Greenhorn Needing Your Thoughts

[Nightrain_351]

Howdy all...

I've been a member here for awhile, but have only posted a few times. I've mostly scanned this forum and its threads, and looked at the job postings on the homepage.

I'll start off by telling ya'll a little bit about myself:

I'll be 21 at the end of August of this year. I've been around trucking all of my life, it's in my blood, and if I only do it for two weeks to find out that it's just not for me, I'm going to have to do it just to know.

Whew. lol.

In August, I'll be at a local factory here for three years, hopefully. Trucking has been on my brain since I learned what it was, as far as I remember. I guess I'm what you would call a "company man" or a "go-getter". If the bossman asks me to do it, I'll go down trying to accomplish the task. I can just see now that where I am is not where I want to be unless it's the very last resort.

Trucking is the next thing on my agenda. If that doesn't work out, I have a back-up plan to that, but I just want to get to the trucking first. lol. Back a couple of years ago, it looked as if I would have no problem getting a driving job as a driving school graduate. Now, I'm not so sure.

With the current state of the economy, even Schneider seems to have issued a hiring freeze on newbies. That scares me. I've called a local technical school with a driving program, and the instructor told me that while the industry is slow right now, all of his graduates are still able to gain employment at this time.

Now, I'm not what you would call "picky" by any means. I don't care if I have to go with Swift and stay gone three weeks at a time, I just want someone to give me the chance to drive.

All of this may seem like I am just saying all of this, and that once I get there, my attitude will change. That's possible. However, I just need that chance.

My wife (yes, wife) has a cousin who is one of those "needy" drivers. He went to the same school I called, got a job with an OTR company, and drove for about three years. That was when his needs got in the way. He was dispatched to Pennsylvania on a Thursday afternoon, and he (*cough* has * cough*) to be home on weekends. He t-called the trailer and picked up another load coming back this way, all without the authorization of his dispatcher. They called him in for a meeting a week or so later, and he passed the office to continue his run. When he stopped for fuel, they wouldn't turn on his fuel card and told him to return to the office. That's when they gave him the boot. Even then, they told him that if he would've shown up for the meeting instead of passing by, he would've only been put on final notice.

Now, he has a black mark on his DAC and hasn't been able to acquire another driving job.

I told you all of that to let you know that I'm right the opposite.

The only let down that I have at this time is that the school I called doesn't have a class starting until October. I was hoping to start right after my birthday. There's an OTR company close by, which is locally owned, who has their own driving school. I don't know if any of you have heard of Milan Express or not?? Anyway, it's a three week class, and they'll hire you own there, or there's four or five more companies that they feed trainees to.

I've driven a rig a little bit, and it's something that I feel comfortable doing. Seems to fit me like a glove, and hopefully when I finish school, it will.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts and opinions.

[GMAN]

I don't know much about Milan, but since I don't recall hearing much then that is probably a good thing. The only drawback that I can see for you is your youth. Some carrier's want their drivers to be at least 23 for insurance purposes. Some require a minimum age of 25. Before spending money for training I would make certain that you had a guaranteed job. There are a lot of experienced drivers looking for work. You don't want to obligate yourself for a big training bill should the economy worsen. If Milan will train you and guarantee a job then it could be a good way to get started in this business. It can be difficult on a marriage when one is away from home for extended periods of time. Some make it work while others do not. Before making a commitment to Milan or any carrier I would talk to some of their current drivers to see how the company is doing and how they like the company.

[Jumbo]

Did the instructor happen to mention if all of his graduates have gained employment in the TRUCKING industry?

[b00m]

Things are hard right now for everyone of us.The economy is still bad and there are way to many trucks(company,o/o,etc) chasing too little freight.If i were you and have a job lined up i would stay put.Maybe get that cdl manual from your mdv for free and study it so you can understand it better.Save yourself the money you would spend for schooling for later on ,when companies will be hiring and the economy will recover.I would only make this move, when i would have something line up,otherwise no.BOL

[jonp]

I'm with GMan. I've seen Milan's trucks but havn't heard either way about them which, in my opinion, is not a bad thing. If a company is really crappy it gets around. If they are willing to put you through school and give you a job then that sounds like a good idea to me considering the economy right now.

I went to a Swift school out in Phoenix and stayed with them for 3 years. They werent the best but they gave me my start and it didnt cost me anything.

