Is it too early?

[94nole]

Having fun reading posts here.

First, for brevity, my question...is it too early to start applying to companies subject to my successful completion of the course and obtaining the CL A?

I am a late bloomer all around. I have been kicking around a driving career for several years am now somewhat pissed that I put it off this long but the timing is now right where before it wasn't as much.

Now, a little background on me. I am a college-overeducated guy just about to turn 49 years. After about 6½ years in a paper mill and 4 years in the Air Force, at age 30, I went to college and earned undergrad and graduate degrees in accounting. I am a CPA (since 1996). And I have hated it just about the whole time.

I am a blue collar guy stuck in a white collar world...and I've endured this as long as I can.

My baby just turned 16, is a Jr. in high school and a very well-mannered young man. I have no concerns about him turning to the dark side. He has a great support structure around him with good friends, church and a mom who would do anything for him.

I just enrolled in the CDL course offered by our local community college...I don't get to start until Sept 28, 2009. Dang unemployment office is keeping the course packed.

My driving record is squeaky clean...no drug or alcohol abuse (or use for that matter...my last drink was in 1986 (quit for religious reasons and have never gone back)...passed my DOT physical with flying colors...have great credit and need no benefits other than pay and maybe a 401(k) (wife works for the state of FL and has great benefits).

She is totally supportive of my decision to go this direction. She is pretty much the independent type and just wants me to be happy in whatever I do.

So, I am going to go for it. Can I start "recruiting" companies to hire me?

Thanks everyone in advance. These forums are great and I really appreciate the candor that people use in making comments.

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

I'll leave the advice to the experts here...
Just wanted to welcome you to the forum and best of luck with your driving career...

 

[Cerberus]

Originally posted by 94nole:
" I have no concerns about him turning to the dark side"

Just give it time. His number is up. I'm be waiting on him. LOL

Welcome to the forum. Good luck in your new adventures.i

 

[Keendriver]

I would say it's never too early.Find out which companies will accept students from your school and then start researching them to find out which is right for you.
There is a wealth of info out there.It just takes a little time and effort but it will be well worth it.

First thing you need to decide is what kind of work do ya want.Dry Van, Flatbed,Reefer or maybe you wanna haul tanks.

You want local or over the road? Maybe somewhere in the middle like Regional.
Heartland Express pulls Sears freight right out of Jville.Over by Imeson off of Busch dr.I believe them boys are home every w/e. Now you may have to start out in the system (otr) but hey everybody's got to start somewhere.
Good luck!

 

[Chae Transport]

I would say it's never too early.Find out which companies will accept students from your school and then start researching them to find out which is right for you.
There is a wealth of info out there.It just takes a little time and effort but it will be well worth it.

First thing you need to decide is what kind of work do ya want.Dry Van, Flatbed,Reefer or maybe you wanna haul tanks.

You want local or over the road? Maybe somewhere in the middle like Regional.
Heartland Express pulls Sears freight right out of Jville.Over by Imeson off of Busch dr.I believe them boys are home every w/e. Now you may have to start out in the system (otr) but hey everybody's got to start somewhere.
Good luck!

Keendriver gives you some good advice, I would like to add remember what he claims and do your research. Do NOT get taken in by the information a recruiter will give you. All a recruiter wants is you in orientation for upon your completion of orientation they have just received $500.00+ on their paycheck. I am not saying that their information is all bad, but for the most part it will be lacking the con's and the ups and downs

 

[94nole]

Keendriver and Chae Transport...thank you both.

Now with respect to Dry Van, Flatbed, etc.

I figure that Dry Van is exactly what it sounds like...drag and drop? Or drag and wait for it to be loaded, unloaded, maybe sweeping out the trailer, etc. Is there more?

How about with Flatbed?...doesn't that involves tying and tarping loads, etc? I have read in different forums that others love flatbed but I am thinking I wouldn't want to be crawling all over the trailer tying and tarping, untying, removing tarps, etc. Am I missing something here?

Also with tankers...aren't there endorsements one has to have in order to pull tankers? If yes, how does one get the endorsement? Is it merely a course and some cost or is there more to it?

Thanks all for your thoughts and insight.

 

[Keendriver]

Dry van: Fairly simple,drop and hook throw in some live load/unload and that's the job.BOOORRRING!! plus throw in some grocery w/house loads......40 yr old forklift driver,hates his job,his life and you!"You gotta handstack that load driver" yuk.
Flatbed: Your gonna get dirty, no two ways about it.But it is more of a challenge.It's for you to decide if it's for you.
Tanker:Get a tank endorsement (along with haz-mat) and most likely the co will train you on the type of freight they haul.

 

[snowflake]

...gotta love them flatbedders........:whistle:

 

[Mike]

I would wait, honestly. Two years isn't that long, and staying home to see the kid graduate would be the way I would go if I were in your shoes.

If you are set on doing it now, the main thing is to go ahead and get ALL of your endorsements. This will be the easiest time to get it done.

As for what type of driving to do, there is no "correct" answer.

Personally, I look at the money that companies pay, and factor in what I am having to do in order to get that pay.

Pull a flatbed, and you have more physical work do deal with than any other driving job. In most cases, you won't make any more money for doing it. Yes, you can get "tarp pay" for slinging the tarps over the loads, but if you are doing things legally, the time you spend throwing those tarps eats into the time you could spend driving.

