Crete / Shaffer Or Schneider - Southeastern PA
Topic 2804 | Page 4
Any suggestions as to how I could find out what is available in regard to regional or dedicated accounts, near where I am?
We have an excellent listing of Truck Driving Jobs including the ability to Apply For Truck Driving Jobs With One Application. You can fill out an app and send it to a ton of companies to see what opportunities come along. If you do a quick search of the page for phrases like "students" and "home weekly" and things like that there are a lot of em.
But basically any of the major dry van companies that hire from your area will have regional and/or dedicated runs, especially in your part of the country. There's tons of that kind of freight up there.
Remember also that the schooling at these Company-Sponsored Training Programs is only like three weeks long and then you're out on the road with a trainer. I don't know why you have to be home for that time and I'm not asking. But I just want you to be aware of the fact that you're making a major career choice that will affect you for quite some time based on having to be home for a few weeks of training before going on the road anyhow. Again, it's not my business why and I'm not asking. I just wanted to point that out.
Brett, Thanks for the reply. I took a gander at the Truck Driving Jobs, great place to start for seeing companies that hire in my area. I'm wondering if it's a little too early for filling out applications, since I don't expect to complete school until July. May is when I start, and because I'm signing up for evening classes, it will be 8 weeks long. Shaffer said not to apply till about 30 days before I expect to graduate. Schneider said something similar. Don't know about Werner or Prime. Seems like most recruiters from other companies I've already contacted share the same sentiment, i.e. to wait until I get a little closer to attending school, or until I'm actually in classes. I have read about the pre-hire process on your site.
I know you're not asking, but I'm happy to share about why I need to be near home until I'm actually hired. Main reason why I'd like to share, is because I"m sure our situation is not unique, and is probably relevant to a lot of families getting ready to pursue a career in trucking. My wife currently provides our family's benefits. I work from home and we have a toddler. I can go to school close by, and we can both still work and provide child care for our daughter, without having to fork out extra money for daycare. When I finish school, and right up till I start orientation, only then will my wife leave her job to watch after our child while I'm away. This is the main reason I need to be close to home - child care. We need steady income, child care, and benefits as long as possible. If I get hired by Shaffer or Crete, we'll only have to wait 30 days till benefits kick in. We're researching Obama care plans to provide coverage during that gap.
As you can see, we've put a lot of thought into this. It's been about 3 years of research. Everything has to be planned for, including how to manage child care, and what to do about a benefit 'gap' until my company benefits start. My criteria for companies has come down to specific details like: how long it takes for benefits, is orientation close by, etc. Lots of preparation has gone into this decision. So, of course I realize the ramifications of being away from home, and what a trucking career will demand of my family. We are excited - and committed. Driving a truck is a life-long dream of mine, and I'm thankful that I have a supportive wife!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
I'm wondering if it's a little too early for filling out applications, since I don't expect to complete school until July
Oh I didn't know you weren't going to school for a few months. I thought you were ready to start now. Yap, it's a bit early yet to start applying. If you're going to go to a Company-Sponsored Training Program then I would start applying to those programs about a month or so before you're ready to start attending classes. If you're going to go to a Private Truck Driving School then I would start applying for pre-hires to companies about a month before you want to start attending classes. Some trucking companies will want you to wait until you're in school or at least registered for school before applying for pre-hires but others let you apply for pre-hires anytime. The whole idea of applying for pre-hires is to make sure you'll be able to land a job upon graduating from a private school. So waiting until school starts is a bit late. It becomes a leap of faith at that point.
And I totally understand your situation at home with benefits and child care. I don't have children, but I have cows and chickens - same thing. 
Sounds like you guys will be well-prepared by the time you make any moves. That's smart planning right there.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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We have an excellent listing of Truck Driving Jobs including the ability to Apply For Truck Driving Jobs With One Application. You can fill out an app and send it to a ton of companies to see what opportunities come along. If you do a quick search of the page for phrases like "students" and "home weekly" and things like that there are a lot of em.
But basically any of the major dry van companies that hire from your area will have regional and/or dedicated runs, especially in your part of the country. There's tons of that kind of freight up there.
Remember also that the schooling at these Company-Sponsored Training Programs is only like three weeks long and then you're out on the road with a trainer. I don't know why you have to be home for that time and I'm not asking. But I just want you to be aware of the fact that you're making a major career choice that will affect you for quite some time based on having to be home for a few weeks of training before going on the road anyhow. Again, it's not my business why and I'm not asking. I just wanted to point that out.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.