class "A" CDL and managed to get my first trucking job. I never liked hauling the reefer unit, either.
--My question here as with others I'm sure:
"WHY, Since you KNEW this Company pulled Reefers, did you still accept the job??"--

I haven't driven for 9 months now and can't find any other work and my wife and I really need me to find work - lots of bills coming in and her income isn't enough. Heck, what couple these days can survive on one income!
--Those that win LARGE Lotteries or are Financially Independent--

Here's my dilemma. I have doubles/triples, tankers, and HazMat endorsements with an "X", but I applied online to three different larger trucking companies and haven't heard anything back. They are self-insured so insurance and experience shouldn't be a problem.
--There's the rub--You DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE--
I really wanted to go with a smaller company, but that 1 year experience or more is a REAL problem.
--Correct since you're merely 43 weeks from having a year under your belt. Now you're even further--

I have to find a company job and stick it out for a year or more before I can get a job with a more local company or an LTL company, dedicated run, or something other than OTR where I'm away for such a long time before getting home.
--THERE ARE SO MANY OF US THAT WANT THIS--

Any and ALL advice and suggestions would be most appreciated including companies I can apply to and any possibilities where I wouldn't have different shippers and receivers every time I was dispatched for a run.

--You first have to "Pay Your Dues".
You can't have your Cake AND eat it too--

Like I said, I'm not a young guy by any means, but I am a good driver and very conscientious. Thanks very much ahead of time.

trc

I have been driving both Locally in North Carolina and OTR or Long Haul from NC to California since January 1999 in Straight Trucks and With Tractor Trailers.
I have a CDL-A w/HZMT.
I went through the "school thing" in Goodlettsville, TN. in late '98.

I pulled a Flatbed for 3 months in '99 (to get my feet wet) including the two weeks with a Trainer before quitting because I didn't like Tarping, however I will pull Flatbed again if I have to in order to keep rolling. I hate Tarping and I HATE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT TRUCKING yet I'm still here.
It's in my Blood, I can't let go.
There's too much wrong yet there's as well too much fun.
I have a LOT OF SKILLS garnered over these many years from LOTS of different jobs yet me and Trucking have bonded.
----
So in essence, you drove almost 3 weeks as a Solo and you couldn't handle it.
You don't like pulling a Reefer Trailer (neither do I), yet you applied to and accepted a job at a Reefer hauling Company.
Why then should ANY other Trucking Company give you a chance??
What were you doing before you went to Driving School?? Can you reacquire employment in that field?? If not, why not??

--You sound to me as though you may very well be UNEMPLOYABLE, and that my friend isn't a good place to be--
----------
I Hope The BEst uv WELLness 2-u-n-urs-n ALL Adventures!!

[trc]

Cerberus_Kelpie - Thank you for giving your comments about my post. I agree with what you have said at the various insertions you have made. Yes, it wasn't the best or wisest decision I have ever made in my life which I truly understand - no arguments there.

As for why I took a job hauling a reefer, well that was the job that became available and being new, I just didn't know any better at that point in time. The company that hired me had dry van and reefer, but they basically pushed me into the reefer division and my trainer had driven reefers his entire career (15 years or so) and he talked me into it. That wasn't a smart choice on my part, but who knew! Now, the company has done away with their dry van division and solely operate reefers. Well, that's water over the dam at this point in time. You know the saying, hind sight's 20-20 . . .

I, by no means, am saying I am a good truck driver with the limited experience I have had. I have a lot to learn without a doubt! However, my record as a 4-wheeler was extremely good for many, many years and only received one ticket, and that was for speeding when I was having a disagreement with my wife and driving down a steep grade on I-80 in Pennsylvania and I let my temper get the best of me. The thing is, I knew it when I was driving too fast, but didn't care at the time due to my anger with my wife - stupid, yes, but that was a lesson learned and it has never been repeated ALL these years. When I drove a truck for my 9 weeks, I was very patient and very considerate and gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. I kept my safe distances, downshifted when going down steep grades, used my Jake brake, and didn't "hot dog it' at all. I followed the Smith System of driving, checked my mirrors all the time, and kept a slow steady speed in bumper to bumper traffic and kept rolling and off the brakes and didn't shift up and down and up and down.

You claim I may be in an UNEMPLOYABLE position. I understand why you said that, but doesn't anyone ever give second chances any more? You know, I didn't have a terrible accident or get speeding tickets or drive recklessly, so maybe some company will see that I recognize my mistake and hire me??? Like I said before, I'm not a youngster right out of school or right off the turnip truck. I am mature and make good operating decisions while in a truck and a 4-wheeler and have driven a lot of miles by myself in a 4-wheeler throughout my lifetime. No, not as many as a trucker, but still a lot for a 4-wheeler. I had an uncle by marriage who drove a truck and ended up having a heart attack while making a turn at an intersection in Denver years ago. He lived, but then he realized his health was more important and he called it quits with many years in that profession.

You know, I truly believe that before any 15-16 year old gets his or her driver's license, they should ride with a trucker for a week and see what all really goes on and how truckers are put in some terrible situations. I'm not just saying that - I know I wish my 4 boys had that opportunity before they had gotten their licenses.

Well, maybe some company will give me another chance. I know I will have to pay my dues and put up with the bad as a newbie. My previous employment ( 2 good occupations, actually) are not possible any longer. I have looked for and applied for all kinds of varying types of jobs in the last 9 months, but no one seems to be interested in me for whatever reasons. I am a good worker, not sick often, always on time, etc., etc., etc.! I just don't really understand why no one will hire me - like I said before, maybe another trucking company will see that I AM a good person, a good driver, make smart driving decisions while on the road, and always try to do my best and not make stupid decisions while on the road.

Thanks again for your comments and advice.

trc

[Boilerpeddle]

TRC
The economy is slow right now. If you can hold out for the economy to improve a little the companies will be less picky. But I think you will still have to go in as a trainee. And it will have to be a big company. The small ones generally won't take a chance on someone with almost no experience.
Look for delivery jobs. Almost any driving job will help, no matter what you are driving. This will help when you fill out the "experience" part of the application.
DON'T GET SPEEDING TICKETS IN ANYTHING YOU ARE DRIVING.
You have to make yourself a marketable asset. Your experience and safety record are the two most important factors in your worth to a company.

If you get a job you don't like then look for another BEFORE you quit.


I drove otr for 6 years and worked for 4 companies in that time and I grew to hate all of it. I took a local job for two years making squat and finally got a good paying job at an LTL company that I have been at for almost 9 years.
It doesn't have to take that long but you have to start somewhere.

[Jeff]

if you have a clean CDL somebody will hire you.