California...Driving Experience..recent CDL

Hey, I have been outta Trucking School for 2 weeks....Not sure the route I wanna go.. need simple answers, no horror stories at all. I need driving experience...Gonna try to find a smaller local company here in California..I live in Northern Cali (Petaluma) but don't mind commuting....I wanna avoid the huge truck companies...I wanna stay Dedicated/LTL/Regional...something.....Any suggestions??? Anyone here from California and have info?? Thank you for any guidance!~~KaSandra

I haul double tankers in N. Cal. and there are definitely opportunities here but hardly any of them hire without experience.

What's your experience? How many months? Just trucking school? I just want more info before I toss out local companies here your way.

Double tankers! Congrats, probably old news. I haven't been on this site in a long time.

Ka Sandra I'm no help, I'm from Oregon just had to say hi to Daniel B.

I haul double tankers in N. Cal. and there are definitely opportunities here but hardly any of them hire without experience.

What's your experience? How many months? Just trucking school? I just want more info before I toss out local companies here your way.

Here in WI ALOT of new CDL drivers fresh outta school find work with companies like pepsi or coke etc doing delivery routes... its not exactly a straight driving job but it does give driving experience for future employers. few of my friends from my class just started working for scrap recycling companies "older equip and hauling junk so less worried about experienced drivers, pay less"

I haul double tankers in N. Cal. and there are definitely opportunities here but hardly any of them hire without experience.

What's your experience? How many months? Just trucking school? I just want more info before I toss out local companies here your way.

Hey:)..yeah, school is it for me..so wanna get back in a truck ASAP....*sigh*.....

Here in WI ALOT of new CDL drivers fresh outta school find work with companies like pepsi or coke etc doing delivery routes... its not exactly a straight driving job but it does give driving experience for future employers. few of my friends from my class just started working for scrap recycling companies "older equip and hauling junk so less worried about experienced drivers, pay less"

I saw a company that delivers like bottled beverages..thinking of applying there...what about tow trucks?? they are flat beds...or the one I looked at is...they say they train..It's a B class??..

Just to let you know, Beverage delivery jobs normally require multiple stops and YOU unload with a hand truck. HARD WORK! AS far as Tow Trucks go, in my area it is basicly a PERMANENT ad in my local paper. I would assume low pay and lots of 24 hour on call. My understanding is that most local jobs require minimum 1 yr. OTR. What is the reason you are opposed to OTR? Just curious.

You're going to be hard pressed to find anything you like, and youre being too picky. It doesn't matter the size of the company you should take what is available. With a CDL and no driving experience you're not worth much and in no position to set certain limitations on your employer. I had 3 years of OTR and struggled to find a decent job in this area.

You're pretty much stuck with local delivery companies which is very hard work. UNFI is one that is always hiring and they work your area a lot. Knight has an I-5 corridor home weekly position available. Gordon also has positions available that would let you be home every weekend but they require 6 months OTR.

You really should just apply everywhere no matter the company size, just make sure you can physically and mentally handle the work. I work for a small company right now and both sides have their benefits and negatives.

I wouldn't even try LTL companies in this area, very hard to get on board with them and almost impossible without experience.

At this point I really have no idea what type of job you're looking for. You've mentioned everything from LTL to beverage distributors, regional to tow trucks. That's like if I came into your restaurant and said I'd really like something sweet or salty, maybe a little tangy, something with some spice to it and yet creamy but a little crunchy.

And of course the "avoid the large companies" thing makes me think you were scared off by too many people telling you to "avoid the starter companies" or whatever. Otherwise, why wouldn't you want to work for the best-in-class companies with the nicest equipment, solid pay, and training programs designed to help new drivers adjust to their new driving career?

So why don't you give us the real scoop? There seems to be more you're not telling us that is shaping your views of what job you'd like to have.

Normally people start with two parameters when looking for a job - how often do you want to be home and what type of freight would you like to haul? Once you answer those two questions you'll narrow your choices considerably and then you can compare the companies on that list.

Hey, I have been outta Trucking School for 2 weeks....Not sure the route I wanna go.. need simple answers, no horror stories at all. I need driving experience...Gonna try to find a smaller local company here in California..I live in Northern Cali (Petaluma) but don't mind commuting....I wanna avoid the huge truck companies...I wanna stay Dedicated/LTL/Regional...something.....Any suggestions??? Anyone here from California and have info?? Thank you for any guidance!~~KaSandra

HEYYYY glad to meet another sonoma countyian! I use to live in Rosa and Healdsburg before moving to the mid-west! I can tell ya, finding anything around there is gonna be tough... speaking from expeirence.... I went from Swift to The Salvation Army in healdsburg as there CDL driver.. did more straight truck the tractor trailer though... Was the only thing I could find at the time... Have you checked out craigslist?

Most of the trucking stuff up in Nor Cal close to sonoma is gonna be in Sac and down the i-5 corridor to fresno.... Daniel can confirm that better for me since he's in Sac and I havent been in that area for 2 years now....