Graduated truck school but can't get a break!

[SirCronus]

I recently graduated from Western Pacific Truck school with my Class A & all three of my endorsments, but can't seem to get a break from any of the companies. All these compaines for the most part want at least 1-3 years of OTR! Im sure hoping something pans out for me soon since I spent $4690.00 on truck school and to date have gotten nothing but apps to fill out & turn downs! What does a guy like myself do? Any help or information would be appreciated!

[Phantom433a]

Hate to sound like an A-hole, but if you had looked at the economy and read postings, along with trucking news sites, you would have seen that companies arn't hiring right now. My company has a waiting list of at least 100 drivers. With all the companies that closed down and O/O that lost their trucks....the market is flooded with qualified drivers. Don't give up though.....keep plugging away with the apps....something will break open eventually.

[GMAN]

I would check with some of the training carriers to see if they might have something. Swift, CRST, Roehl, Millis, Covenant and US Xpress are a few. As Phantom433a mentioned, some of them may have hiring freezes with the slow economy. Finding a good job as an inexperienced driver may be a challenge. Where you reside could also be an issue. If there are any truck stops near you there are free magazines that are available which list driving jobs. I would just keep on making phone calls and filling out applications. There are a couple of websites which offer a general application that will match you with those most likely to hire you. You can check the "Company Listings" on this forum for qualifications for many driving jobs. I believe there is also an application such as I mentioned that you can fill out. When the economy is this slow it is a matter of doing more leg work. It is much easier for carriers to deal with experienced drivers when things are slow. I am sure that you will find something if you keep at it.

[SickRick]

Damn dude...

$5K is A LOT TO SPEND on a school that doesn't offer PLACEMENT. While most schools can NOT GUARANTEE PLACEMENT - the more expensive ones DO have "ins" with companies that hire newbs. For THAT KIND OF $$, I would have expected to get more than a handshake and a piece of plastic with 3 endorsements.

I'm graduating a local county vocational school program (McFatter Technical Center, Davie, Florida). While WAY LESS EXPENSIVE than your school (or Roadmasters or some of the other CDL Mills) at $1,850 - I was told UP FRONT that there was no "placement service".

Other things to consider would be; your driving record, criminal convictions, DUI's, etc. Even with a CLEAN RECORD - location is also a major consideration.

In my case - NO ONE HIRES OUT OF FLORIDA - especially RECENT SCHOOL GRADUATES. A glance at Roadmasters "recruiter days" for their Orlando and Tampa locations clued me to this fact right off the bat.

So, I'll "adopt" a Georgia address and go from there.

With all the out of work executives that would flip burgers if they could, with fleets sitting idle (as GMan alluded to), now is probably the WORST TIME for a new to seek employment in the trucking industry - and not applying from the correct geographical location is likely the WORST STRIKE you can have against you...

Rick

[Kevin0915]

Okay, this might upset a few people, and i dont care, someone has to say it......

The economy has been on the decline since since Dec. 2007-ish....and really been in the tank since mid 2008. I was LUCKY and started/finished CDL school in Mid 2008. But seeing how since then, everything related to truck driving has been on the decline (i.e. freight, miles, companies actually hiring), why would ANYBODY even consider blowing $3,000 - 5,000 on getting your CDL, in the desperate hopes that YOU stand out and could actually get a job in short time??

The average driving school takes 3-4 weeks to complete. And they start on a weekly basis. You just KNOW how many people are so desperate looking for work, they graduate college with a degree in something, now they cannot find work, so instead of resorting to being a cook at Hooters (i really wouldnt mind..) they think they can make big bucks being a truck driver.

Like an IndyCar driver jumping in a car knowing the car is setup for a super speedway(little drag/little downforce), when they're racing at a 7/8 mile track (high drag/high downforce), and trying to keep pace.....they are going to find it almost impossible. Same holds true for anybody, ANYBODY going thru driver school, thinking they are going to automaticly have a job waiting for them at the end of the tunnel. Anybody who attends school in some desperate hope they'll have a job at the end of their hard work, is just plain STOOOOPID.

