[SickRick]

Since most companies are looking for 1-2 years experience - which ones hire CDL School Graduates?

I'll be attending school at the local County Votech here in South Florida (graduate in July), so I guess the focus of the question narrows to companies where you don't have to attend THEIR SCHOOL and become a slave to the student loan.

I also noticed that most companies will NOT hire out of South Florida. Personally, once the bank takes my house (foreclosure/bankruptcy) I plan on putting "what's left" in storage and hitting the road for at least a year - so relocation/home time is not an issue. Since I'm "terminally single" I don't have a wife or g/f to come home to - so relocation to the "best area" for a better job after I've "paid my dues" is more important than where I'm living now - though for "tax purposes" I'd like to keep Florida my "legal residence" (no state income or personal property taxes).

Informative board here. I'll appreciate all suggestions...

Rick

[thbogle]

No company comes to mind that is actually hiring Grads in south Florida although Im sure someone has to be. Check your local Truck stop and pick up a few of the employment rags (RPM is one that pops into my head first) and check them even start calling and seeing if they hire grads and seeing what their requirements are. Most will have a hiring map listed in the ad if not you can always find their website and check their. Remember there are some companies right now on a hiring freeze. Check with Covenant, Im not sure if they hire from Florida and they arent the greatest company but its a start and they dont make you go to their driving school. You can always get a year there and then move to someone who will treat you better

It seems to me most companies will hire north of Orlando and in the Panhandle but you must stay out x number of weeks. I would say if you have a friend up there you can trust to recieve your mail and hold it for you, see if you can rent a room for say a 1$ a month so you can have an address up there to make it easier for you to get hired. Just watch it though some companies have quit hiring from Florida all together because freight is so cheap there.

Hope this helps, Its not much but I'm sure someone will come along shortly thats more learned than I. Maybe they can help more than I have. Good luck in your venture.

[Daytripper]

My situation is very similiar. I'm north of Orlando, and I've been considering having an "out-of-state" address as a "mailing address", while still maintaining my Florida citizenship.

If I actually had to change my state of residency, Texas or Nevada might be good choices.h Good luck, I finish Mid-FL Tech on June 25th.

In the meantime, Orlando and Orange County residents, if you see a tractor/trailer with Mid FL Tech on the doors, be very afraid!

Tom

[blaster man]

Hey Rick what school did you go to? I went to Mcfatter in davie. Just use a address north of orlando. Companies don't like to come down here.

[geargrinder]

It's kind of a shame that new CDL's are still being pumped out. The jobs just aren't out there for inexperienced drivers.

Many of you are displaced workers eligible for government sponsored re-training. I strongly suggest you don't hop into the CDL school racket. You get one shot at free re-training.

Use it wisely. Training for the medical field, higher tech blue collar - CNC, HVAC, etc. will serve you better in the long run.

If you have a decent head on your shoulders you should consider fast food. It's easy to joke about burger flippers. But, you have a better chance at making
$50 - $100k in fast food than trucking. You get the added benefit of being home and having friends and supportive relationships.

This is a rotten industry. The government is out to make your life rotten. Shippers and receivers treat you like the scum of the earth (good or bad attitude, fat slob or adonis, wearing greasy sweats or dressed to the 9's - you are still a driver). You sleep in a can. You shower in pig styes. The Corporate Office is an army whose sole mission is cut your pay and make your life miserable. The motoring public generally hates you. You work irregular hours and are constantly tired. You eat garbage - because you are always in a hurry to get to the next place to "sit." You lose touch with family and friends.

There is no glamor. The money isn't very good. And everyone is trying to get into your pocket.

[matcat]

Originally Posted by geargrinder

It's kind of a shame that new CDL's are still being pumped out. The jobs just aren't out there for inexperienced drivers.

Many of you are displaced workers eligible for government sponsored re-training. I strongly suggest you don't hop into the CDL school racket. You get one shot at free re-training.

Use it wisely. Training for the medical field, higher tech blue collar - CNC, HVAC, etc. will serve you better in the long run.

If you have a decent head on your shoulders you should consider fast food. It's easy to joke about burger flippers. But, you have a better chance at making
$50 - $100k in fast food than trucking. You get the added benefit of being home and having friends and supportive relationships.

This is a rotten industry. The government is out to make your life rotten. Shippers and receivers treat you like the scum of the earth (good or bad attitude, fat slob or adonis, wearing greasy sweats or dressed to the 9's - you are still a driver). You sleep in a can. You shower in pig styes. The Corporate Office is an army whose sole mission is cut your pay and make your life miserable. The motoring public generally hates you. You work irregular hours and are constantly tired. You eat garbage - because you are always in a hurry to get to the next place to "sit." You lose touch with family and friends.

There is no glamor. The money isn't very good. And everyone is trying to get into your pocket.

Sounds like you need to get away from whatever coolie carrier you are with!

[Sealord]

I've been considering having an "out-of-state" address as a "mailing address", while still maintaining my Florida citizenship." Trucking companies, insurers, DOT, and TSA like to have a driver's home address and address on the CDL match. Won't even get into the federal/state personal income tax angle. BOL

[DDCavi]

Originally Posted by matcat

Sounds like you need to get away from whatever coolie carrier you are with!

HA, once again someone misusing the stupid CC comment. Hes far from working for a CC. I think he basically hits "trucking" dead on. Ive only had my CDL for 10 months, and it was the biggest mistake I made getting it so far. Of course no school is going to be upfront with newbies getting their CDLs and tell them there isnt **** for work. If I could go back to school itd probably be for HVAC. I now have a $6k loan to pay ($15k if I make minimal payments for 20 YEARS!) and dont have a job right now.

