Returning to truck driving, looking for opinions

[slo5o]

I am finishing up a four year enlistment in the army right now and am looking to get back into driving once I get out in December. My question is since I don't have any recent otr experience will I have to start all over again? I have 3.5 years driving experience before I joined the army, and I have been driving trucks in the army for the last four years. I would really hate to think I would have to start at the bottom again, but know I would have to be brought back up to speed on new laws and regulations that may have changed. I also want to get into car hauling, I know its hard work but I enjoy that. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions of where I should apply to? Or do you think I will have to take whatever I can find just to get driving time again?

[GMAN]

You may need to take a refresher course for some of the larger carriers. For some reason, they don't seem to count military driving experience. You may be able to find a smaller carrier who will hire you. Where do you live?

[slo5o]

I live in the clarksville tn/ ft. campbell ky area.

[GMAN]

Have you kept your CDL current? What type of previous experience have you had driving? If you pulled flats, there have been some changes for securement. The most change has been in the hours of service. It is likely to change again shortly. That is what happens when you get bureaucrats making rules when they know nothing about what they are doing.

[slo5o]

Ive kept my cdl current, I have the hazmat, doubles/triples and tanker endorsement. I have been pulling mostly fuel tankers, flat beds, and sometimes vans. I really would like to work for cassens out of nashville or some sort of car hauling outfit close to the nashville area. My options so far are to reup in the army, get a job driving stateside, or go to work overseas with kbr. If I get a job driving stateside I just dont want to have to start over again, being a slave for a year just to get some recent experience.

[nrvsreck]

Don't know jack about the army, but I do know most large carriers want recent (within the last 3 years) OTR experience. Regardless of army experience. They don't count that for whatever absurd reason. It's all because of insurance anyway, not the carriers themselves. You might try some of the smaller carriers that have more liberal insurance policys. If you go with a big nationwide carrier you'll almost definitely have to start all over from scratch. CDL school, several weeks of training, the whole ball o' wax.

[Longsnowsm]

I know there are a few companies that offer a program for prior military with experience. Basically they do a brief refresher and then your on your way. Since your situation is a little different you would have to ask to see if you qualify. I think Schneider and JB both offer something for the military. You might hit up Sheepdancer to ask him how their program works at JB and see if you qualify.

Longsnowsm

[slo5o]

I know there are a few companies that offer a program for prior military with experience. Basically they do a brief refresher and then your on your way. Since your situation is a little different you would have to ask to see if you qualify. I think Schneider and JB both offer something for the military. You might hit up Sheepdancer to ask him how their program works at JB and see if you qualify.

Longsnowsm

I drove for jb hunt before I joined, never got decent miles with them. Most companies I have talked to want me to start all over again, cdl school etc. I allready have my cdl, wtf? Im not going to sign a contract for a year for something I allready have.

[acranger]

I live in the clarksville tn/ ft. campbell ky area.

"101....patch on my shoulder........"

[acranger]

Ive kept my cdl current, I have the hazmat, doubles/triples and tanker endorsement. I have been pulling mostly fuel tankers, flat beds, and sometimes vans. I really would like to work for cassens out of nashville or some sort of car hauling outfit close to the nashville area. My options so far are to reup in the army, get a job driving stateside, or go to work overseas with kbr. If I get a job driving stateside I just dont want to have to start over again, being a slave for a year just to get some recent experience.

I hope you aren't considering driving overseas for KBR. I am looking at them also, but my jobs will keep me inside the wire. I met a lot of the civilian drivers over there, and they got hit all the time. KBR doesnt pay their drivers ****. Keep looking if you are considering driving over there.

[GMAN]

One thing my insurance company looks for is if you have had a CDL continuously for a minimum of 2 years. They have recently started to want a list of employment for the last 3 years. It can be a little difficult to break into the car hauling end of the business without experience. There is a smaller carrier out of Nashville called Northside Transportation or something similar. You may want to give them a shot. I believe Allied Systems pulls cars out of Columbia, just South of Nashville. They should not be difficult to find. If you want to pull flats, give me a call.

[slo5o]

One thing my insurance company looks for is if you have had a CDL continuously for a minimum of 2 years. They have recently started to want a list of employment for the last 3 years. It can be a little difficult to break into the car hauling end of the business without experience. There is a smaller carrier out of Nashville called Northside Transportation or something similar. You may want to give them a shot. I believe Allied Systems pulls cars out of Columbia, just South of Nashville. They should not be difficult to find. If you want to pull flats, give me a call.

Thanks for the tip gman about allied systems, I sent an email to them. Also pm me your number and I'll give you a call about pulling flats, I did that for a year not bad work at all.