You're a NEW CDL Driver, But Can't Get a Job? Let's Fix That!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ก.พ. 2022
- One of the most common problems new grads encounter after graduating from a private CDL truck driver training school, is getting a truck driving job, without experience. In this video, Dave gives lots of suggestions to fix this issue, and get the driving experience you need to get a driving job.
New drivers find that carriers want their new hires to have 1-2 years experience driving, in order to be hired. (Reason is often the insurance companies dictate this policy)
Some schools have a job placement program.
Many do not.
If they do have a placement program, it may not be a company you want to work for.
It’s really disheartening to spend all that time and money on training, only to discover you can’t get a job as a drive.
NOW, there’s ONE distinct advantage of the Company-Sponsored Training Schools. There’s a job waiting for you at the end of the training (if you survive the training!).
Here are SOME IDEAS to get that driving experience, that carriers are looking for:
A. GET A JOB THAT DOESN’T REQUIRE A CLASS A CDL
- Often a first driving job can start with seat time in a 3 or 5 ton truck.
Everything from a delivery van to a construction dump truck can count.
-Apply to delivery companies operating locally in your area.
- There’s construction companies, with dump trucks
- Rail and Hydro companies have trucks
-Bus companies
-Farming operations running their own trucks
Oil Rig outfits
-Snow Plows or gravel trucks, with township or counties.
-Straight trucks
- Lumber yards with delivery trucks
-Moving companies
-Large trucking companies always need ‘shunt drivers’
- Independent Owner Operators
-Hot shot companies
-Mail carriers, like UPS and FedEX
The list is endless if you really buckle down and look around
***A bright side to working at one of these driving jobs you may not expect, is they often have decent pay.
Who knows? Maybe after getting on board with one of these companies, you may decide to stick with them, if it all works out.
B. LOOK TO COMPANIES WHO HAVE LOWERED THE THRESHOLD
** Due to the so-called DRIVER SHORTAGE, more carriers are lowering the amount of driving experience needed in order to be hired.
- As of recent, we understand YELLOW is hiring licensed drivers with zero experience.
A few others are:
- MILLIS TRANSFER
- ROEHL
- PRIME
C. GET A JOB WITH A MEGA CARRIER.
AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, You could even apply to the mega carriers as a licensed driver, to get that experience. That way if it doesn’t work out, you owe them nothing and can leave without any obligation.
D. LOOK FOR COMPANIES WITH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
There are some companies who will take on licensed drivers and train them, to work at their company.
-Maverick Transportation is an example of a company who has this type of program.
- TMC also has an apprenticeship program for new grads with limited experience.
In Conclusion…..
Yes, it can be downright frustrating to be a newly trained truck driver, from a good quality school, ready to hit the road, but no wants to hire you.
It can be tough. You will need to knock on a lot of doors to get what you want. Be persistent. Keep at it until you find a company who is willing to take a chance on you.
Be willing to take what you are offered.
Apply to every company you can.
Don’t be discouraged.
Lack of driving experience can be a barrier to getting a truck driving job, but it’s a wall that can be torn down!
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PLEASE NOTE: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS PAID SPONSORSHIP ADVERTISING FOR GP TRANSCO."
Here's a link to check out their site and find out if they're a good fit for you. Definitely take the time to investigate this carrier. www.gptransco.com/drivegp
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Hey there Big Strapper. So glad you dropped by to take in today's video. How about you? Any trouble getting a driving job after graduating from a private school, or lack of 'recent experience'?
This video is so on point. I’ve spent $4000 for a two month CDL tractor trailer schooling and there’s not much companies that will give you a chance to drive without prior CDL experience. It’s very frustrating and if I knew this then I would’ve never spent $4000 and wasted two months of my time.
Unfortunately, your advice to drive something other than semi-truck may not help. A lot of companies now specifically ask for “tractor-trailer experience.” This scenario is all too common in today’s job market. My situation two years ago-when I was laid off because of Covid-was even worse. I had more than seven years experience, but had no recent experience. I was told by multiple employers that my previous experience didn’t count at all, because it was more than three years old. I found a small company that does some agricultural hauling as well as other freight. I have been here two years and have had those companies that rejected me two years ago almost begging me to come over. NOPE!!!
Had a Class B for 4 years. Then this year I upgraded to a Class A and none of my experience counted since it wasn’t class a
“Walter White”, made me smile! The CEO of Heisenburg freight and manufacturing! 🤣
That interview is EXACTLY how most of mine went when I got my CDL back in 07. Probably didn't help that I was 18. Frustrating to say the least!!! Caused me straight up depression. I finally caught a lucky break just as I was going to get into another field, but man...what a miserable road getting there.
