Comments By Lonny S.

Lonny, if you're interested in a local job, it depends on your area. For starters, you've got LTL (either linehaul or P&D driver), food service, intermodal, or perhaps construction gigs. That's the basic local offerings for most areas.

Here's a thread dedicated to local drivers and descriptions of types of local jobs.

The Local Thread

This site caters to mostly new drivers breaking into the industry by going OTR or truckload. But there are some of us who are experienced drivers and stick around to bring attention to local driving. I went to private trucking school and landed a job as a linehaul driver with a prominent LTL company. But my opportunity was based on my location. Location is key. Some prospective drivers don't even have local opportunities based on where they live. Location is usually more important than experience, because location dictates supply and demand (and therefore the amount of experience companies want to see for candidates).

Thanks, 6 String. I liked your "The Local Thread" article. Makes a lot of since. I just can't do OTR with everything else I have going on.

Lonny, many companies will cover your tuition, and some even run their own schools. (Yes, you need to drive for them for a year or so to pay it off}

Check these out:

• Paid CDL Training Programs
• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Truck Driving School"

I went through Swift's Academy. Out of pocket only for my license fee, the DOT Physical and food at school. 1 year driving commitment.

Thanks, Errol. I have seen the offers from Swift, CR England and the likes. I am just not in a position where I can go OTR for training.

I would recommend against it. There's a good chance, in fact, that you're either going to have to lease that truck or that company is actually designating their drivers as contractors illegally, which is pretty common in the industry. It's just impossible to audit every company in America.

Have you looked into driving dump trucks, maybe?

You're just going to have to work the various job sources hard and make a lot of phone calls. Check Craigslist daily. Check the newspapers. Talk to some staffing companies to see if they have anything. Check anywhere and everywhere.

You're taken an unorthodox way of getting into the industry and now you're looking for an unorthodox job for a new driver. You're going to have to dig deep to find something that will work for you.

Thanks, Brett. I am realizing I went about this all wrong. I have been welding plastic for 32 years and have my own small company. I just decided I wanted to do something different. My dad drove truck his entire life so I wanted to give it a try. The little school I went to to get my CDL didn't tell me that 18 hrs. wouldn't get me anywhere! I have considered going to Sage or US Truck School for either a 40 hr refresh course or a complete 160 hr course, but I'm not sure if that would be enough or not. Any advice on going back to school? The 1099 job I referred to is an end dump job. I have an offer for a belly dump job too, but it is also a 1099. I do look at Craig's List and Indeed every day as well as talking to many of the recruiters-brokers and staffing companies. I will continue my search. I have always been pretty lucky (blessed) to have things turn out just fine. Driving a truck is not something I have to do, just something I want to do. Any more advice you or others may have is very appreciated. Thank you, Lonny

Should a new driver take a 1099 driving job? I took a short 18 hr class and was able to pass the test to get my CDL class A license. That is about as far as I have been able to get. No experience, no drive. I know , I know, go over the road to get experience. I am 58 and pretty much set in my ways. To set to go OTR for 3-5 weeks with someone I don't have a thing in common with. That and the fact I have a small acreage with animals that I need to take care of, so OTR isn't really viable for me. Anyway, I have been offered a job locally for a small independent operation on a 1099 basis. Some things I have read say the 1099 is not a good way to go. But, I need to get a min. of 3 months to 1 year experience to get on with a reputable company. Looking for advice from someone that knows. Is it even legal to do the 1099 when you are driving their trucks and they tell you when and where to go? Thank you from an old "ROOKIE", Lonny