Profile For Kevin

I know this is an older post but are you still at Westside? I start this week and was wondering how you like(d) it.

Every Friday afternoon while I'm at school on the range, we see 2 WST trucks headed north towards Louisville on I-65. Don't see many of their trucks around here, (only those 2 on Friday), but an instructor said he used to live near Cedar Rapids and was familiar with them and it was a good company to work for. Our black sheep instructor told me I should go to McElroy and do flatbedding instead lol. I'm not so sure about flatbedding, but he said almost all their loads are pretarped.

Yes I’m currently running hostler. Figured I paid $5500 for my license I may as well use it. It’s nothing against the mega carriers, it’s finding the right one for me. All of this is a drop in pay, so I’m trying to find the best opportunity I can that can keep me paying my bills ya know? I know first year going to be rough but willing to make it work. I also don’t want to start with a company and leave in a year. It’s just how I work. Im a loyalist and if I can get lucky and find that long term job id be happy. Maybe I’m just over thinking it? I also just wanted to see if there was anyone I was missing on being able to get ahold of to try to apply.

Hey Kevin, you've told us you have been working as a yard hostler. Now it seems you are interested in a driving job. How's your job search going? What did you do after getting your CDL? Did you go straight to the yard dog job?

I find it interesting you want to know about experience requirements. Are you having trouble finding companies willing to hire you? It seems to me that you are going to have to start as an inexperienced driver. Nobody is going to take your yard driving as experience.

You are going to find the mega carriers are the best place for someone to start their trucking career. They are self insured and are able to hire inexperienced drivers because of that. Don't get yourself all tangled up over that "starter company" nonsense. None of it is true. The mega carriers are great places to work, and all of them have a strong core group of professional drivers who have been there for years. They have long lists of million miler status drivers who are still happily employed there.

When it comes to experience, you are going to have companies who hire new drivers, and others who insist on one year of experience. Occasionally you will come across companies that want several years experience, but for the most part, one year will open up a lot of doors for you. Your problem is going to be that you are considered an inexperienced driver with a stale CDL.

Is there something we can help you with in your search?

Wondering if there’s a list somewhere of how much experience places need/want ect? Looked but haven’t really seen one. If not I think could be a cool thing to start?

I’m located in that area looking into CFI. Thinking maybe work on passport to have in my back pocket. I’ve already graduated. But went back to work driving yard truck and think I want to spread my wings a little lol. This has been a great write up from the poster!

Chris,

Best of luck to you. If you have or plan on getting a passport and want to go to Canada, you will get to know the great people in Taylor well. They handle all of our cross boarder into and out of Canada.

It's a smaller terminal with free coffee and laundry. They have showers and snack machines.

Don't be shy. You will find some very helpful people at CFI.

I know the main mega carriers and just not sure if that’s the route I want to go. Been talking to a few companies such as Paper Transport, Roehl and just not sure. Don’t hear much about Paper but found a few talks on them about being horrible. Would love to get some feedback in your thoughts. I currently run a yard truck and I make $23/hour, but just over the BS that goes with it. I know starting pay is going to be hit or miss but would love a place where I can average like $17-20/hour at the least ( whatever that equates to cents per mile )

I’m located near Detroit Mi. Please feel free to offer other companies ect.