another job bites the dust UPDATE
#51
09-17-2007, 03:51 AM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: the Buckeye
Posts: 1,732
Well if you are not opposed to OTR and a little labor I would suggest a flatbed to start. Thats what I did. My reasons were because the money is a little better than a van and with most flats you will be off weekends. 5 days on the road is enough for me and I like my weekends. My suggestion is Maverick, my cousin started there and he is very happy for a first job. He avgs 800-1200 a week gross. Its a little harder to find that kind of money and weekends off in a van unless you have alot more experience. If money and home time is not important and your goal is to see the country then look at vans. If your goal is to stay local thats a little tougher. Read the papers and respond to every ad regardless of what it says. You might have a shot with dump trucks. Believe it or not Conway hires newbies but You will work the dock and be on call for at least a year. Its a good job if you get some seniority. Like Greg says, get a year and stay clean and you will have alot of options. If you're thinking LTL get your doubles and hazmat now so it will be on there when you apply and you wont have to pay to reissue your liscence.
You have to decide but if it were me. I would go to Maverick for a year or however long it took to get a good local job. Its a solid company that will train you properly as opposed to some local bottom feeder where you are home daily but drive crap and are abused. As for picking my second job. You dont have a family and dont need a lot of money so I would sacrifice a little and get the best job I could for the long run. What I mean is places like Fedex Freight, Yellow, Roadway, UPS Freight. Nobody quits these jobs because they pay so well and they all have pensions. But that means at the bottom of the list you do all the crap nobody wants or maybe dont work at all when its not busy. After a couple years you'll be set. If you need money right now these places wont supply a steady enough check in the beginning. Another one is fuel delivery. Again not for me. But its a good paying local job where you start at the bottom and will probably work weekends for a few years until you get seniority. Well, were off topic now! LOL! I'm sure others have some ideas. Good luck.
#52
09-17-2007, 04:14 AM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: the Buckeye
Posts: 1,732
BTW when it comes to food service Jackrabbit works for sysco. They are a little like LTL. During the day its city delivery and at night its all linehaul, (just driving). I imagine its a good long term job if you survive the first few years. Again, all you need is a year or two for these better jobs. More importantly you need to be CLEAN and have the proper endorsements. Its not that hard to get hired. The hardest part is survivng the the first couple years at the bottom of the board. So you do a year or two OTR and then start over another year or two at the bottom of the list and you'll be all set. Sounds easy right? :lol:
#54
02-18-2008, 11:47 AM
Re: another job bites the dust
Originally Posted by ColdFrostyMug
Originally Posted by Mackman
Well i think am leaving Venezia already. I got my 1st real check what a joke. Gettin paid by the ton sucks. This 1 load took me 4hrs and 15mins total and paid 39.00 dollars what a joke that aint even 10an hr. I need to get back into dump trucks gettin paid by the hr. I got a offer like a week ago to drive a dump truck for 19 an hr.
The only exception is in a dedicated linehaul operation where accessories kick-in when the wheels stop turning. Otherwise you're gonna get the shaft.
#55
02-18-2008, 11:55 AM
Originally Posted by greg3564
Originally Posted by Mackman
its all of them loads look at my pay sheet just click on it a couple times to get it lager. The one load to MD to Nj i had 7 hrs in that load and it paid 77 dollars what a joke. CFM you are 100% right only way to truck is by the hr. that check was for 58hrs come on all you guys out there nows its a joke how many of you would work for that.
 How many guys like you have said that they would never work for a big company again, just to find out the mom n pop companies weren't what they're cracked up to be. Then they come on CAD and whine how DAC is screwing them, waaa waaa waaa! :roll: It's guys like you who forced the creation of DAC. They didn't act like an adult.
#56
02-18-2008, 12:00 PM
Originally Posted by greg3564
Originally Posted by Snowman7
Originally Posted by BuffaloWingz
Snow, any advice on where to start with a newbie? I'm getting my CDL soon here, and don't want to go the meat market/grinder route.
Do you want local or OTR? How much physical labor would you do? How much do you have to make right now? Do you live in a rural or urban area? How much hometime do you want? How old? Any dependents? I cant offer alot of OTR advice, OTR is not me. LTL jobs pay well and have good bennies but they require experience and more importantly sqeaky clean backgrounds. Once you do start the work and your paycheck can be erratic until you get some seniority. If you want to go LTL (Conway, Fedex, UPS etc) start when you're young and dont have alot of bills and you'll be a happy driver after a couple years seniority. Then you got dump trucks, tankers, beverage, cement mixers, flats, reefers, food service...etc...etc...etc Don't speed. Don't do drugs or drink(you can drink, just not when driving and not before a drug test) Don't drive recklessly. Don't get arrested. If you have a spotless criminal and driving record, you can do very well and be paid top notch. Seems simple enough and it is. But if you screw around, expect to working for bottom feeders that pay crap the rest of your career. A FRICKAN MEN !!!! I'm tryna patch holes now ...its lookin like i might just have to try another route ...and wait two years for a ticket to fall off as the recruiter said ... its funy how I didnt think much about it at the time ...its got its teeth in my butookus now boy ! SHawn
#57
02-18-2008, 01:47 PM
I may not be a driver, but can tell you from experience that it's NEVER a wise move to burn bridges. In the future, I'd suggest having a talk with your boss or DM or whoever and discuss why your unhappy with your current employement. Then talk about possible solutions. Trust me, even if things don't work out and you leave, they will respect your decision, not leave a negative on your DAC and you'll probably be rehired if you ever so desire. Just some friendly advice.
#58
02-18-2008, 02:08 PM
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Concordville PA
Posts: 3,841
This is the only job that i burn my bridge LOL Venezia was a joke of a outfit. Yes my DAC is messed up but i dont care. Venezia was the only company i work for that even uses DAC. I drive a dump truck now at 18/hr OT after 40. Im still with the company that i went to right after i quit Venezia. Dump Truck outfits dont use DAC just your coolie carriers (thats for you CFM). I work alot less hours now and make more money. Plus my new job is 2.4 miles away from my house. I would do it all over again in a min.
__________________
Truck Driving an occupation consisting of hours of boredom interrupted by sheer terror!! "All the coolie carriers suck. Log 70, work 80-100, paid for 50." - the Great ColdFrostyMug 
#59
02-18-2008, 02:10 PM
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Concordville PA
Posts: 3,841
I also want to add that Venezia was the 1st driving job i took that didnt pay Hourly. SO that open up my eyes that getting paid CPM or % or anything else is a joke. I drive local really only for that reason. I love getting paid by the hr.
__________________
Truck Driving an occupation consisting of hours of boredom interrupted by sheer terror!! "All the coolie carriers suck. Log 70, work 80-100, paid for 50." - the Great ColdFrostyMug
#60
02-18-2008, 03:43 PM
huh
Originally Posted by Piece Of Work
I agree that there needs to be a DAC report about how companies treat drivers. I guess this kind of forum is all we'll ever get.
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