Starting With Beverage Distribution: Good Or Bad Idea

A small flatbed company in Missoula that offers CDL training caught my eye, Pat. The family has no desire to move to Montana though.

Thanks... LOL We are currently at our limit of 1 million people in the state. Give us a couple of cold winters and we will get back below that when the southerners move back. Heck we might even give them a tank of gas to get them started....

All good advice. I'd only disagree with Daniel because of the use of the word 'accredited.' I know what he probably meant, but the word 'accredited' really is an empty word, if not a loaded word, and often recruiters have no idea what the word means either. So a potential student is going around trucking schools, asking if they're accredited, to which the answer by the trucking schools is usually "nope, and that really doesn't mean anything."

What Daniel was implying was the need for larger OTR companies to see that 160-170 minimum verifiable hours by the school, usually a mix of classroom, yard, and road experience. This is what they like to see in lieu of real world experience. Even still, a school could have a 190 hour program, and a company might not 'accept' the school, even though other major carriers would. Sometimes, a phone call placed by the school director can put a school an a company's 'acceptable' list. It's rather arbitrary. That 160-170 minimum hour mark isn't arbitrary for the mega OTR carriers, but sometimes how a company 'approves' a school is.

Moral of the story is that if you're going to trucking school, make sure it has that minimum hour range of 160-170, and make sure any companies you're interested in will accept said school before you enroll, pre-hires can also help with this process.

I went through all that for any other readers. Larry, I know you want local. I didn't notice if the truck you're driving will be a combination tractor trailer or not. That's important, because some companies who don't need specific OTR experience, still like to see tractor trailer experience. However, the LTL companies that hire student drivers or folks off the street will obviously still hire you, you'll just go through their training even if you already have the CDL. The only way your plan could backfire, is if you wanted to go OTR. But again, you'd probably just have to either take a refresher course or ride with a trainer.

I say go for it. Knowing your plans, and how you don't wanna shell out any clams for your CDL A, sounds like a good deal. Hope you find something that works for you and your family.

I'd like to add that you should definitely still get your endorsements Larry. No extra driving test needed for these by the state. Just a written for the doubles / triples, hazmat , and tank. Get that done when you get your other general knowledge / air brake tests done.

I actually WANT to get into food/beverage distribution eventually because a local job with some manual labor involved sounds fantastic to me. I would love the opportunity you're being offered, getting trained for your CDL by a company in that sector, but everyone has different goals and needs.

The time to apply for these jobs is in the spring. They pick up when the weather warms up. My co-worker says by May they need lots of bodies. Every distributor will have a different pay scale, and they aren't terribly great. The one where I have a lead is $12/hour no CDL plus over time. The schedule is 10 hours/5days/weekends off, but you work until you are done. He said drivers with CDL start around $14.25. With this job, that is hovering around $40k pre-tax. Distributors do not have to pay overtime so I would say that is probably above average for these types of jobs.

I say go for it. Knowing your plans, and how you don't wanna shell out any clams for your CDL A, sounds like a good deal. Hope you find something that works for you and your family.

Its not a for sure thing, but it helps having a reference that would vouch for me. At the same time, I don't know if it is the right fit for me. I am concerned that I may not have the stamina to put in the work at a high level.

I am in a very unique position right now. My current job really needs me, and would keep me on in most any capacity while I am going forward with this new career. What I am finding available are part time dock worker positions which really interest me. Being part time, if there are any stamina issues I know I can work through them in a part time gig. Also, I can continue on at my current job to fill the gaps. I can even work from home. This could give me a wider pool to choose from.

Trust me, If the beverage job was offered, I would be all over it. It would **** me off if I couldn't perform the job at a high level, and I want to honor my friends reference as being a good hire.

. Distributors do not have to pay overtime so I would say that is probably above average for these types of jobs.

How do distributors get away without paying overtime?

. Distributors do not have to pay overtime so I would say that is probably above average for these types of jobs.

How do distributors get away without paying overtime?

Not sure the "exact legal mechanism" they escape this. I believe that it's "salaried versus hourly employees". But it is a fact. My friend that drives for SE freight get pretty much all the hours he can handle. So while getting time + 1/2 is nice - would you rather get 60 at straight time - or ONLY 40 because the employer couldn't afford the time + 1/2? My friend seems tone OK with the $1,500 a week he's making.

Rick

There is an exemption for truck drivers to something like 60 hours before you have to pay overtime

An Averitt driver suggested this route for me as well. The local bottler had already filled all their positions is the only reason I didn't do it.