Kinda like if you were to jump off a cliff, with a sign that says "warning: cliff" and you dont bother to read the sign.....you are stoooopid. The sign has been out there in this industry saying "few to very little jobs out there", yet hundreds maybe thousands still continue to apply and attend driving schools, then cry about not getting work for this reason or that reason, when its all over with. How about, saving your $4,000, and sending it to me, or better yet, send it to Obama.....lord knows the country needs it.

[dobry4u]

it has a lot to do with where your home is located right now. Keep at it and be that squeaky wheel!

[SirCronus]

Thank you everyone for the information. (Bad & hopeful) I just wanted to say that the school told me that helping me get a job was going to be no problem! They have job placement at least so I was told. But it seems that just handing your grads apps to fill out isnt a whole lot of help. Now looking back its 20/20 seeing that they are just salesman trying to make a sale for the school and will say anything to make that "sale." Yet I will keep pounding the payment and hope for the best!

[Hawkjr]

Don't pay Kevin no mind.. It's hard finding a job for a Truck Driver period!! Experience or Inexperienced.. One thing is where your located!! it looks like your on the West Coast, i thought most Trucking companies out there had that Western Eleven thing going on like Werner/Swift and others.. Keep looking and something will pop up...

[FunkRider]

I know exactly how you feel. I'm in the same position. I paid $4000 out of my own pocket to go to school. They told me there are jobs but things are slow but they told me it wouldn't be THIS hard to land a job as a newbie.

[GMAN]

A friend of mine is looking for a driving job. He lives on the left coast. He is finding that some won't hire in California but will in Nevada and vice versa. It depends on their travel lanes. That can be true about anywhere you live. There are some regions where it can be more difficult to find a driving job than others. Florida, parts of the Western U.S. and New England can be difficult for some carriers.

[Malaki86]

Don't forget West Virginia. Pretty much impossible to find a driving job when you live in this state.

[bentstrider]

A friend of mine is looking for a driving job. He lives on the left coast. He is finding that some won't hire in California but will in Nevada and vice versa. It depends on their travel lanes. That can be true about anywhere you live. There are some regions where it can be more difficult to find a driving job than others. Florida, parts of the Western U.S. and New England can be difficult for some carriers.

I often asked about voluntarily relocating to get on with a decent fleet, no dice.
Just thought with having nothing in the way of relationships or children holding me down, that would be the best thing to do.
Hang in there and find a minor job to hold you over until things start picking up again.
Right now, we're all losing sleep, but some time from now we'll all look at this as some bad nightmare that we'll try to make sure never happens again.

[Orangetxguy]

I recently graduated from Western Pacific Truck school with my Class A & all three of my endorsments, but can't seem to get a break from any of the companies. All these compaines for the most part want at least 1-3 years of OTR! Im sure hoping something pans out for me soon since I spent $4690.00 on truck school and to date have gotten nothing but apps to fill out & turn downs! What does a guy like myself do? Any help or information would be appreciated!

First off...Your choice of a school for your training was wrong. Bates Votech in Tacoma would have been better AND cheaper.

Second....where do you live? That makes a difference on suggestions. There are companies that might hire you right now.

[Kevin0915]

Don't pay Kevin no mind.. It's hard finding a job for a Truck Driver period!! Experience or Inexperienced.. One thing is where your located!! it looks like your on the West Coast, i thought most Trucking companies out there had that Western Eleven thing going on like Werner/Swift and others.. Keep looking and something will pop up...

YEAH, dont pay any attention to my post, even though i'm right. Though i did leave out the problem of WHERE one might be located. When it comes down to it, how bad you want a job also might depend on relocating (at your cost naturally).

But the OP is correct. recruiters are sales people. Schools are a business. Like em or not, they are out to make money just like anybody else. I scratch my head why any company would keep their schools open, especially when the freight is not there for added trucks. (and yes, i know there is turnaround, and drivers who quit/fired for one reason or another). But schools are businesses. I went to college, graduated, and before i ever started, was promiced that they'd help in job placement.

Bottom line is, dont rely on others to do your work for you. If you want something bad enough, you've gotta do it yourself.

[dobry4u]

.
Bottom line is, dont rely on others to do your work for you. If you want something bad enough, you've gotta do it yourself.

