Which Companies Hire New Graduates Straight Out Of CDL School ?

There seems to be a log jam of sorts in this Driver shortage IMHO.

Well If I had a dog turd in one hand and your opinion in the other, at least the dog turd would be useful for fertilizing plants.....

The research I've done (limited as it's been) is that a lot of companies are blowing smoke and NOT getting REAL serious in their Incentives to attract new drivers. Everyone talking potential with experienced hyper=performing drivers but not much reality for newbies walking in the door.

All the recruiters sound like parrots. No one really setting themselves out front and being industry leaders. Companies really need to loosen up their purse strings and offer better pay and benefits. No one will convince me that the the money is NOT there. I'll stop there. ;>)

Wow man, I've gotta say, you're talking like a guy who has a really short career ahead of him, and that's not IMHO, that's in my very well educated and experienced opinion.

Let me ask you something - why in the world would someone with no skills, no experience, no street smarts, and no ability to help a company turn a profit be considered valuable to a trucking company? You really should have considered that before you decided that everyone should be in some sort of arms race begging for your services. You're not even capable of providing any services at this point! If you can't even understand that basic premise I can't imagine you'll figure out much else, either, IMHO of course.

I'm sorry, but people with an inflated sense of self worth really irritate me.

You've obviously fallen hard for "the free agent myth." You should definitely read these:

Busting The Free Agent Myth In Trucking

Old School Responds To Criticisms After Busting The Free Agency Myth

Really ? Then why is there a massive driver shortage then ? CEO pay (my father-in-law is way) is through the damn roof and us working class folks are left to be treated like paid slaves.

All I'm saying is if companies are serious about addressing the shortage, then they need to entice NEW MEAT into doing this job.

Out the door for day two.

GOD BLESS ALL

Another one complaining about CEO pay. Why don’t you apply to be a CEO then if it is so easy.

SilverBullet runs his neophyte mouth...

Then why is there a massive driver shortage then ? CEO pay (my father-in-law is way) is through the damn roof and us working class folks are left to be treated like paid slaves.

There is no reasoning with an idiot. No respect for your moronic reference to slavery. That’s a total insult to everyone on this forum, and proves a level of ignorance worthy of being banned from further posts.

I wasn't clear about my point. Obviously.

My point it out society's gross pay inequality. Especially since the last time out economy was in a deep recession. Since 2007, CEO pay has literally skyrocketed while those of us working class folks pay has been totally stagnated.

I was NOT at all singling out truck drivers "slave". What is true is the way us working class folks ARE treated in many workplaces these days. Most all us earning CRAP pay.

Wage THEFT by Managers is rampant. Abuses of the US Labor Laws is rampant. BIG TIME. Don't believe me ? Go research wage theft.

I'll give you a personal example. I worked at Tractor Supply for awhile. The Manager was 'a SLAVE DRIVER.... (mentality). My last day there, I worked (or team worked) OVER 15 HOURS with only 1 (ONE) 1/2 hour break. Think I'm full of s**t ? I'll post a pic of my timesheet and prove it to you. Oh, the was after the previous day lumping 50lb bags of feed around for a few hours. I'm not ****ing and moaning and certainly do NOT want anyone's sympathy. I'm just speaking the God's honest truth. I could go on and on about the abuses from Management. Flat out abuse.... all to increase his end of year bonus.

My point about the Driver recruiters is there basically is not much competition (I've come across.... yet) that shows they are serious about find drivers....(Newbs fresh out of school or experienced drivers). Perhaps I'm wrong, but there certainly could be much more companies can offer people. I am not convinced at all they are seriously addressing the issue. I want to be wrong. Show me.

I know one way that would help. Pit Companies/Recruiters against each other. Do this like the websites ... Bankrate and SelectQuote do it. ..... When Banks compete, YOU WIN. Force companies to up their offers to ALL potential drivers. Whoever figures our how to do this, they're gonna make a ton of cash.

Off to study.

God Bless All.

Where to begin?

You don’t get this at all...and your attitude? It’s poor.

This is a performance based career. Top performers (not rookies) earn from 70-80k as company drivers. Your point about pay? Nothing to do with truck driving, no clue what the true earning potential is.

Moving most freight is a service commodity, with low single-digit profit margins. Incentives go to those drivers with a proven track record of safety, efficiency and professionalism. Most rookies do not make it past 3 months because of many factors; the least of which is driving. Why are your entitled to anything but a job opportunity? You will have nothing to offer...the trucking company is taking a huge chance just hiring you.

Your politics? No one cares, keep it to yourself.

Focus on learning how-to be a truck driver and let the people who actually know what they are doing, run the successful companies we drive for.

And any reference to slaves and slavery has no business here or in the vocabulary of a person offering God’s Blessing.