Good luck and let us know!

ps: there are alot of divorced truckers out there. A Lot. Make sure your wife know's whats involved with this. Not home for a couple of weeks at a time. Missing important dates like birthdays and graduation. etc...It will happen, sometimes the companies fault and sometimes not.

[Nightrain_351]

I don't know much about Milan, but since I don't recall hearing much then that is probably a good thing. The only drawback that I can see for you is your youth. Some carrier's want their drivers to be at least 23 for insurance purposes. Some require a minimum age of 25. Before spending money for training I would make certain that you had a guaranteed job. There are a lot of experienced drivers looking for work. You don't want to obligate yourself for a big training bill should the economy worsen. If Milan will train you and guarantee a job then it could be a good way to get started in this business. It can be difficult on a marriage when one is away from home for extended periods of time. Some make it work while others do not. Before making a commitment to Milan or any carrier I would talk to some of their current drivers to see how the company is doing and how they like the company.

Thanks for your response, GMAN.

I've noticed that trend myself with the 23+ hiring age. Milan's is 21. Currently, they're showing pick up/delivery, line haul, OTR, local regional service, and flatbed jobs. I don't know if this still holds true; not sure if they haven't updated their website or what.

I wasn't sure yesterday what other trucking companies recruited their trainees, but I know now that Star Transportation, Paschall Truck Lines, Covenant Transport, and U.S. Express are the ones. I'm not sure about the other three, but I do know that U.S. Express hires at 21.

I had a cousin retire from Milan with 25+ years of service, but I haven't given him a call yet. He's been retired for a few years now, but I'm sure he still knows several folks down there and could possibly put me in touch with some that are still driving for them.

Did the instructor happen to mention if all of his graduates have gained employment in the TRUCKING industry?

Thanks for your response, Jumbo.

That's what he said in the e-mail. I know that recruiters will be recruiters and try to steer you their way, but who knows. I just took it with a grain of salt either way because I know that I still have at least four months to go, and alot can happen between now and then.

Things are hard right now for everyone of us.The economy is still bad and there are way to many trucks(company,o/o,etc) chasing too little freight.If i were you and have a job lined up i would stay put.Maybe get that cdl manual from your mdv for free and study it so you can understand it better.Save yourself the money you would spend for schooling for later on ,when companies will be hiring and the economy will recover.I would only make this move, when i would have something line up,otherwise no.BOL :-)

Thanks for your response, b00m.

I've heard the same stories about the freight over the CB. The ones that are doing good are doing REALLY good (supposidly), and everyone else seems to be stuck in a side ditch.

The job I have now is okay. I say that very cautiously because I thank God everyday that I still have a job at this point in time. But, things don't really seem to be looking up for us. We make vehicle fuel assemblies for the Big 3 automakers. GM is our biggest customer, buying 80% of our product, and they're facing bankruptcy in June. Who knows if they'll make it out or not. If they don't, I won't have to worry about driving either... I can guarantee you that.

Anyway, I'm not going with anything period, unless I'm "guaranteed" a job. I don't know to what extent I mean guaranteed... I guess I mean feel sure enough to go through with it. I could do the local technical school course and Milan's course while keeping my current job. But anything else, like Swift or Schneider, I'd have to quit before I left for school, and I'm not so sure that I want to do that.

I pray everyday that things will get better for all of us, and this ecomony will pick back up this summer and keep ya'll trucking and hopefully get me there.

I'm with GMan. I've seen Milan's trucks but havn't heard either way about them which, in my opinion, is not a bad thing. If a company is really crappy it gets around. If they are willing to put you through school and give you a job then that sounds like a good idea to me considering the economy right now.

I went to a Swift school out in Phoenix and stayed with them for 3 years. They werent the best but they gave me my start and it didnt cost me anything.

Good luck and let us know!

ps: there are alot of divorced truckers out there. A Lot. Make sure your wife know's whats involved with this. Not home for a couple of weeks at a time. Missing important dates like birthdays and graduation. etc...It will happen, sometimes the companies fault and sometimes not.

Thanks for your response, jonp. Milan doesn't seem to have a bad rep from anything I've heard either. I usually try to talk with every trucker that stops by the plant, but I've yet to speak with a Milan driver.

Even if I have to go with Swift, that's perfectly fine with me. From what I've seen of their website, it doesn't say if they're still hiring or not. I think all that you can do is put in an application or call them.

