Unfortunately, that 12 month gap in your employment might as well be a 12 year gap, given the current lack of driving jobs available in this market. I'm sure things will eventually turn around, but you need to remember that there is a long line of drivers ahead of you who have a more current work history. The fact that your record is clean will help, but probably not right now. But your lack of current work history pretty much eliminates a huge chunk of carriers right off the bat, which also eliminates your ability to demand certain working conditions.

I'd suggest looking into a refresher course, but prior to taking one, asking some of the carriers on your list whether that will improve your chances of getting hired.

 

Well hazmat tanker can include hauling stuff that goes BOOOOOOOOOM!!! if you get into the wrong situation. I know a guy who burned to death in a tanker hauling fuel. Not to mention corrosives and other nasty gunk you wouldn't want to inhale or get on your skin.

Your paying the bills hualing a hazmat tanker? I can do that pulling dry van freight with no risk of ending up on the fricking moon if some moron rear-ends me. Yes there should be a premium for hauling that stuff...a BIG ONE...because it's more dangerous due to the inherent risks involved.

 

Yeah you can pay the bills hauling dry van freight. Can you only work 5 1/2 moths of the year, and still pay all your bills, hauling dry van freight??

As far as the safety aspect. If I drive my truck safely as I possibly can, then I do not have anything to worry about, because I have already compensated for the unsafe acts of those around me.

Is that to hard to figure out?

I've been doing this 30 years now. I personally, have never had anything go "BOOM" on me. And yes...I haul some pretty nasty stuff.

I knew someone whom drowned in his load.

He worked when he should have stayed home. He took a long load, when he should have limited himself to short loads. He drove his truck into a ravine, turned the truck upside down, in a depression, split the cargo compartments open on both truck and trailer, and drowned in 9700 gallons of diesel. He was trapped in the cab, because the roof of the (day)cab, crushed down across the seats and the dash when he rolled.
They know he was conscious, because he had rolled his trip book into a cone, in an effort to get breathable air.

The OP of this thread, is still a "Rookie" whom effectively negated his limited driving experience, by working 18 months as a driver, then taking 12 months off. It is commendable that he went home to care for his sick parent. However...Corporations do not give credit for that. They could careless that he did that.
He wants specific things in this economy, when, given his "limited" experience, there are 2 "experienced" drivers out there, for every postion he wants for himself.

Am I to hard on the man? What can I say. I seldom "sugar-coat" anything.

There are many things in life, which I know how to do. For the last 30 years, I have driven a truck. I am better suited to comment on "truck driving" than I am on "Animal Health" or crop planting and effective fertilization of said crop, or "Fracing" an oil well.

 

Well the problem is you can never compensate for someone elses stupididty or negligence no matter how safe you drive. Mabye some 4 wheeler under the influence of drugs or alchohol or a fellow trucker asleep at the wheel or bending down to reach for his cellphone while your stopped ahead in traffic with your flashers on.

All it takes is the right idiot at the wrong time. Hopefully you go quick and don't burn to death.

Well my buddy who burned to death had 32 years behind the wheel.

Say what you will about hauling dry van but that stuff won't blow sky-high in the event of an impact. The risks for hauling hazmat tanker are way higher than van freight no matter what you think or say or do.

No I don't make the money you do...but I don't want to for the risks you assume. And it's not just bodily injury it can be a leak that goes into a river or stream....you could be lookinga at untold millions in potential claims and cleanup costs. NO THANKS!!!!

 

I think this dry van/tanker fighting is BS. You have just as much chance going boom with a dry van as you do with a tanker. One of our drivers was driving in Chicago early on morning. A van run a red light and hit his drivers side fuel tank and the truck went up in a ball of flames. Thankfully, he got out o.k. but everything he had in the truck except what he had on. Now, if he has a tanker of explosive, it would have been a bigger fire, but he would have had the same chance of getting out. Or, if he had a dry van full of explosives, same thing. Luckily he had an empty trailer so no cargo damage (or a bigger explosion) but by the time the fire would have spread to the trailer, he would have been out. Empty, tanker, or dry.

I agree with Orange TX. You had 18 months experience, then you took 12 months off. Now you basically have zero experience. You might find a 1/2 way decent company that has a refresher course, but I don't know. Heartland has a free refresher, but I wouldn't recommend them right now. They might be o.k. to work for in better times, but dry van freight is slow, slow right now. Most companies say "one year experience within the last 18 months" or something like that. With your experience, its going to be tough.

Here's the key also to sleeping with a reefer. Can you sleep with the truck idling? Before you go to bed, go to the control panel on the reefer unit and set it for "continuous" operation. That way the motor will constantly run, but it will just kick the compressor on and off when it needs it. Sounds basically like the truck idling when its like that. Sure, it uses more fuel, but if you are a company driver, they are paying for the fuel. Besides, you get so used to that unit kicking on and off you don't even notice it after a while. Its easier to sleep with the continuous set, but you would adjust really fast to a reefer.

Good luck finding a job man, but I think you are going to have a tough time. First, your experience is pretty slim as far as insurance and companies goes. Sorry to tell you, but its true. Second, the economy is totally in the crapper. I read an article (I think in Landline) about the drop in freight. Out of the "big 3" types of freight, flatbed has been hit the hardest, dry van is number 2 and reefer freight is down, but has been steadier than the other two.

Hope you find something. Let us know how its going. I'd start calling recruiters as soon as you got up and don't stop till you either find something or they go home. Call as many companies as you can. First thing, ask if they will take you with your experience. If not, mark them off the list. Then weed out from that shortened list. Keep going down through all the things you want. You may find something, but more likely you are going to have to take a hit on one of your "requirements" for a while.

 

Yeah? I think hauling napalm around would be a safer gig...than picking up random nutjobs from random places in a taxicab! No thanks!

 

Hi, Rev. Thanks for your input! I understand what you are saying but...11 months off isn't quite the same as 12 years off. I have had a bunch of companies contact me. They have my driving and job information. They know I have been out of work and there is a gap for the past 11 months. I may (or may not) have to go through a short refresher course with a company. It's all good! I just want to get back out there and make a lot of $.

One problem I am having is...I can't park a truck here (at home) due to local laws. I need a company with a dropyard or terminal reasonably close to here. This is something I am currently researching with each company. Most I have to contact directly and ask that specifically. Usually, they don't have that information on their website.

 

Try Hogan, check out their website.

pronghornracer

 

The argument is not dry-van vs tanker it's dry-van vs HAZMAT tanker.

You have your opinion and I respect that. But call up an insurer like say Progressive and tell em' you want an insurance quote (comprehensive/liability) for hauling general commodities. Now tell them you want to also haul hazmat ans see what happens to the rates they quote you.

You will see a rather big difference in the rates. Now if a big insurance company knows there is more risk in hauling hazmat than non, than that might tell you something about the risks involved.

 

Hey you! How have you been? I miss talking to you! Are you working for Hogan? What have you been up to? Drop me a line anytime. My Yahoo IM is always on. I don't have your # because my last cell got destroyed and I lost all of the numbers. I guess it's much cheaper and better to break a cell phone (than breaking your ass on a sheet of ice though).

I actually just applied to them online! I have the release forms printed out and I just need to fax those. I also applied to a bunch of other companies, too.

For some reason, some companies want a written application and written authorization forms. Others, you can apply online but you have to print and fax just the authorization forms. The rest, you can just do it all electronically online.