Local Driving/Rookie/hours/LADY TRUCKER

Hey guys ....I’m here because I have a few questions. First off, I would like to say that I have been wanting to become a trucker every since a friend of mine has introduced me to the industry. After picking his brain a little bit And finally making a decision I have finally gotten my CDL A😃When I received my CDL I was so ecstatic because you guys don’t understand I just love the idea of being a trucker...From everything about it ....the driving ,even the way that the truck sounds, the sheer size of it ..lol call me a weirdo but as someone who came from a law office desk job ( and has had snoody desk jobs for forever now😒)..i realized in school it just woke something inside me...I mean just driving down the highway and seeing a sexy peterbuilt i daydream of running the roads and owning one...

ANYWAY..

Life kind of hit. I have a daughter and up until No I have been coparenting with her father and things have been pretty successful as far as his support in allowing me to drive at least until I get some experience under my belt. However, unfortunately things have happened to where he is no longer here with me and my daughter and I have lost that support. I cannot ask family to help and i just do not want to believe my dream if trucking is gone. I do not want to drive a B vehicle because, not to offend, that was never the “Truck” I imagined when i went for my CDL. I guess what I’m asking is is there anything I can do that is local? Are all local CDLA jobs on a 12 hour schedule. 12 hours just takes too much time away as I am a mother however I’m just trying to hang on to some kind of help here. I will have my tanker And has my endorsements in about two weeks. Thanks for the input you guys very much appreciate it.

It sounds like you haven't had your CDL for very long and that will be a problem because you have no experience.... and that raises your insurance for whoever hires you. There are guys on this forum that do local and I can tell you it is really strenuous and it's longer than 12 hours. Hopefully don't get on here in the morning and give you some information.

Laura

There are a variety of local Class A jobs but it depends on your location. Unfortunately still being a rookie will also limit you. I've had 2 local/ home daily jobs that were 12 to 14 hours a day with super early start times (anywhere fromnmidnight to 4am). How old is your daughter, is she old enough to take care of herself for a couple hours? The best local truck driving job when it comes to maintaining a sense of a normal job is finding an LTL company with an opening for a P & D driver. You will typically work Monday-Friday starting somewhere around 7am and getting done about 5pm while still earning a great wage. The downside is you'll likely spend your days with several stops possibly in high traffic areas depending on where you live, delivering to places that weren't designed for a truck. One of our moderators, Daniel B, does P&D for Old Dominion and has mentioned delivering to residential addresses and needing to take non truck routes to get there.

This is going to be difficult to find a trucking job that will allow you to still be the primary caregiver to your child. Start looking around for manufacturing facilities that may have their own private fleet. I worked somewhere that employed a class a driver to shuttle product between facilities that worked M-F 8am-5pm. Working as a yard dog/hostler may also work in your situation. Worst case scenario you find something not trucking until your daughter is graduated.

Good luck, please let us know what you find out.

This is the exact situation that irritates me when it comes to promoting women in trucking. The number one obstacle preventing women from coming into the industry is child care, but no one talks about that. They just wave the pink feminism flag around and chant "we are equal, we can do it".

There is a reason why most women drivers are 40+... The kids are grown. Personally I would take any driving job I could find that would allow me to be home and worry about the class later. You can always go A after you get things worked out. The uard dog idea is a good one.... But the ones I have seen in my area are still 12 hour days but only 3 days a week.

Good luck.

Well for now I think I may be starting with a Company and a B vehicle hauling petroleum... it’s not an A vehicle So I know I won’t beginning any tractor trailer experience in the meanwhile which is why I was kind of asking the question I wanted to be able to get some tractor trailer experience however, if the situation were to change and I could maybe get the support I need for at least maybe six months if anything after that would I be more eligible for those kind of jobs? How do you find a P&Djob and what kind of companies hire for those positions?

There are a variety of local Class A jobs but it depends on your location. Unfortunately still being a rookie will also limit you. I've had 2 local/ home daily jobs that were 12 to 14 hours a day with super early start times (anywhere fromnmidnight to 4am). How old is your daughter, is she old enough to take care of herself for a couple hours? The best local truck driving job when it comes to maintaining a sense of a normal job is finding an LTL company with an opening for a P & D driver. You will typically work Monday-Friday starting somewhere around 7am and getting done about 5pm while still earning a great wage. The downside is you'll likely spend your days with several stops possibly in high traffic areas depending on where you live, delivering to places that weren't designed for a truck. One of our moderators, Daniel B, does P&D for Old Dominion and has mentioned delivering to residential addresses and needing to take non truck routes to get there.

This is going to be difficult to find a trucking job that will allow you to still be the primary caregiver to your child. Start looking around for manufacturing facilities that may have their own private fleet. I worked somewhere that employed a class a driver to shuttle product between facilities that worked M-F 8am-5pm. Working as a yard dog/hostler may also work in your situation. Worst case scenario you find something not trucking until your daughter is graduated.

Good luck, please let us know what you find out.

Like Rob, I started my career local at an LTL company. I work for FedEx Freight. LTL companies vary in how they do things so a lot of the minor important details vary. For example being a P/D driver at Old Dominion means no dock work while at FedEx freight, there may be dock work. The other part of it is that no 2 buildings are run the same. There is a uniform company policy, but schedules, bidding and overall culture vary building to building. Initially, I thought everything was the same across the board, but you talk to people from other centers and you realize that isn't the case.

LTL companies are all about seniority. Assignments and jobs are assigned based on seniority. The Majority of my first year, I didn't drive. I'm driving regularly now after having built up some seniority. The part that may not work for you is that it's random. For example I went in yesterday and I was hoping for a short run that I could turn in 5 or 6 hours because it was Friday. When I got there they told me I had to go to Federalsburg, MD. That's a 500 mile run and it was a 10 hour day. That happens every day and I don't mind it, but I never know what my day looks like. I always take a bag with me in case I can't make it back and I always a decent amount of food and water with me.

Most LTL companies require at least 1 year experience. The only 2, that I know of, that may be willing to overlook that are FedEx Freight and Old Dominion. However, FedEx Freight will not hire you as a driver if you have no experience. They will hire you as a driver apprentice, meaning you would have to undergo their training and pass their program to be a driver.

If you have any other questions please post them. Daniel B and Bobcat_Bob work for Old Dominion, so they would know more about their requirements than I do and I'm sure they'll be along shortly with more information. I wish you the best of luck.

Honestly, the petroleum job is a pretty good idea. Propane season is starting here and I’ve always thought the peddle guys have a pretty nice little gig. Get some lp experience over the winter, then see about hauling something like asphalt in the spring.

I do not know where you are located but I see a lot of younger women drive gravel trucks in the Twin Cities area. It is steady work year round and really good pay. First thing is taking care of the kid or kids you can always go OTR later if you want but driving sump trucks once you have been with a company for a while and get some seniority can be a pretty good gig.

P & D you unload yourself. That could get tiring for a new person. It is frustrating to back.... So all that combined is something to consider.

what kind of companies hire for those positions?

Not all LTL carriers operate in all states so it depends on where you live, but the usual suspects are:

ABF

Averitt Express

Bison Transport

C.H. Robinson

Estes Express Lines

Holland

New Penn

Old Dominion

Pitt Ohio Express

R&L Carriers

Reddaway

Trailer Bridge

Saia

Southeastern Freight Lines

UPS Freight

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