TransForce Class A Or Class B??

I was worried about the commute, and being able to still be there for my kids. Is it worth it to take a job just for now here in my town close to home for $21 class B do you think? I’m worried it will hurt me with no class A experience

An hour and a half commute with a 10-14 hour day is nothing to take lightly. I have a 15 minutes commute and some days, that feels too long. You have to take into account the unknowns. What happens if there's bad weather and you can't make it home or an accident that turns your 1.5 hour commute into a 4 hour commute?

I’d say there will more than likely be a pallet jack. Question though is whether it will be battery powered or a manual one. Depending on the shape of a manual pallet jack your day can be a nightmare. I’ve had some that only lift on one side. So the pallet is lopsided and than tipped over when I tried to get it off the trailer. Heavy pallets, mediocre pallet jack, and than you have to walk it to where ever the cooler might be. Could be right by the dock or the other side of the store. Can make for a physically demanding day.

So no pallet jacks? I’m wondering if I’ll really be able to do this even just to have a job for now and get a better one once I have more experience. I’m tough, but I currently have busted up hip joints. Broken bones floating around in both hip joints. I really don’t know how I passed my DOT physical. God has really been involved in this whole process for sure

Hey there!

I worked for Transforce for a bit. I was trying to put my Class A to use, but didn't have the experience required to take on those positions. I was placed on the assignment of delivering wine and spirits in a straight truck. It was HEAVY touch, and that was the main reason I got out of it (started getting nagging elbow pain).

Good company from my experience, but an even better opportunity opened up for me 😁😁😁

Good luck!

Hey y’all, I just got done talking with TransForce and they’re willing to hire me! There’s two situations they’d hire me for. 1. Class B local box truck unloading for produce carriers, here in Colorado Springs where I live. $21 an hr 6am-6pm M-F Do this job until I can move up to Henderson area for their new graduate Class A position OR 2. Just take the job up in Henderson about a 1.5 hr drive for the class A new graduate position $33 hr touch freight for produce 4-6am start time and 10-14 hours a day M-F

My concerns are with finding a babysitter for my kids and the travel time before I can move up to that area. Also, what do y’all think about TransForce?

Thank you!!

So maybe do the class B job for now here in town? I was pretty worried about that drive, I had to make it for when I went to CDL school and it was very long and miserable

I would be wary of that commute, especially being much more time due to winter driving conditions. By day three, I'd be pretty wiped out for the remainder of the week. That's in addition to moving all of a trailer load of freight.

That makes sense, thank you for your input! A lot of things I hadn’t thought about, I looked into Bus driving and the hours are very sparse unfortunately. May still be worth it to just get a job right now while I’m trying to find the best fit for my kids and I

Hey there!

I worked for Transforce for a bit. I was trying to put my Class A to use, but didn't have the experience required to take on those positions. I was placed on the assignment of delivering wine and spirits in a straight truck. It was HEAVY touch, and that was the main reason I got out of it (started getting nagging elbow pain).

Good company from my experience, but an even better opportunity opened up for me 😁😁😁

Good luck!

Hey y’all, I just got done talking with TransForce and they’re willing to hire me! There’s two situations they’d hire me for. 1. Class B local box truck unloading for produce carriers, here in Colorado Springs where I live. $21 an hr 6am-6pm M-F Do this job until I can move up to Henderson area for their new graduate Class A position OR 2. Just take the job up in Henderson about a 1.5 hr drive for the class A new graduate position $33 hr touch freight for produce 4-6am start time and 10-14 hours a day M-F

My concerns are with finding a babysitter for my kids and the travel time before I can move up to that area. Also, what do y’all think about TransForce?

Thank you!!

Hay Trevor W. and welcome to Trucking Truth!

I'm curious . . . what IS the better opportunity that turned up for you?!??! Maybe it could benefit Shantiwa !!!!

Shantiwa .... I agree with all the above guys on this one.. especially the COMMUTE time. Tom's is 35 to 40 min's one way; often he brings the t/t home. Saves US time, sleep, fuel, and his clock. That CDL with the A job? Um... I know you'd LOVE TO, but ... I wouldn't. Too many variables and unexptected with kids, being far away!

Ask the guys here; I'm still waiting for my youngest to 'age up' so I can drive, even though he is perfectly sufficient at home alone. It's a mom thing.

I hear ya!

Keep looking, girl. IDK about the box truck job .... so hopefully you'll heed the above, and await Rob T.s wisdom, m'lady.

No interest in buses, though?

Take care!

~ Anne ~

Well I’m just speculating. You could very well have a well kept battery powered pallet jack and be just fine. And the pallets may not be that heavy filled with produce. I was slinging milk which was as heavy as 1000 pounds a pallet. Produce doesn’t get that heavy. I was just bringing up that aspect of it.

I think I should call the recruiter back to ask more questions about the Jack… Would there even be a Jack for the box truck class B position do you think?

I’d say there will more than likely be a pallet jack. Question though is whether it will be battery powered or a manual one. Depending on the shape of a manual pallet jack your day can be a nightmare. I’ve had some that only lift on one side. So the pallet is lopsided and than tipped over when I tried to get it off the trailer. Heavy pallets, mediocre pallet jack, and than you have to walk it to where ever the cooler might be. Could be right by the dock or the other side of the store. Can make for a physically demanding day.

1.5 hour commute will grow old real fast.

I’d say there better be. Otherwise every store you go to first thing you have to do is go track down a pallet jack. The grocery store workers will have the good ones. Or will have the good ones chained up. I’d say a company like Transforce would supply you with a jack whether it be a tractor trailer or a straight track but it wouldn’t hurt to ask them to elaborate on the unloading process.

I think I should call the recruiter back to ask more questions about the Jack… Would there even be a Jack for the box truck class B position do you think?

I’d say there will more than likely be a pallet jack. Question though is whether it will be battery powered or a manual one. Depending on the shape of a manual pallet jack your day can be a nightmare. I’ve had some that only lift on one side. So the pallet is lopsided and than tipped over when I tried to get it off the trailer. Heavy pallets, mediocre pallet jack, and than you have to walk it to where ever the cooler might be. Could be right by the dock or the other side of the store. Can make for a physically demanding day.

The problem with taking the B job is after a few months many companies will consider your A license stale and you might have to redo school all over again.

Personally I'd keep looking for an A job that doesn't involve such a commute. Unless you can relocate quickly, that commute after driving a truck all day will wear you down quickly.