Great tips, thank you! I came out of a two month program with my CDL last April (I already had several months non-commercial experience in class b and class a vehicles). I went everywhere and was turned down a lot of places, but wound up with two places to pick from that were willing to hire my nineteen year old self. I worked driving a chemical baby bottle for two months, but wasn't happy with my job. Found a guy willing to hire me and drive residual waste tractor trailer tanker for good pay. Been putting in over 600 miles a day and loving every minute of these past seven months.
Right out of school I had a job with System Transport out of Spokane. Wasn't the best but it got my foot in the door and gave me that much needed experience. After I had what I needed I took it and ran. Don't be discouraged drivers.
I just left that company. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER! Cost our family THOUSANDS of dollars!
I went to a private CDL school two years ago and was worried about this, and your advice is spot-on in my case. I was hired right out of school by a local company to haul fuel to locomotives. They were straight truck tankers but counted as experience for my current tractor-trailer tanker job.
how do you find the local company?
Easiest way to get hired and experience is to work food service or beverage distributors. Labor intensive but you’ll get hired right away, and food service especially you can make BANK.
Downside is you get worked like a dog, long hours, little home time but OTR is long hours also without the BANK (for rookies).
Find a company to pay for your school and teach you. Not the best pay but you get that required “1 year tractor trailer experience”.
Not the best pay but it’s the start. Many companies out there.
I'm subscribed to your channel as I find you a great teacher and communicator. This video was most informative as I'm about to start a 90 course at a county tech school for my CDL A. Knowing that if it comes to it, I can get job driving a straight truck or a dump truck to gain my 1 year of experience is awesome. Thanks!
Everyone is demanding experience! We can't find anything.
Once upon a time there was a new driver who
found on the dash of his first truck an outside
temp gauge EXCEPT this temp gauge was in
C not F. This driver did not know how to convert
C to F but said all they knew was the C, stood
for Canadian.
!
Well said. Great advice.
Good video. I went through this when I first get my CDL. No experience fresh out of school. Went everywhere. With no luck. I was working at the time doing construction but wanted to drive. Lol. Finally got a driving job with a company hailing construction material bottom dumps. But is not what I thought it was. But im blessed be driving but looking for something more for me. No regrets I've gotten seat time a lot of experience and always learning something new ever day. Gotta work hard but I'll get to where I wanna be in due time. 👍👍😎😎..
BIAir Akana • Don't worried you're not the only one i had my cdl a year , Hazmat , Tanker , doubles and Twic card endorsments can't find a job because "no experience".
Unless things have changed with insurance companies, this is not true. Driving Dump Trucks does not qualify when it come's to a OTR job. When I left trucking school, I found a owner operator to drive for in a small leasing company. Getting started is a 2 way sward. No experience and what employers consider job hopping. Yes, you will in the beginning drive for places you don't want to drive for and get very low pay. The good company's don't want to hire you if they see you have had a lot of trucking jobs. I drove otr for 35 years ans seen it all. It cost more then your paycheck to live out there in a truck! Your best bet is to get a local truck driving job but you will be a human forklift pulling fright off your truck all day. Or you can drive over the road and sit at companies for hours on end and not getting paid for your time. I'm not being a disgruntle truck driver, I'm telling you the facts! Any one that tells you different is full of shit! Their is only a very few that is making good money driving trucks and its not company drivers unless you have a squeaky clean record and drive for USPS or something like that. Do not trust what company's tell you about home time. 99% lie to you. Truck driving OTR is a very hard life.
i did my 120h course back in 1998, have not yet work full time for a carrier, i have try many times, now since 28months i drive a straight truck for a local plastic recycling company. trying to go back for a big truck after i have spend all these month with a ten speed Peterbilt truck. nice to see good valuable info on this channel.
Great advice, Dave. I wish that your channel was around back in 1994 when I was fresh out of driving school. They had a placement program too…to CR England, no thanks!! It’s a catch 22 that rookies find themselves in quite often. No one will hire them because they don’t have any experience and they can’t get any experience because no one will hire them! I lucked out and found a local LTL company in Southern California owned by 2 brothers from Iowa. They took a chance on me and I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it were not for them. To this day, I still keep in touch and I STILL thank them for what they did for me.
Thank you! I needed that video
sage advice - thank you Sir
My dad was an owner-operator in the mid-2010’s and has since passed away. I was underage, but I drove with him as a ‘team’ driver and ran everything from flatbed/conestoga, van, reefer, heavy haul, etc. We ran everything, so my resume will show the first responder work I have recently and the commercial motor vehicle experience I had between 2010 and 2020.
