I'm new to trucking, I just started driving a few weeks ago. I got started with Swift. I went through their school and got my CDL, now I'm training with my mentor.

My question to all you experienced drivers out there, is where did you all get started at? It seems when I was trying to get started there were very limited options. Did you guys drive for a big company like Swift or Schneider to start out or did you get experience from somewhere else first? It seems almost all these companies want at least a year of experience to hire drivers, so where are all these guys getting the experience from? Just curious to find out how you guys got started into trucking. Thanks in advance.

 

I went to a private CDL school and the hired on with Swift. 7-8 years ago there were very few options of finding companies that would hire students unless they happened to run an ad in a local paper or a recruiter came to the school you were attending.

 

21 years ago it was much different,I lucked into my first job someone I had applied to called and said this company was looking for a driver and I called them,started the next day.No experience except for driving some with my Dad and private driving school.

 

I got my start by being a smarta$$. I backed into a O/O that was a bull hauler, and there was exchange of words and I told him that any monkey could drive a truck. So the challenge began, and the truck was a 4 X $ tranny. Imagine my fun learning to drive that thing.

 

I went to school back in 94', went to work for a now- defunct company called PST, tolerated them for 91 days and quit...the drove for Swift for a year and a half, then moved on to CFI for better money, etc.... nowadays I'm pulling a tanker..

 

Things were much different when I started driving in the early 70's. I drove a straight truck for a manufacturer for about a year. From there I moved into 18 wheelers or semi's, as we called them then. We all learned on the job. My training consisted of an experienced driver sitting in the jump seat and going around the block, literally. He showed me where everything was located, such as the air brakes were and told me how to double clutch. After that, I drove the big trucks. I think that is a good way to learn.

 

Yeah, I started in the 70's myself. a chauffeurs license, a med card, and i was off and running. Back then you could just say you had experience. My first truck was an old logging truck with a built on sleeper and a 5X4 browning transmission, ah those were the days...lol Now I go back and forth from driving to carpentry work. and it seems it takes longer to get on these days. I did start with swift when I got my CDL, but like everyone else quickly disillusioned. work there for 3 months, and go to like Knight or someone like that.

 

I read the CDL book and used my permit at a moving company for a few months and finally got my CDL without school. I went to United Van Lines afterwards and haven't looked back :lol:

 

I went to a private school and got my license that way, and now I drive for Schneider.

 

i thought someone would say they started when they were 10 years old and gone 30 million miles and am just sick of what everybody is doing. must be at another blog