Non-driving Jobs In Trucking
Topic 31721 | Page 1
Dispatcher , sales, operations, dock work, customer service, maintenance. Just check every major trucking company website and see what they say.
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Kevin, so HOW did you even get a CDL , since the final test anywhere usually involves at LEAST 1 form of backing?? Either a 90 degree, 45 degree, offset, or parallel, etc.... Backing doesn't always come right away, it requires LOTS of practice, more for some, or less......Even me some days/nights I could slide in very tight spots, and some days I couldn't back a lick with plenty of space to do so, without adjustments to my set ups
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.
Kevin, so HOW did you even get a CDL , since the final test anywhere usually involves at LEAST 1 form of backing?? Either a 90 degree, 45 degree, offset, or parallel, etc.... Backing doesn't always come right away, it requires LOTS of practice, more for some, or less......Even me some days/nights I could slide in very tight spots, and some days I couldn't back a lick with plenty of space to do so, without adjustments to my set ups
Panther, et al .. (affiliates?) hire teams.....!
~ A ~
Dispatcher , sales, operations, dock work, customer service, maintenance. Just check every major trucking company website and see what they say.
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.
Dispatcher:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Hi. I was able to obtain a CDL since we practiced on the testing course and we were shown exactly how to set up for the final maneuvers. So basically, it was just a matter of memorizing the steps. Of course backing elsewhere is completely different. I even hired someone to help me privately, one-on-one but to no avail. In all honesty, I realize I have no business trying to back a truck anywhere. Lol I just thought a non-driving job would allow me to stay in the industry since I really liked all aspects of being OTR.
Kevin, so HOW did you even get a CDL, since the final test anywhere usually involves at LEAST 1 form of backing?? Either a 90 degree, 45 degree, offset, or parallel, etc.... Backing doesn't always come right away, it requires LOTS of practice, more for some, or less......Even me some days/nights I could slide in very tight spots, and some days I couldn't back a lick with plenty of space to do so, without adjustments to my set ups
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.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Since you already have a CDL , you could look into class B jobs! Tri-axle dumps, concrete delivery, dumpster service, ETC…. Some LTL companies have rather large B class fleets as well
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.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
Not knowing where you are (geographically), it’s tough to say. But…
If you gave up on driving seven months ago, what have you been doing since? It sounds like you’ve eliminated truck driving as one one of your strengths, since all require some backing.
I read your post last night and my first thought was what Bobcat Bob said. Trucking companies are like any other business; they have HR, sales, accounting and all kinds of other jobs. What about forklift operator? Lots of backing, but it’s not a combination vehicle.
If you’re looking to drive, what about a delivery driver of a straight truck (plants, parts, appliances, supplies, etc.)?
Much is gonna depend on where you live and I don’t know where that is.
I hope this helps.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ve actually been driving a transit bus. Pay is lousy but I can at least keep my head above water. I’ve noticed that a lot of the jobs you mentioned require special skills of which I almost have zero. I thought maybe I could be a dock worker. Not sure what they earn, however.
Not knowing where you are (geographically), it’s tough to say. But…
If you gave up on driving seven months ago, what have you been doing since? It sounds like you’ve eliminated truck driving as one one of your strengths, since all require some backing.
I read your post last night and my first thought was what Bobcat Bob said. Trucking companies are like any other business; they have HR, sales, accounting and all kinds of other jobs. What about forklift operator? Lots of backing, but it’s not a combination vehicle.
If you’re looking to drive, what about a delivery driver of a straight truck (plants, parts, appliances, supplies, etc.)?
Much is gonna depend on where you live and I don’t know where that is.
I hope this helps.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
We may be able to help you better if you filled out your location on the bio page.
I’m actually in Athens, GA
We may be able to help you better if you filled out your location on the bio page.
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Backing Challenges Becoming A Truck Driver CDL Training Changing Careers Team Driving
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Hi. I drove team for four months and found it quite challenging. Mostly, I found out I couldn’t back and always had to wake my teammate to back into a dock. I practiced for quite sometime on my backing skills but just can’t do it. I tried getting another job as a solo driver but failed their driving test. The tester told me it was probably best if I didn’t pursue any driving jobs anymore for my own good. My question is whether there are any non-driving jobs in the trucking industry that I could do?