Had a farm endorsement since 2019 on my license. Drove tractor-trailer for company. But it is not verifiable since the old management is gone. Went to school got CDL and now half to start from new.
That's pretty well what I did. Got good experience on my permit at a local engineering firm trucking on location and using heavy machinery. Then moved to a farm implement dealer, got my CDL-A license, drove commercial for them for a year to get past that insurance barrier. I am now working, fairly happily for a local excavating company, that pay well and by the hour, hauling corn, rock, sand, asphalt, dirt, and demo.
Fantastic video, and a fantastic hat! Great job :)
Yep. That's a great lid! 😎
That knocking on the door sound really scared me at 3am good video
You are on point Mr Dave I drove class B trucks dump truck n concrete mixer for 2.5 years before tractor trailer
I had this problem back in there early 90s I had went to school got my certificate, I needed a truck to pass my test, then I ran into this company that did a catering service and had a fifth wheel truck they let me borrow that truck and go get CDL even after I got my CDL it was a few years later and I finally located a small logging truck outfit and he was willing to give me a chance and he gave me two days riding with one of his drivers on the third day handed me the keys to a log truck I worked that job for 6 months got tired of setting on the landing and not making much money and then I got another job driving flatbed and the rest is history but it took me quite a while to get my foot in the door.
I had a hard time getting a driving job because of experience and age.
I found a small family owned and operated company that is in the garbage disposal and metal recycling.
I got a job driving a roll off truck and pup. I got my experience that way.
I gained some good mentors at that company.
Anyone who says that companies can't discriminate because of age, ha, when you interview with the HR "manager" who's young enough to be your granddaughter, good luck
Got my AZ in 2020. Been driving class G small package delivery for a year and have only secured 3mos DZ experience. It is BRUTAL trying to get a job as an AZ driver.
Another, much appreciated, great timed video!
I just graduated from my CDL school last Thursday & have been pretty stressed out about finding a good first job, I understand I gotta bite the bullet for my first year or so for experience but I’d like to be making the most money that I can while doing so & not just be taken advantage of.
Thanks for the video!
Find something local to you, and get endorsements. Tough it out for the six months to a year and move other places.
More and more companies ask for tractor trailer driving experience specific, not just cdl driving time. That’s so frustrating
i went to school fall of 2021, was recommended to a small carrier close to home and had a decent paying job straight out of school pulling spread axle flatbed. now i have several companies calling me weekly to offer me work based on my current experience
Back in the day you could go to a trucking company and get started driving straight jobs and then move up. What happened to OTJ training ? It's been a long time you probably remember class D instead of CDL , now it cost so much to keep your CDL I had to let my HAZ mat and other endorsements go and down grade but from what I see of trucking schools its a ripoff. but I do understand the need for them because young people are just stupid these days.
I work for a local cooperative for 6 years now lots of good experience learning how to drive taught a few others how to drive good place to start in my opinion
Thank you Sir
Good Tips
I did go the company sponsored route, and luckily that meant I had a job right as I finished school. Honestly, while the pay was not AMAZING, it was decent and I got lucky enough to end up on a dedicated routed that brought me home weekly. I quit the mega carrier (PAM, for those curious) after I finished out my contract. Part of the reason I picked them out of the carriers I was interested in was because of their pay to contract ratio. I also had applications for Veriha, Stevens and Prime. Prime did not have any positions near me, and Stevens and Veriha wanted an eighteen month contract while PAM only required twelve months. I'm now driving a school bus, but I am looking this summer to do another trucking job.
Good video. Trash truck is also an option
So far I believe my CDL is a waste of money 1st went for my class B paid $2500 Went back now have my class A all endorsements no restrictions Paid another $5500 Still no job no experience What a joke
Flashback this was me 11 years ago no one would hire me not even the mega carriers and I tried to apply for class A B and C driving position and still nothing because I was too young and inexperienced 11 years later got my first truck the road was long and hard but I still drove it. And the companies that didn’t hire me were crappy with work and pay anyways
I was lucky that a friend got me into a company. The owner was able to finagle things with the insurance company. Having a full time job already, it wasn’t too big a deal, but I wanted to have something to fall back on. It was really good just to feel that I got my money’s worth out of driving school.
Look at farms. This can be double edged though. They may let you drive because they are under different rules than commercial carriers. The downside is that some insurance may not recognize it as commercial driving without arm twisting.
Luckily there are grants for school as well if you ask your local employment agency or look online. I believe the Pell Grant may cover it as well. Some of the bigger carriers self-insure and they will train.