Dry van is easy. However, it is also much easier to find yourself sitting for days at a time when freight is slow.

Reefer is easy, and you have more opportunity to pull loads when a dry van might be sitting. However, you have more time in grocery warehouses and dealing with lumpers (more sitting)

Tank - This is what I am doing now. Not sure if I like it bedder than reefer/dry van or not. The work is easy, for the most part. You will unload the tanks, but if you are properly trained, and don't take shortcuts, it is simple, and safe. Accidents can happen, but wear the proper clothing, and you have little to worry about. The biggest thing here is the actual driving, as the sloshing in the tank can give you problems.

No matter what you choose, the chance is good that you will end up trying something different later on down the line. Figure out which you like best. Every part of the industry has plenty of frustrations, just don't let the little things get to you.

 

[94nole]

Thanks BW. I think I have a pretty good shot at hiring on with a company who operates semis but that serves a totally different industry. It is railroad-related. Not the typical as the drivers are home at least every other weekend.

But in the interim, I may have to go OTR for seat time if nothing else. i kind of like boring so I think dry van/reefer is certainly the way for me.

thanks again.
kp

 

[Mike]

Good luck with you choice.

There are alot of negatives with the industry, which people will often talk about, but it comes down to whether you like what you do, and making the proper decisions.

 

[Chae Transport]

:taz::taz:

I would wait, honestly. Two years isn't that long, and staying home to see the kid graduate would be the way I would go if I were in your shoes.

If you are set on doing it now, the main thing is to go ahead and get ALL of your endorsements. This will be the easiest time to get it done.

As for what type of driving to do, there is no "correct" answer.

Personally, I look at the money that companies pay, and factor in what I am having to do in order to get that pay.

Pull a flatbed, and you have more physical work do deal with than any other driving job. In most cases, you won't make any more money for doing it. Yes, you can get "tarp pay" for slinging the tarps over the loads, but if you are doing things legally, the time you spend throwing those tarps eats into the time you could spend driving.

Dry van is easy. However, it is also much easier to find yourself sitting for days at a time when freight is slow.

Reefer is easy, and you have more opportunity to pull loads when a dry van might be sitting. However, you have more time in grocery warehouses and dealing with lumpers (more sitting)

Tank - This is what I am doing now. Not sure if I like it bedder than reefer/dry van or not. The work is easy, for the most part. You will unload the tanks, but if you are properly trained, and don't take shortcuts, it is simple, and safe. Accidents can happen, but wear the proper clothing, and you have little to worry about. The biggest thing here is the actual driving, as the sloshing in the tank can give you problems.

No matter what you choose, the chance is good that you will end up trying something different later on down the line. Figure out which you like best. Every part of the industry has plenty of frustrations, just don't let the little things get to you.

BullWinkle hands you some good opinions and advice,
all comments in this forum are correct for the most part;
dryvan you will drop and hook then turn and burn to chase the next trailer load down. If you like driving staying cleaner and want to stay on the move it would be a good choice.

Flatbed in my opinion use to pay better and move fairly good, but is for the young at heart and body.
I am an expeditor and heavy haul specialist.
If I was to start from the beginning I would go for dry van and then back into being an owner/operator in the industry I am in. (you) don't get stuck chasing freight everywhere in the 48 states at the demands of a dispatcher that has never seen the outer boarders of their own state little alone been in a truck for any extended period of time.
When it is your truck and not the companies You control where it goes and what it makes.

You have to remember that regardless of what industry you choose they all have a slow period from flatbed, dry van to specialist hauling

 

[Chae Transport]

...gotta love them flatbedders........:whistle:

Love flatbedding just not as young as I use to be:rock:

 

[94nole]

CT,

tell me a little more about expediting?

 

[Keendriver]

CT,

tell me a little more about expediting?

You sit around all day waiting on a load then run like hell to make delv.
It is mostly jit (just in time) freight.Actually it's hotter than that,it is often already late when you pick it up.

 

[Sinister]

I recommend flatbedding. Here's why

 

[Chae Transport]

94 I have a truck that is set up in the expediting side of the industry. It has a solo driver that has been with me for 2 years now. By his choice he runs 3 weeks and goes home for 1 week.

It is more then just freight that might already be late, he hauls freight that is specifically dedicated to that truck and the customer has paid for the entire truck whether they use it or not. There are so many companies that if a shipper does not use up the entire trailer they will try to find more freight to finish it; to maximize their profits. In the mean time the original shippers freight ends up late, damaged or even dropped at the wrong location

 

[Beechvtail]

94 I have a truck that is set up in the expediting side of the industry. It has a solo driver that has been with me for 2 years now. By his choice he runs 3 weeks and goes home for 1 week.

It is more then just freight that might already be late, he hauls freight that is specifically dedicated to that truck and the customer has paid for the entire truck whether they use it or not. There are so many companies that if a shipper does not use up the entire trailer they will try to find more freight to finish it; to maximize their profits. In the mean time the original shippers freight ends up late, damaged or even dropped at the wrong location

Sounds like the LTL world.

 

[Chae Transport]

Sounds like the LTL world.

Nope-Been there done that LTL gets mixed in with what ever a carrier wants to add to the truck to make money, half the time is damaged upon arrival or gets dropped at the wrong stop.

If I quote you a price it is for the rights to the entire truck, picked up at your door and delivered directly to your consignee. Guaranteed on time with no freight claims

Not an LTL company around going to do that