every job listing I see for CDL A 's says minimum of between 2 and 5 years experience! how the hell do you get started in this career?!
I know, it's frustrating isn't it? Kinda like a no win situation, how do you get experience, if no one will give you experience WITHOUT HAVING experience? Let me tell you the way I did it. I went to truck driving school, went over-the-road for a year and got some experience, then started at UPS Freight as a city driver.
I like the idea of driving school over just training with the company for numerous reasons: 1. you actually get "on road" experience instead of just driving around the yard and learning to back up. (Witch is still VERY important) 2. You learn laws, rules and regulations from an instructor instead of just from a State CDL book. 3. You learn from instructors with real world experience (Also see #1) 4. USUALLY the school will help with job placement to companies that will hire you right out of graduating from an accredited school. 5. Either THEY give you the final test, or some one from the state comes right to the school and tests you. I'm sure the instructors will give you little tricks on how to pass the test easier when the state examiner comes out to test you. Driving school is ALOT more expensive but I feel it's MUCH MUCH better and safer to do it that way...... (My opinion, doesn't mean I'm right)
I know ALOT of drivers that don't know rules and regulations or just don't realize they're not supposed to be on certain roads simply because they had lack of training.
NOW, as far as UPS Freight goes, I can't give you advice on how the system works for some one who has just applied for a job and wants to get in that way. I work in one of the Chicago area terminals where we have 2 locals in one terminal, one local for City drivers and one local for Dock/Road drivers. We have 3 seniority boards so if you applied at our terminal for a driver position, you will get hired as a driver, not a dock CDL and work your way up to a driver, I don't touch a forklift, I can't actually. COMPLETE different dog for Chicago Teamsters. (ALL companies, not just UPS Freight) Sorry I can't be ANY help in that area. All I can do and did, is give advice on getting into the transportation industry.
I guess, from the way I understand the way it goes for the rest of the country is, you can get in as a dock worker and work your way into a driving position, if that is the case, I would suggest going to truck driving school during the day and work outbound dock at night. This way, once you get your license, you have one leg up on the next guy with seniority AND a license with some kind of "on road" driving experience, besides, going to a school only takes a month or month and a half so it's not like your doing it for years on end.
I hope this reply helps, good luck to ya and be safe, remeber, your the profesional driver, not the four wheelers you share the road with.....