Working 14 hours with one 30 min break. Sounds like a typical day to me. Funny part is we complain about having to take that 30 min break.

Uhhh hum, how does that saying go; oh yes, ‘I don’t need a computer telling me when i’m tired”.

As G-town said, this is performance based. Those that always trying to do more work and get it done; get fed!!!

Like the Analogy that Brett loves using; this is like football. The top performers stay on the field and make the big checks.

I checked my last check stub, tbh, I will fall just shy of $70k this year. Probably right around the $68k mark. I only have been driving for just over 2 years. Definitely not too shabby. I’m still a long way off from maxing out the pay scale.

Then again, could I go to a company that pays more and make more money, sure. However, I have no desire to start at the bottom rung of the totem pole again. Even further, I would be insane to willing want to give up such a great and important relationship I have with my Dispatcher. The load planners trust me, the mechanics know who I am, the night Dispatchers know me and trust me. There are just way too many relationships to chuck it all over a few cents per mile. I would have to be offered something fairly substantial to leave Wolding. I really don’t see that happening as this is typically not how this business works.

I guess the point of everything is commit to a company. Rewards come with time and a proven track record. Don’t worry about chasing CPM. It is more important to find a company that fits what you are looking for. Besides, often times a higher CPM than the average for what you are doing usually means less miles or more labor. Perhaps both. Often times a company will offer a higher CPM to attract drivers to an account that the company has issues keeping drivers on. Just food for thought. There is only so much ‘profit’ to go around. Why would a company take a smaller slice of the pie? Business is about making money. The obvious answer is they have contracts. They need to fulfill those contracts. They are having issues with fulfilling their obligations. So they take a smaller slice to get those contracts fulfilled. That way they don’t lose them.

I am not convinced at all they are seriously addressing the issue. I want to be wrong. Show me.

The "show me" part is exactly why I said you're heading for a very short career in this industry. You have completely misunderstood the driver demand scenario and you've way overestimated your self-worth and your current role in this game.

Trucking companies need experienced, efficient, safe, productive drivers. You are none of those things. You're some guy off the street who is hoping for an opportunity to prove you can become that someday, but that day won't be anytime soon. Unfortunately 90% of the people who start a career in trucking don't last one year. In fact, a huge percentage of the people who take a shot at it never even manage to get their CDL or drive solo one day in their life. So until you prove your worth they're going to assume you'll be one of the 90% that won't be around for long. You're a guy sitting the bench hoping the coach will put you in and give you a chance. That's where you sit - not in the catbird seat, but on the bench.

So you have to understand - there is no demand for people coming in off the street. None. Nada. Zip. You are not in demand and no one is interested in being the highest bidder in this imaginary game that's going on in your head where you're some valuable free agent and everyone is hoping to be the highest bidder to get a piece of you. There will be no red carpet rolled out. You will not be asked to be the guest speaker. No one will be taking photographs of you as you come through the door.

I asked you to read Busting The Free Agent Myth In Trucking but clearly you haven't because you're still thinking you're holding all the cards here.

I'm not emphasizing this so strongly to be a jerk. I'm doing it in hopes of preventing your career from going in the toilet a few weeks from now the way it will for many others who are taking the same approach you are - this "Show Me" attitude where somehow these companies have to prove something to you?

Do you really think that a company with thousands of trucks, tens of thousands of employees, billions in revenues, and decades of success at the highest level in this industry has something to prove to you???? How in the hell does that make any sense in your head?

Come on, man. You have to wake up and realize you're over-valuing yourself - one of the most egregious errors a person can make. You have the opportunity to prove yourself. You should be thankful you're being given that opportunity. Once you can prove you have what it takes to be a safe, efficient, productive, reliable driver then you'll be in demand. But you have a long, long way to go before that day comes.

I am not convinced at all they are seriously addressing the issue. I want to be wrong. Show me.

The "show me" part is exactly why I said you're heading for a very short career in this industry. You have completely misunderstood the driver demand scenario and you've way overestimated your self-worth and your current role in this game.

Trucking companies need experienced, efficient, safe, productive drivers. You are none of those things. You're some guy off the street who is hoping for an opportunity to prove you can become that someday, but that day won't be anytime soon. Unfortunately 90% of the people who start a career in trucking don't last one year. In fact, a huge percentage of the people who take a shot at it never even manage to get their CDL or drive solo one day in their life. So until you prove your worth they're going to assume you'll be one of the 90% that won't be around for long. You're a guy sitting the bench hoping the coach will put you in and give you a chance. That's where you sit - not in the catbird seat, but on the bench.