[SickRick]

Originally Posted by DDCavi

HA, once again someone misusing the stupid CC comment. Hes far from working for a CC. I think he basically hits "trucking" dead on. Ive only had my CDL for 10 months, and it was the biggest mistake I made getting it so far. Of course no school is going to be upfront with newbies getting their CDLs and tell them there isnt **** for work. If I could go back to school itd probably be for HVAC. I now have a $6k loan to pay ($15k if I make minimal payments for 20 YEARS!) and dont have a job right now.

Sorry to hear that...

I'm going to a local county Vo-Tech. Very good course - 9 weeks/1,000 Road Miles - $1,875 with books. Paid for out of pocket already.

Sorry that all these guys who just got into it, haven't found it to be what they expected - or had UNJUSTIFIABLY HIGH expectations.

I'm going into it expecting the WORST for the first couple of years. Have NO HOME OR FAMILY to worry about - so I can concentrate on THE JOB, giving it my best shot and letting the chips fall where they may.

$6K for a student loan is WAY OUT OF HAND. I guess going into a new profession IN DEBT can make anyone a little sour on it. PLEASE TELL ME you didn't LEASE A TRUCK TOO...

Rick

[matcat]

Originally Posted by DDCavi

HA, once again someone misusing the stupid CC comment. Hes far from working for a CC. I think he basically hits "trucking" dead on. Ive only had my CDL for 10 months, and it was the biggest mistake I made getting it so far. Of course no school is going to be upfront with newbies getting their CDLs and tell them there isnt **** for work. If I could go back to school itd probably be for HVAC. I now have a $6k loan to pay ($15k if I make minimal payments for 20 YEARS!) and dont have a job right now.

No, it is not dead on. I will break it down for you even.

It's kind of a shame that new CDL's are still being pumped out. The jobs just aren't out there for inexperienced drivers.

This I agree with

Many of you are displaced workers eligible for government sponsored re-training. I strongly suggest you don't hop into the CDL school racket. You get one shot at free re-training.

Use it wisely. Training for the medical field, higher tech blue collar - CNC, HVAC, etc. will serve you better in the long run.

Yes there are a lot of re-training incentives out there, but the field you go in is up to you, if HVAC/Medical/Blue Collar etc was so wonderful, everyone would do it. Sorry but you will not catch me crawling around under peoples houses with all them nasty bugs trying to fix someones air vent, nor will you catch me in a hospital getting puked on.

If you have a decent head on your shoulders you should consider fast food. It's easy to joke about burger flippers. But, you have a better chance at making
$50 - $100k in fast food than trucking. You get the added benefit of being home and having friends and supportive relationships.

That was the most ridiculousness thing I ever read on this board ever. I have a relative that worked for McD for 42 years! She worked her way up the management chain, all the way to regional manager, she only made 45k doing that. Sorry but if you think you are going to make a good living flippin burgers part time (they dont hire full time btw) at minium wage, then go ahead, have a nice happy home in that cardboard box of yours.

This is a rotten industry.

That is your opinion, certainly not mine.

The government is out to make your life rotten.

I cannot disagree with that.

Shippers and receivers treat you like the scum of the earth (good or bad attitude, fat slob or adonis, wearing greasy sweats or dressed to the 9's - you are still a driver).

Again I disagree, I have been to many shippers and recievers like that yes, but I have also been to a lot that where REALLY nice. Also please note this is not industry wide. Doing speciality freight it is quite the opposite, they WANT you to get loaded fast and quick, and the reciever WANTS you there and to get it off fast and quick because they need it, and they treat you good.

You sleep in a can.

My Volvo 780 is far from a can, and when I drove a Columbia, it was far from a can too. I will agree a truck is not a house, and it is not even an RV! But it is what you make it. If you didn't like the conditions in your truck, you should of done something about it.

You shower in pig styes.

Your choice for going to nasty truck stops instead of the clean ones.

The Corporate Office is an army whose sole mission is cut your pay and make your life miserable.

In a COOLIE CARRIER yes you are right, but guess what, not everyone drives for a big mega coolie carrier, I don't anymore, and probably never will again.

The motoring public generally hates you.

There are those that hate you, but most of them do not hate you, most of them just have no clue how to drive safely around a truck or understand a trucks limits.

You work irregular hours and are constantly tired.

Yes you drive irregular hours, it is a part of the job, should of realized that before you ever stepped foot into whatever building you did to get your CDL. Constantly tired? No, far from it.

You eat garbage

That is your choice. You have the choice to eat whatever you want.

because you are always in a hurry to get to the next place to "sit." You lose touch with family and friends.

Again, same thing as irregular hours, it is a part of the job, should of realized this when they told you you will be out 3+ weeks at a time.

Sorry if this post seems rather blunt and hurts your feelings, I don't care. Life is what you make of it, you are responsable for your own actions, no one else is. If you want to eat crap for food, well that is your choice, you want to look at your truck as a can, again, that is your choice to look at it like that.

I love what I do, I love this industry, and I love my 'can'! If you don't, that is fine, you are entitled to like or dislike what you want, but do not go bashing it just because it isn't for you after you found out it was nothing like you thought it would be.

There is no glamor. The money isn't very good. And everyone is trying to get into your pocket.