I know what you mean on the divorced driver part. We've already had the talk, and it wouldn't do me any good to explain the outcome. Ya'll would just have to know the whole situation. I guess when it comes down to it, if I get to drive, I'll just have to buckle my seatbelt, cross my fingers, and hope for the best.

Around Thanksgiving of last year, I told myself that come March, I was going to pick a school and reserve a seat. But now, seeing that nothing has really changed in the economy for the better, I think I'm going to wait it out. I'm still going to talk with some folks from Milan to see if they're still hiring and all; even get an idea of the outlook for them. But I think that everyone is in my shoes when it comes to the economy; it's a wait and see kind of thing.

Thanks again all for the advice. In the meantime, I'll be standing by for more comments. Hopefully this summer things will get better and it won't be a problem at all to get behind the wheel come September.

One can only hope...

[GMAN]

The economy will improve. The problem is that we don't know how long that will take. It may be 1 year or 10. If the government continues to interfere in business and throw more taxes on our backs then this is likely to take much longer to recover. I don't expect to see much improvement, if any, until at least sometime next year. Things can change quickly in this business. We were doing well only 6 months ago, even with the high fuel costs. Now, most people are struggling. If anyone says that they are doing well and business is up then I would seriously doubt what they say unless they are a lawyer. They seem to be doing well with all the bankruptcies and collections going on. Banks seem to be encouraging and pushing individuals and businesses to go into bankruptcy. It doesn't make sense but that is the way they seem to be operating. That attitude will slow the turnaround. Keep a positive attitude. As I said, things will turn around.

[Nightrain_351]

We were doing well only 6 months ago, even with the high fuel costs. Now, most people are struggling.

That was something that really suprised me... According to several articles I read, even last year with diesel over $4/gal, there was still a 20k+ driver shortage. I read that two or three different places; it was actually unbelieveable to me.

That's when I started thinking the bottom would never start falling out of trucking. But after seeing the housing market crumble and now trucking, everything has a bottom that could fall out any time it seems.

I'm sure that the trains were pulling alot of freight away from ya'll last year as well. I mean, a train can't back up to Wal-Mart or even to the loading dock at the plant I work at, but they're probably getting alot of the good loads ya'll used to have.

And on the bankruptcy thing, our plant filed a sixty day Chapter 11 earlier this year. We came through it seamlessly, but now it seems every place has started filing. All four of our shipping docks have been full since Friday with our aftermarket products. The buyer filed bankruptcy, and I'm sure the trucking companies they had contracts with are sitting on a big, splintery broom handle right now. Hopefully they had insurance. Now there are four really good loads just sitting there right now. I'm sure there are empty trucks sitting in the truck stops only five miles away that their dispatchers will have to send to who knows where to get a load.

I know that consumer demand has fallen tremendously, but I feel that there are still alot of loads out there like the ones on our dock right now... No trucking outfit will touch them because of their former client's reputation.

I know that things will have to get better as well, sooner or later... Just hopefully soon.

Thanks again.

[GMAN]

Rail may have had some impact on vans and reefers but they must still utilize trucks to pick up and deliver from the rail yards. Rail also cannot meet the time demands of trucks. It can take rail from 10 days to 6 weeks to get from one coast to the other. Trucks can carry their freight coast to coast and door to door in 3 days. Rail must have bulk or larger amounts of freight for it to work. Trucks can haul as little as a single pallet. There are several of the major carriers who are using rail to transport their trailers from coast to coast. I have not seen much, if any, impact on flat bed or open deck freight. Competition between rail and trucks comes more from the van or reefer side of the business. Rail has been operating close to capacity for several years. It is not easy to expand rail capacity. It is much easier for trucks to expand capacity. All companies need do is purchase more trucks. They can expand capacity in a day.

[derelict77]

Howdy all...

I've been a member here for awhile, but have only posted a few times. I've mostly scanned this forum and its threads, and looked at the job postings on the homepage.

I'll start off by telling ya'll a little bit about myself:

I'll be 21 at the end of August of this year. I've been around trucking all of my life, it's in my blood, and if I only do it for two weeks to find out that it's just not for me, I'm going to have to do it just to know.

Whew. lol.

In August, I'll be at a local factory here for three years, hopefully.

