Ok, now what was the point?

by Rusty Martin Jr
(Sugar Grove, Pa)

Ya know, I wonder sometimes if there really is a reason for everything. What was the point in me working my freakin ass off to get my CDL if nobody will hire me. I wonder if all the work and effort is at all worth it. I have a clean driving record with no tickets or accidents. I have no criminal record at all. Why and the hell won't anyone hire me? I'm gettin really annoyed already with the truck driving industry. I've applied to roughly 15 compaines already and haven't heard back from a single one except for Covanent who prehired me while in school, but don't have any open orientations until April. I can't wait until freakin April to get hired. Why won't these companies who supposedly hire CDL school gradutes and newly lisenced CDL drivers even bother to give me a call back. I'm really second guessing myself in my decision to get my CDL, cause as of right now all it's gotten me is $7,000 in training bills and month in a different state. This is getting to be BS. Does anyone have any ideas as to what else I can do to get hired by someone and start my career driving? Cause I have ran out of ideas already and it's only been 3 weeks. I can't for the life of me figure this out. Any help would be most appreciated. Thank you.

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Dec 31, 2009
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Rusty has ups and downs.
by: Jimmy

Rusty, apply at 100 companies or 200 if that's what it takes. 15 isn't nearly enough. You are just 1 of thousands applying for work in this industry. Do in person applications if possible.

Everyday spend at least 6-7 hours searching and keep records of who you talked to. Sell yourself to any prospective employers.

Check out local gravel/food service/coke deliveries/beer deliveries etc. Jimmy

Dec 31, 2009
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training for the road lesson 1
by: Hervy

Hi Rusty,

Not to make light of your situation cause I know it is a frustrating thing but your may very well be enduring your first lesson that will be a part of trucking.

Waiting, waiting, waiting and feeling what was the point! :-) Bust your but to get to a shipper cause they act like they are waiting on the product for them to have you sitting for hours before docking ya.

Stuff like this will happen for sure.

Back to your comment though.

It's been a lot of that going on lately, for obvious reasons partially the economy. I guess that are not really letting people know to expect that before starting school though.

I am just now really starting to see how common of a thing it has become for the students to wait.

The ladies and Jimmy hit you with some good comments though, 3 weeks is really a little earlier to get worried. It's taken several here much longer.

I know it doesn't feel to good when your money for the training is gone out and you assumed that work would start right away but you just have to stay positive and keep looking. Update: Here is a page that you inspired me to build.

How to get experience after getting CDL

I am putting up a new video warning people to make sure they understand that completing school doesn't mean they will go straight to work and it was inspired by you comment about it (Don't know if that will make you feel better or not! :-)

So good luck on speedy employment and i will holla at ya later.

Oh, Happy New Year

Dec 31, 2009
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Hang in there
by: Mandy Covert

We all know how it feels to need the money and work and yet have neither. It could take awhile to get a job. When my husband got his CDL it took 5 months to get a job. We did the best we could and he had to work a regular job until the offers started coming. But he DID get a job and a darn good one. It's a waiting game, and since you are new at this i want to let you know that once you do start working for a company, the money will NOT be that great for a while. Granted it is money, but very little. Hang in there and we will be sending prayers your way!

Dec 31, 2009
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Moving Forward
by: Anonymous

My husband's first OTR job 22 yrs ago was with North American Van lines, I is a rough start because you are out long periods of time but you can work till at least April if you get hired right away. You can also go on line and apply to hudreds of comapnies at a time and then you can pick your employer. I would discourage any lease purchase programs for now tho. Take your time get to know the ropes. God bless and keep the rubber side down.

Dec 31, 2009
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Newbie hires
by: Robin

Rusty, It really hasn't been that long...I know 3 weeks seems like an eternity, but my husband got his CDL in on May 19th, 2009, and he didn't get hired until July, 2009....and he didn't actually START until August 12th. He really wanted something local, and the prehires through his trucking school had actually turned him down (which I don't know why).

When he applied on his own he got hired by Swift - the largest ground carrier in the US (even bigger than FEDEX). It's tough, though, like someone already said...the re-training he had to take another road test, he had to do another DOT physical and he had 3 days of orientation and 42 days straight of riding with a mentor before they would give him his own truck.

He wasn't home ONCE in 45 days!! His mentor got home, but he didn't. His mentor was from El Paso, and we live in Minnesota. He's still in contact with another guy from his class, too, and he went with Werner - he had a similar deal - he road with a mentor - had to go to Omaha for the training time and was out something like 8 weeks.

There aren't a lot of options, you have to remember the tremendous liability you are to them on the road.

My husband's put on over 45,000 miles with Swift, now, in less than 5 months, but most local companies want 6 mos - 24 mos experience before they'll consider you. You have to get the experience somehow! And during that big storm out east right before Christmas he crashed into a guard rail in Maryland in the snow - had to get towed out...now he has a preventable accident on his record...he's mad at himself about that, but that's why they are nervous about new drivers!! Calm down and weigh your options, they're out there! Look at Roehl, CR England, Swift, Werner...they all hire newbies. Good luck to you!!

Robin

Dec 31, 2009
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Try a trucking Compnay that trains.
by: Anonymous

I'm am sure your feeling like you got worked over.

No one tosses the keys to someone who they haven't trained themselves unless they have documented experience.

Try a major carrier some will retrain you, Probably have to finance it, but you will end up with a job and that is precisely what your looking for.

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