Had to drive old macks with no power steering or ac when I got out of school in 1986
FedEx freight will train drivers to get their CDL usually off the dock. They pay very well.
My first driving job was on a water truck for a mine.
!
Wow, that's sad alot of companies wanted to hire me when I got out of trucking school in 2003, I had all of my endorsements too I had an CDL class A with XT endorsements, I had my hazmat endorsement, tanker, double and triple trailer endorsement
All those endorsements don't mean crap, specially tanker endorsement, you need real training !
Just take a class that will help get you hired. Cdl classes here where I live offers 5 companies to choose from including flat beds and reefer.
Nice scene and thanks for all the helpful tips over the years. Think 1 year driving a 16' box truck for Iron Mountain a million years ago helps?
Kinda exactly what I was thinkin. You would be wise to get a non cdl job driving a 5 ton with juice brakes and do that for a year. Maybe even do that before going for your cdl. That's how I started, driving a g class flatbed tow truck. That in itself was a hard job to get into initially with no experience, but I suspect not anymore as nobody can get tow operators at the moment
Been with Swift almost 2 years and I’m grateful for the experience but man it’s a nightmare. I hope 2 years seat time with swift will be enough to get me something better
Interview? They heard class A and hired me over the phone
The. Mega carriers and carriers in general are stone cold silent on the convoy headed to DC. Estimates are there will be over 10,000 trucks converging on DC. Mostly independent owner ops for sure. Please support them any way you can. I am personally parking my truck and not hauling any freight for at least 2 weeks once they arrive in DC. The trucking companies not supporting this are a total disgrace and they are part of the problem out here as well
When I went to driving school in 1978 two companies hired graduates from our school. They where small with a high turn over. With one to two years at these companies and good driving record larger better paying companies would then hire these driver. Now days it seems like the larger carriers where many people go after getting out of driving school.
I got my driving experience doing local or regional non CDL truck driving for a few years as I was getting CDL I already had my commercial driving experience.
The dot should make it illegal for drivers to sleep in the truck
I got my license 12 years ago and it was hell or high water to find a job at the time I had 2 problem of my own 5 points on my license because of speeding tickets so I told a job at a job agencies for about 6 months just so I can bull shit my way into a better job 😅
Yellow was the best job I had in trucking
Yellow was my first trucking job
They all want experience but don't want to give you a way to get it.
GP transco will only hire you with 1 year experience literally without any breaks. Just a FYI.
It's the carriers insurance that requires a 2 years experience... your best bet is applying to a mega carrier they're self-insured... they also train you to be a solo driver.
Hmm, Good ot at the right time, thanks...
Not gonna lie, that knock freaked me the fuck out... I must have some really good ear phones, thought someone was knocking on my window right next to me at 1 am. Mind you I live about a mile off the road, suffice to say I just did a perimeter check with my rifle like I was out on patrol again in the Army. Played the very start of the video again, and realized what it was. Had me going, good job.
On a different note, I am going to be getting my class A sometime in August, I have a CDL B right now and have been driving busses for King County up here in WA, avg GVW is 65k lbs would that count towards experience?
I'm a strong beliver in put on your best shirt and trousers and knocking on doors of these companies especially family run companies.
Don't just send emails.
Call the person in charge of transport and set up a meeting and if that fails print some CVs..
Offer to be shunter driver in the yard for few months and at least that way you will gain some experience behind the wheel.
Here in UK some shunter drivers are paid similar to the full time drivers.
Yep, that's what I did.
I am dealing with the same problem.
I’ve been applying at Yellow and no luck. Thinking about Prime if I can’t find a local company. OTR is not my goal though.
For the love of GOD... NOT PRIME! Go to Schneider or even Swift before PRIME, CR England, or Werner. Schneider is probably the least horrible of the shit shows I have listed above.
thanks
A clear indication that you should not be a truck driver: Getting your rig stuck across the railroad tracks. If it's steep enough that you've run aground, you should have turned around and taken a different route. If it dies right there on the tracks, you're too unlucky to be a truck driver. Of course, having your rig destroyed by a train will correct that problem.
Man I’m going though this right now just graduated an no luck especially because I’m out of south Florida and and no ones what’s to hire under Orlando
Got my cdl march of 2023 tried OTR HATED OTR....GOT HIRED BY A LOCAL FAMILY OWNED COMPANY CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIER RUN B COMMERCIAL AND NON COMMERCIAL TRUCKS DELIVERING TO MD DC VA DE PAID HOURLY HOME EVERYDAY just got my 1st year under my belt no tickets no accidents clean inspections Btw Im Class A with no restrictions and have my Tanker
Megacarriers is another way to get your experience…. You don’t have to stay there forever but you have to at least put in your two years 👍
Is there any difference in driving a tractor with a single, or double drive axle? Could you do a video on that? Thanks
Obviously they'll hire anyone. Just spend a minute around a warehouse.