So why are you leaving a factory job you have been at for 3 years? Do they have insurance benefits? Do they have a retirement plan? Is it close to your home? If you answered yes to all of those questions why do you want something else? Is the pay bad? IMHO OTR trucking sucks unless you have been doing it for over 10 years and are already getting premium wages. Soon after you begin you will realize all the things that you sacrifice and do for free for the company. If you MUST find out about trucking the hard way then I`d say do your year, then try to get a local job if your good at interviews. I used my year OTR to work my way up to a local trucking gig, then on to a local dairy plant job with a strong union and pensionioned retirement. But your already at a factory which seem to me are usually good jobs. So whats up?

[mike3fan]

So why are you leaving a factory job you have been at for 3 years? Do they have insurance benefits? Do they have a retirement plan? Is it close to your home? If you answered yes to all of those questions why do you want something else?

I may be wrong, but it sounds like you have never worked in a factory before. If you think driving a truck sucks(which I don't) try working in a 98 degree factory only allowed to go to the bathroom at specified times and breaks and lunch and......no thanks been there done that. If you think dipatchers are dumb where do you think they come from? they were all floor supervisors in some factory before moving up the food chain to dispatchers.

[vavega]

the job I have now is okay. I say that very cautiously because I thank God everyday that I still have a job at this point in time. But, things don't really seem to be looking up for us. We make vehicle fuel assemblies for the Big 3 automakers. GM is our biggest customer, buying 80% of our product, and they're facing bankruptcy in June. Who knows if they'll make it out or not. If they don't, I won't have to worry about driving either... I can guarantee you that.

that's the problem with his factory job derelict, given those circumstances, he's not sure how long he'll have it.

I could do the local technical school course and Milan's course while keeping my current job.

now this has me curious. how would you be able to do both the job and the training? and if so, that's a no brainer. stay at the factory, do the classes, and time wise you'll be close to working the hours you'll do as an OTR driver. and believe me you'll need to get used to them.

[derelict77]

I may be wrong, but it sounds like you have never worked in a factory before. If you think driving a truck sucks(which I don't) try working in a 98 degree factory only allowed to go to the bathroom at specified times and breaks and lunch and......no thanks been there done that. If you think dipatchers are dumb where do you think they come from? they were all floor supervisors in some factory before moving up the food chain to dispatchers.

I currently work in a factory that produces cream, cheese, and butter...technically a dairy. In the cheese plant it gets up in the 90`s, but were from central Cali and quite used to excessive heat, many times near 110 ;-) I use my class "a" to shuttle supplies from one side of the plant to the other and I am required to take breaks and lunches at certain times, big deal, thats just working for the man. As far as supervisors I have found that the Golden Rule usually works just fine, I get no trouble from them. Our supervisors make a few tens of thousands of dollars more than the OTR dispatchers around here, so I dont undrstand your point about moving up the food chain. I guess some people really enjoy driving "as I did", some people like the freedom of the open road "as I did", and some people just like sitting on theyre asses all day "which I didnt", so I found something better for me ;-)

[Nightrain_351]

Hello again, all... Sorry that it's been so long. I had to send my laptop back for a warranty repair and just now got it back.

Now, let's see where I left off... ( Caution --- this might be quite long! )

Rail may have had some impact on vans and reefers but they must still utilize trucks to pick up and deliver from the rail yards. Rail also cannot meet the time demands of trucks. It can take rail from 10 days to 6 weeks to get from one coast to the other. Trucks can carry their freight coast to coast and door to door in 3 days. Rail must have bulk or larger amounts of freight for it to work. Trucks can haul as little as a single pallet. There are several of the major carriers who are using rail to transport their trailers from coast to coast. I have not seen much, if any, impact on flat bed or open deck freight. Competition between rail and trucks comes more from the van or reefer side of the business. Rail has been operating close to capacity for several years. It is not easy to expand rail capacity. It is much easier for trucks to expand capacity. All companies need do is purchase more trucks. They can expand capacity in a day.

I heard that on the slow rail service. I didn't know how much it had affected the trucking industry, but it looks minimal, at best. Hopefully it'll stay that way!

So why are you leaving a factory job you have been at for 3 years? Do they have insurance benefits? Do they have a retirement plan? Is it close to your home? If you answered yes to all of those questions why do you want something else? Is the pay bad? IMHO OTR trucking sucks unless you have been doing it for over 10 years and are already getting premium wages. Soon after you begin you will realize all the things that you sacrifice and do for free for the company. If you MUST find out about trucking the hard way then I`d say do your year, then try to get a local job if your good at interviews. I used my year OTR to work my way up to a local trucking gig, then on to a local dairy plant job with a strong union and pensionioned retirement. But your already at a factory which seem to me are usually good jobs. So whats up?

