I believe navguy meant this "Tongue-in-Cheek". I only HOPE you knew that. lol :lol:

 

yes i got it............but thank you!

 

While I do see where companies are coming from when they say they want so much time OTR. But then I start to think, "well what the hell is the difference between driving a truck across the country or across town?" The answer is very simple, trip planning and time management. Perhaps I'm old school in my thinking but anyone with some common sense can figure those two things out on their own. It is also my personal opinion that having driven so many types of trucks in my short career that it has made me a better driver all around. When I drive anything I now use all the things I've learned in the different types of trucks in my everyday driving.

Now as far as driving an ambulance, I would have to disagree with you when you say it doesn't do me any good. A company may not see it as useful but I'm sure anyone who has driven an ambulance or fire truck will tell you it is much more stressful and demanding than driving a big truck. Not to mention that people who drive emergency vehicles are held to a lot of the same laws as CDL drivers.

Fred I understand what you are saying and I know for the large companies there is no fesseable way to do that. But if there was a way I just think the industry would be better off as a whole.

I know some companies want drivers to take a refresher course if it has been a while since they have driven, but in my case I still drive a car carrier for my uncle every now and then just for fun because I miss driving. My skills aren't rusty at all so if I was made to take such a class I would no problem as long as they payed me a normal weeks pay and not just 300 bucks.

 

my neighbor got his CDL in some way without going to CDL school and he cant even get a job with the local construction company driving cement trucks. not too bad a guy, but i gave him the advise to take a refresher class and he didnt take it. he was trying to get on with TMC and he was turned down. at least that what he tells me. im not 100% sure, but i would bet that it has to due to the background and driving experience. not to mention personal pride.

 

All the local companies around my area put you in a truck and take you for a road test after you fill out the application. If you can drive decent they will hire you as long as your MVR and stuff is good. In fact none of the companies that are truly local as in "mom and pop" companies even ask if you went to a truck driving school, as most of them know how much of a joke those schools are. Hell I would have had my CDL without going to school but I got suckered into swifts school even though I had my road test scheduled before I left for their school.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a refresher course. But I think it should only be recomended after a road test has been given to determine how well you drive. There is nothing worse than feeling like a company is wasting your time.

 

Isn't that all the companies are? Just paper. Come work for us, you can make alot of money, be home often and drive a newer truck. Almost all trucking ads promise these things and more. If a driver fills out an app and states in the "reason for leaving section" Job#1 low pay, Job#2 unsafe equipment, and so on. Even though it seems like job hopping couldn't it be a driver wanting to make the most of their career and NOT settleing for a low paying company or one with unsafe equipment or one that is run poorly. People can research a company all they want and say that this is the right job for me, but when they get there and are stuck with small paychecks that they can't live on, never getting them home, driving trucks they don't feel safe in, or dispatched by someone who pushes them to go over hours and threatens to punish or fire them if they don't do it. Why would anyone stay even if they only had that job 3 months nobody in their right mind would tell themselves "If I don't go bankrupt, get divorced, or get myself killed for the next nine months somebody should hire me because I am not a job hopper". Every case is different and if companies want to hire expierenced or qualified drivers they need to realize this and also work on driver retention.

 

Well said Jumbo, those are my thoughts exactly. It is sad to know that the companies only look at the number of jobs and not the actual reason for leaving. More times than not I bet they listen to the lies that someones former employer tells them instead of the driver.

 

Please don't think I am not symapthetic to your plight. Despite working for one company for 18 years, I had a few one year jobs and was essentially punished for it by potential employers for the same reason. However, I often think that TMC is too lenient in their hiring also. I can't do anything about any of it. "Mongo just pawn in game of life."

 

Von,

I realize that there is nothing you can do about it. It just is the way it is. But, it shouldn't be that way. There isn't anybody in the office anywhere that can say that "I make this company money" The only people who can say that are the people out there going up and down the road delivering freight. Not a recruiter, accountant, shop guy, or the CEO can say that. They maybe can save the company some money, but not make it unless they are performing some outside work for which the company gets paid. Driver turnover is one of the biggest problems companies have. Whenever the Green Bay paper does a story on trucking they run right down to BIG ORANGE to get the scoop. Last story they did was about the driver pool getting older and BIG ORANGES quote was "We have to bring in 50-75 new drivers each week just to keep up". I doubt that 50-75 drivers retire each week. The problem is they can't keep guys on. When the industry can figure out how to keep the drivers they hire the only ones not able to fill trucks will be the bottom feeders. Sorry to make such long posts.

 

I was on another thread reading and a guy was saying that TMC makes you take the trailer home too when you get days off. Is this true b/c TMC says the long-haul division has many drop & hooks?

If it is true, it shoudn't be a problem b/c my town allows local drivers to drop trailers in a rest area on the interstate. But would TMC allow it?

Note: I'll be OTR 48 state starting in May.

Thanks.