So you have to understand - there is no demand for people coming in off the street. None. Nada. Zip. You are not in demand and no one is interested in being the highest bidder in this imaginary game that's going on in your head where you're some valuable free agent and everyone is hoping to be the highest bidder to get a piece of you. There will be no red carpet rolled out. You will not be asked to be the guest speaker. No one will be taking photographs of you as you come through the door.

I asked you to read Busting The Free Agent Myth In Trucking but clearly you haven't because you're still thinking you're holding all the cards here.

I'm not emphasizing this so strongly to be a jerk. I'm doing it in hopes of preventing your career from going in the toilet a few weeks from now the way it will for many others who are taking the same approach you are - this "Show Me" attitude where somehow these companies have to prove something to you?

Do you really think that a company with thousands of trucks, tens of thousands of employees, billions in revenues, and decades of success at the highest level in this industry has something to prove to you???? How in the hell does that make any sense in your head?

Come on, man. You have to wake up and realize you're over-valuing yourself - one of the most egregious errors a person can make. You have the opportunity to prove yourself. You should be thankful you're being given that opportunity. Once you can prove you have what it takes to be a safe, efficient, productive, reliable driver then you'll be in demand. But you have a long, long way to go before that day comes.

Look guys. I do very much appreciate the hard-core in-my-face feedback. Perhaps that's what I NEED to hear at this juncture of my life.

Without going into details, what my wife and I have been through and where we sit right this minute has been earth shattering for us. Once again, I am NOT ****ing, moaning, belly-aching or playing 'the victim'. Never in my wildess nightmares did I believe her and I would end up where we are. But it is what it is and we move on down the dusty trail of life.

ALL of you guys inputs and taken to heart. Believe me. Except the uncalled for unprofessional personal insults.

That said. At this point, I'm not interested in making top dollar and running my face off chasing the next dollar. Perhaps after our lives get back under control and more manageable. My wife have very little family and have having moved here to TN a year ago, we basically have no support network... yet. My wife's health is not good and this factor alone is why I need to be home as much as possible. If our situation was different, then perhaps I would be driving my face off like our friend LDRSHP. That's what Retired NCOs DO ! RIght ?

Sometimes when people "blow the whistle' at the VA, things don't always go as planned and things backfire. Long story that would blow your freaking minds ! Anyways, I chose to take an early retirement and get out of that hell hole.

What we did not expect is not being able to find employment afterwards. God knows the truth. Living off our life savings right now.

Oh yea, Brett. I didn't read that article. Too busy studying. I will when time allows.

I am no better than anyone else and neither are any of you.

Yes G. Instead of slaves, folks around here say 'golden handcuffs'. Jesus loves you too my friend.

Got a couple interesting leads. :>)

Day 3 coming up !

Working 14 hours with one 30 min break. Sounds like a typical day to me. Funny part is we complain about having to take that 30 min break.

Uhhh hum, how does that saying go; oh yes, ‘I don’t need a computer telling me when i’m tired”.

Playa would not allow us to take breaks. We had NO say in the matter. Only after 6 hours would he "allow" us to take 1/2 hr break. Hence, ONE 1/2 hr break after 15 1/2 hrs of work. He was doing everything 'LEGAL'.

You have a choice to take a break whenever you wish. Right ?

Yes, working conditions in a lot of workplaces is brutal. I never worked that hard or been treated so bad in my whole 20 year career in the Military.

Cracking the proverbial whip on employees IS NOT LEADERSHIP. Folks that are good Leaders never have to lead by Fear and/or abuse. They also get way more productivity and increased moral out of their workers. Unfortunately, Corporate CEOs/Managers have yet to realize this.

SilverBullet, if you want to succeed at this endeavor then you'd better get your attitude, expectations, and focus where they need to be. You're all over the place. Start focusing on what you need to do to learn all you can learn about being the best driver possible. Anything else is simply a distraction. All this ranting about CEO's and politics and whatever else - just drop it. Get yourself together and focus on preparing yourself for this career.

Oh yea, Brett. I didn't read that article. Too busy studying. I will when time allows.

You seem to have plenty of time to rant about the VA and politics and CEO pay. You could have read the article and learned something that would help you with this career, instead you chose to go off on a rant about some random things that have nothing to do with trucking and aren't going to help you in the least. But yeah, let's just pretend you're too busy studying to read an article that someone with 25 years in this industry recommends. Good call.

Silver, I reapplied to an earlier thread with all the “local” stuff in Nashville area. I do keep an eye on stuff there. I live in Clarksville and my wife is from the Nashville area. You can either look at the LTL type companies, although you will have to start out on the extra board. If I were you I would look at Companies like Averitt, venture express (they are advertising for a yard dog position in Murfreesboro btw.) R E West. There are also lots of OTR companies based in the Nashville area that may have a more local type run in the Nashville area like Western Express and Beacon.