Okay, there's so many ways to answer this one... I guess the best thing would be to step into my work boots. I'll do my best to explain the situation without going into a rant... lol.

Last year, we were bought out by an investment company. For those of you that have never seen a company crumble and get bought out by a set of these suckers, you're in for a ride. It's the difference between night and day.

We went from getting good vacation time (which I never used until now since we can't cash in our days anymore; what sense does that make?), profit sharing, 401k match $1-for-$1, good wages with yearly "cost of living" raise, etc. Now, and this has happened since I made my first post, we're without a week of vacation that we had before, we can't cash in the days anymore, no 401k match at all, no more profit sharing... Nothing. And since they just filed bankruptcy earlier this year, they're head-hunting, and they've got the law on their side to do whatever they want. Oh, and by the way partner, no union and we just took a 10% wage cut last Friday!

Before all of that happened, it's still one of the hardest jobs out there. That's not just me saying it; you'd just have to see it to know. It's 80+ degrees even in the dead of winter and 95+ in the summer. Plus, it's nothing but pure 'ol fashioned back-breaking labor.

Now, still and yet, I'm not complaining. I still have a job. GM filed for Chapter 11 Monday, and by Tuesday morning, we were busting at the seams. We've worked the last two Saturdays, and we'll probably be working a lot more.

Everyone I work with is trying to find something else. The people around here, though... They're trying to find a job just to bring home a paycheck. I'm ready to try something that hopefully I can make a career out of. That might be trucking and it might not be.

But, I can tell you this... In the past year, there have been several truckers come off the road to be with their families and tried to hack it with us at the plant. 90% of them didn't last a week. There's still a couple left, but I know of one that's going to be gone by Friday. That speaks volumes. Not to mention, I'm talking about guys who have driven for 10 years and more.

I like to travel, so the time away from home doesn't bother me. I handle stress very well, as I put up with a back-breaking load every night when I walk in that place. Unless I'm unloading a truck myself with a pallet jack, that's the only thing that comes close to crossing the iceberg between trucking and what I do.

I may be wrong, but it sounds like you have never worked in a factory before. If you think driving a truck sucks(which I don't) try working in a 98 degree factory only allowed to go to the bathroom at specified times and breaks and lunch and......no thanks been there done that. If you think dipatchers are dumb where do you think they come from? they were all floor supervisors in some factory before moving up the food chain to dispatchers.

Exactly.

I have a good chance at moving up where I am, but all of the bosses where I'm at are good friends of mine and they're under more stress than myself. Plus, for what the pay scale is around here, I could make more in my first year with the right company driving, believe it or not.

that's the problem with his factory job derelict, given those circumstances, he's not sure how long he'll have it.

True. I still don't know, but with it or without it, trucking... Here I come. lol.

now this has me curious. how would you be able to do both the job and the training? and if so, that's a no brainer. stay at the factory, do the classes, and time wise you'll be close to working the hours you'll do as an OTR driver. and believe me you'll need to get used to them.

It might not be easy, but I can manage. I'll go to school during the day and change over to the afternoon shift and work until midnight. Then start back over the next day. If I pass the school after four weeks and have a pretty good feeling that I'll be happy with it and be able to make it, I'll turn in my notice and do the road training and go from there.

I currently work in a factory that produces cream, cheese, and butter...technically a dairy. In the cheese plant it gets up in the 90`s, but were from central Cali and quite used to excessive heat, many times near 110 ;-) I use my class "a" to shuttle supplies from one side of the plant to the other and I am required to take breaks and lunches at certain times, big deal, thats just working for the man. As far as supervisors I have found that the Golden Rule usually works just fine, I get no trouble from them. Our supervisors make a few tens of thousands of dollars more than the OTR dispatchers around here, so I dont undrstand your point about moving up the food chain. I guess some people really enjoy driving "as I did", some people like the freedom of the open road "as I did", and some people just like sitting on theyre asses all day "which I didnt", so I found something better for me ;-)

That's my point there, as well.

I've got it in my blood, and I'm going to have to at least try it before I know I'll like it.

If I don't, I'll move on and find something else. ;-) But, I'm honestly looking forward to it being a great experience.

Thanks for all of the posts. The support and comments are great! Keep them coming!