Local Job For Newbie

If you want to be home daily linehaul is the way to go imo, it pays more than P&D and comes with less risks for the most part. Down side is it is almost all run at night and depending on the company could be run with doubles like I do or a single van. Being in McHenry county unfortunately I think Elgin will be the closest LTL companies, we have a terminal in Rockford and some other do as well, so that would be your next closest option.

And old school I don't think its amusing at all. Or why else would companies want to know that your prior driving record is?

Brian are you really this hard headed? Of course your employer wants to know your driving record. That is to protect them from fools with bad judgment getting behind the wheel. That is not a measurement for your ability to succeed in this career. This fact is true...

Trucking has a long list of folks who tried and failed, and most of those people were very "safe" drivers.

The fact that you've been safe in a four wheeler in no way translates into success as a trucker. It merely gives the employer some cover when attorneys start digging into their hiring practices during a lawsuit. Brett's remarks are spot on. You're confusing your limited success as a rookie and considering it as a result of good decision making. We all hope it turns out well for you, but we can't support you in advocating such an approach.

Brian redirects...

I agree with you Rob I should of been more specific on that and clarified that originally I was referring to Linehaul. I would agre

Yes you should have.

My original reply to you Brian was; LTL linehaul is perfectly acceptable and P&D is not recommended for an entry level driver. Your protracted argument was highly misleading and unnecessary if your reply to Rob is true.

And trust me Sir, nothing you say affects me personally. Could care less if you disagree with me personally. My focus is on the good of the whole and not an individual’s feelings. I call a spade, a spade; to reiterate; “anyone promoting local running for an entry level driver (especially of the intensity of P&D) is indeed FOS.”

Old school you kind of made my point by saying:

"That is to protect them from fools with bad judgment getting behind the wheel"

Exactly they want too see who was a safe driver prior in a 4 wheeler because that will probably translate most of the time.

Your point was that good driving records translates into success. Here's what you said...

If you were a good, safe driver before you started driving a truck. That is going to translate. If you were the opposite who made poor decisions that will translate. If we took some drivers like old school, flipped the script and had them start local instead I'm confident nothing would change.

Good driving records as a four wheeler driver don't translate into success as a truck driver. I've seen a lot of people with stellar driving records completely fail at trucking. Every student in my truck driving school class had spotless driving records. Only one of us made it as a professional driver.

I'm pretty sure you don't even know what point you were making anymore.

"Good driving records as a four wheeler driver don't translate into success as a truck driver. I've seen a lot of people with stellar driving records completely fail at trucking".

Fail from having major accidents? Or they just washed out? Either way I believe it absolutely translates. But again agree to disagree.

Old School educates Brian:

"Good driving records as a four wheeler driver don't translate into success as a truck driver. I've seen a lot of people with stellar driving records completely fail at trucking".

Brian continues to disagree with 4 mods now...

Fail from having major accidents? Or they just washed out? Either way I believe it absolutely translates. But again agree to disagree.

Nox - Mix... let’s pick nits now to save face. Driving a car safely does not “absolutely” translate to safe operation of a tractor trailer.

Seriously? Folks with chronically bad, non-commercial driving records cannot qualify with most companies.

Please move on...it’s getting silly now.

"Seriously? Folks with chronically bad, non-commercial driving records cannot qualify with most companies."

Exactly. Their not going to take a risk on driver with a record that shows they have risky or unsafe behavior. Why would that be? Not because they feel it wouldn't translate? Because if that is not the case then it wouldn't matter what their record is in the first place.

Brian keeps on...

"Seriously? Folks with chronically bad, non-commercial driving records cannot qualify with most companies."

Exactly. Their not going to take a risk on driver with a record that shows they have risky or unsafe behavior. Why would that be? Not because they feel it wouldn't translate? Because if that is not the case then it wouldn't matter what their record is in the first place.

Brian...one last try, then crickets from me...

Every Paid CDL Training Program does not accept applicants/students with chronically bad driving records. Some are more selective than others. True.

If your theory translated ”absolutely” as you proclaimed, then everyone would pass and graduate from every school. Everyone would pass their CDL. And the ones that did would never be in any kind of accident, minor or otherwise. None of which is either true or realistic.

The shortage of truck drivers is proof that driving a car safely does not absolutely translate to safe operation of a tractor trailer.

Now, I do agree an unsafe automobile driver will not make for a safe truck driver, fact is they’ll never get the chance. Full circle.

So let’s summarize; you beat the odds of going local right out of the box and we can assume the primary reason you are a safe truck driver is because you were a safe driver in your car.

I contend as did Old School, Rob, Brett, et all; you learned safe operation of a truck through being coach able, listening, focusing, practice and making good decisions. Driving a car safely is easy (by comparison) and most mistakes are easily forgiven and forgotten. Not so out here...

C’mon...can we please get off of this?

Brian, if I were a rookie driver who kept finding myself having to "agree to disagree" in most of my conversations with the professionals I encountered in a forum committed to helping new drivers find the path to success, then I'd seriously be questioning my understanding of the things being discussed. Maybe that's just my nature, or maybe it's something called "humility." There is a big difference in being humble and being humiliated. We are certainly not trying to humiliate you, but you've put up a pretty good effort at it without our help.