Sometimes it is "who you know".... networking helps! CAD!!!!!

[SickRick]

YEAH, dont pay any attention to my post, even though i'm right. Though i did leave out the problem of WHERE one might be located. When it comes down to it, how bad you want a job also might depend on relocating (at your cost naturally).

But the OP is correct. recruiters are sales people. Schools are a business. Like em or not, they are out to make money just like anybody else. I scratch my head why any company would keep their schools open, especially when the freight is not there for added trucks. (and yes, i know there is turnaround, and drivers who quit/fired for one reason or another). But schools are businesses. I went to college, graduated, and before i ever started, was promiced that they'd help in job placement.

Bottom line is, dont rely on others to do your work for you. If you want something bad enough, you've gotta do it yourself.

College educated wheel holder.

So THAT'S WHY you're so bitter, negative and IGNORANT most of the time. College educated MORON, calling OTHER PEOPLE STOOPID...

You ARE good for a LAUGH once in awhile, since NO ONE HERE TAKES YOU SERIOUSLY...

Rick

[tracer]

I can give you 3 tips that might get you in the door.

1. Be proactive and place a free ad on a site like kijiji.com (your town, job wanted); another good one is Truck Driving Jobs, Trucker jobs, Owner Operators, truckdrivingjobs, cdl jobs These are all free.

2. Talk to some trucking companies in ... Canada. 95% of our runs are into U.S. I'm Canadian and I can work for U.S. company; so can you work for a Canadian company. Challenger Motor Freight out of Cambridge, Ontario hired me with 0 experience in 2005, right out of the trucking school. Situation is different now but it may be worth a try.

3. Talk to employment agencies in your town. Sometimes they might hire a Class "A" driver for local work. This will give you experience for getting a better job later on.

[Jay B]

YEAH, dont pay any attention to my post, even though i'm right. Though i did leave out the problem of WHERE one might be located. When it comes down to it, how bad you want a job also might depend on relocating (at your cost naturally).

But the OP is correct. recruiters are sales people. Schools are a business. Like em or not, they are out to make money just like anybody else. I scratch my head why any company would keep their schools open, especially when the freight is not there for added trucks. (and yes, i know there is turnaround, and drivers who quit/fired for one reason or another). But schools are businesses. I went to college, graduated, and before i ever started, was promiced that they'd help in job placement.

Bottom line is, dont rely on others to do your work for you. If you want something bad enough, you've gotta do it yourself.

May I ask where you went to college and what your degree is? I am just curious because I thought that grammar, spelling, sentence construction, and punctuation where covered in freshman writing.

[Kevin0915]

May I ask where you went to college and what your degree is? I am just curious because I thought that grammar, spelling, sentence construction, and punctuation where covered in freshman writing.

Well, seeing how most truck drivers wouldnt know what a pronoun or an adjective is, i think i am one up on every toothless truck driver who can't speak clearly enough on the CB to understand just what the !#$% they are saying.

and in this day and age of texting while driving/crapping/eating/sleeping/ brushing your hair/having sex, good luck being a member of the spelling police.

[Kevin0915]

College educated wheel holder.

So THAT'S WHY you're so bitter, negative and IGNORANT most of the time. College educated MORON, calling OTHER PEOPLE STOOPID...

You ARE good for a LAUGH once in awhile, since NO ONE HERE TAKES YOU SERIOUSLY...

Rick

again, ask me if i care what you or anybody thinks about me. i dont give two shakes of my johnson after a 10-100 what you think about me.

as for an answer as to what i went to college for (as if i have to explain anything to anybody), my major was architecture and construction drafting. and before you start laughing, I had a couple paid jobs even before i had graduated. I much preferred being 'hands on' and drawing up the plans with my hands, and pens/pencils. Toward the end of the program, they started teaching us on AutoCad 13, and come to find out that most firms were using AutoCad. I can understand why, because it is 20x faster than doing things by hand, however I still enjoyed being 'hands on'. And i didnt continue down that road because i was no good or didnt have any permanent job offers, I wasn't going to jump thru the hoops they wanted me to jump thru. I can tell you that i've forgot more math that i learned for architecture than you'd ever learn in your whole life.