You got to go to a big company like swift Crst
Need a class B driver job, Roberson Ready Mix in Las Vegas and CA. They train and hire right out of school. As of date they need mixer drivers now. How do I know my daughter drives there mixer trucks. She loves it. Could pay a bit more but great at this time not knowing what's happening in the world.
How bout Food delivery services? I Worked 7 years for a well known food delivery services and that is what really helped me get the experience that I needed. HONESTLY though JESUS put me in that place. HE knew what I needed.
21 years of class c commercial driving, clean DMV, clean criminal, TWIC card, but that doesn’t matter. The only YES’s I get are OTR or garbage pay. If I can’t make more than what make as a tow truck driver(about 63k) then it feels like a waste of time and money that I put myself thru. Doubling and tripling classes on my days off. CRST and Werner straight lied to my face about what they offered on the job posting, I’m not doing the mega carrier bs
I have over 2 years experience and cannot get a decent job
I was looking at TMC, i hear they like Veterans.
Are most of these carriers, at least, meeting their hiring needs for the sake of the economy?
I got done with my cdl school with 9k hanging over my head its been Frustrating for sure
Company does all 48 states...but no east coast ??
Thank god I didn’t get my CDL I only got my permit there’s a lot of opportunities to into a company with permit instead of actual CDL license it’s weird I know but it works like that.
Did I hear you say you run all 48 states and all of Canada, but you don’t run the East Coast..,how does that work?
its hard to find a job ive been out of the trucking world a little over 4 years and everyone ask for recent 1 or two years.
If nothing works out, just uber to show you can drive, are safe and can run your own business.
If you find any company that doesn’t require experience for dump truck let me know!!
I'm retired and I have my A CDL, my previous job only needed a B license. I always wanted to drive I just got a offer doing team at a smaller company Otf weekly 33cpm driving team 64 cpm for the truck or go the tanker division at scheinder OTR 22 or 24 bucks and hour 15 when your off duty which direction would you go? I have no experience! And I don't need to be home!
Hello, I have 11 years of experience driving a school bus with CDL B. Does this experience count when looking for work in truck companies? Thank you
Forget the new driver. Ill be an 18 year truck driving veteran with all endorsements with tanker experience and since moving to Kansas city cannot get hired by a quality company with great pay (70-100k). Any suggestions.
I hauled vans out of the Ford plant there, call Circle Logistics out of Fort Wayne, I believe they still have that contract with Ford.
I read there was like a 80000 driver shortage so I don’t think you will have a hard time
Just got your licence and can’t get hired? Go to the oilfield, they’ll hire anyone they’re desperate.
Yep, we had guys driving that did not even have a CDL! Propane, combos and doubles no less.
Same problem here. I’ve driven for a national food chain company , non cdl, for 6 years. Would that count?
I actually found out that a bunch of companies don't count box trucks dump trucks and on i don't know why that is but I guess if that's the case not a good place to be
Because it's not a combination vehicle
I worked Amazon delivery van for a year and six months to acquire commercial driving experience before I quit for CDL school not knowing I made a chess move. It should be common sense to prepare yourself long before switching into a different industry.
What is your advice for a fresh graduate of CDL and wants to buy a truck then start as an owner operator? Is it possible?
Get some experience under your belt, save your money and buy a good older non emission truck, they are out there, pay cash. Then go find yourself a nice mom and pop outfit to lease the truck on with. See how you do, if you want to go the authority route, have a bankroll, and try to find a direct shipper. We are going into a rate collapse right now, these guys running the load boards with these $4000 a month payments are about to go out of business.
Soo im in the process of getting my regular drivers license i never drove a car before but i want to get into trucking my question is can i go to trucking school with little experience driving a regular car ???? Or do you recommend driving for a bit first
I'm 49 with life experience. I'm a Dad who wants to be a Truck Driver since I was a kid. I'm not into partying and want and can work away from home 21 days a months straight if needed. I'm not worried about getting hired I have the drive and confidence but....But I don't wear a mask and have zero covid jabs. Can I in Feb. 2022 get hired, I live in Southern Ontario. I would go across Canada the US and Mexico because I have the time and support from family but I don't have the covid jab. Help me please! Thank you all, I'm an older Rookie! Many thanks!
I have not wore a mask other than to make a pickup at Ford Stamping, and no shots. No one has ever said a word to me other than Ford.
Did you a favor young whipper snapper