Profile For DriverKev

Here is the story from Business Insider:

http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-truck-driver-shortage-2014-7

Wow, amazing timing. Got the call today, he wants me to start their school Sep. 1! I still have an application in with another company and they are still in the running. Good to have options.

Thanks Old School. I just figured a phone call or an email to at least acknowledge that he received everything I sent would be nice. Thanks for responding!

Had about two or three phone conversations a recruiter over the past couple of weeks... everything seemed good. I've been in a couple of accidents over the past three years (both minor, no injuries). He said those should be no problem and he asked me to fax the accident reports to him. I faxed them last weekend plus completed the online application. Since then I have left a couple of messages, sent him a couple of emails and have heard nothing from him. Is this normal? Am I to assume that company doesn't want me? Should I call and try the process again with a different recruiter at that company? If the accidents are keeping me from being hired, wouldn't he have told me that on the phone in the first place? Anyone else had a similar situation? Thanks for your responses. :)

I am 53 and I am planning on entering trucking this fall.

Thank you guyjax! I am learning a lot from your posts, I appreciate your info!

I enjoy and have already learned much from your posts Daniel B. It's looking more and more like Prime Inc is going to be the company I want to start with. I'm still at least a couple of months away from leaving my current job. When I get there, I hope to meet you in person.

Keep in mind, I went solo in Jan during the slow season.

Thank you Daniel, from your comments I am thinking I will make it through my first winter in good shape at Prime Inc. Again, thank you!

In my opinion, you want to expose yourself to some winter. It's better to learn how to drive in the winter with a trainer next to you making sure you're doing everything correctly than learn by yourself the hard way.

And your first few months will be slow anyways, winter or not, slow season or not. You don't become a solo driver and all of a sudden get back to back 3,000+ mile weeks. You work your way up.

Personally, I started in Dec and went solo Jan. I learned how to handle winter conditions with my trainer so when I went solo that really helped me survive. Starting in the summer time is the worst in my opinion. They will be completely clueless when winter hits because they'll be so used to dry conditions. They won't know how to handle a downgrade without jake brakes.

Also, like I said, your first few months are slow anyways. If you start before the busy season that'll give you the opportunity to prove to dispatch that you can handle yourself out there and can handle more miles. By the time the busy season comes around you would have proven yourself to be a safe, reliable driver to your DM and you'll actually be getting good miles.

As a first month rookie, just because it's the busy season doesn't mean you'll be busy. You'll work your way up.

I wouldn't shelter yourself.

See, there's two sides to this topic. But I personally am not a fan of starting during the dry months. You'll be a blind mouse when winter comes around. If I had to name a perfect time, I would say early March. That way you still get some winter driving experience but you're not out there during the worst of it (Feb).

Thank you Daniel, I had some of those same thoughts myself. :) I guess my biggest concern about starting during the slow months was being able to earn enough money to get through them. I am planning on starting with Prime Inc. Being new, I just don't know how much work they have for their drivers in the winter months. Thank you so much for your comments!

Welcome aboard Vegas Kev!

Well, ideally it's not the best time as far as weather is concerned. Also, by the time you head out on the road it's going to be mid-November and you're only a few weeks away from the slow season starting in trucking. It's pretty slow from about mid-December (as Christmas shipments wind down) to early spring (when Northerners begin coming out of hibernation). Some companies don't slow down that much, some slow to a crawl. Refrigerated companies tend to stay more on an even keel where dry van companies tend to fluctuate considerably.

So there's no real reason not to get started in late October, but I can't really think of an advantage to it either. Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

Thank you Brett, I have been reading that winter is slow for some companies... in that case I will most likely delay getting started until maybe late February or early March.