Starter Student?

Hi all I have a question,

Could you guys recommend companies that take students with no experience. I already have my CDL and tankers endorsement if that helps.

However I’ve been working since 2012 up until 2021. However, due to personal family problems (medical), I haven’t worked for a year which is a problem for trucking companies I hear. And I should mention I have a speeding ticket (in a car) but that was 3 and a 1/2 years ago.

Any suggestions?

We're you working class A jobs from 2012-2021? If so, that's enough experience for you to get another job. If you have no experience

Apply For Paid CDL Training

This link will send out multiple applications at once. They'll go to companies that train students.

If you've been taking care of a family member for the last year, have that person write a letter explaining that. When you get in contact with recruiters, explain it to them and see how you want you to proceed.

The speeding ticket is over 3 years old, so you should be ok with most companies.

Hi all I have a question,

Could you guys recommend companies that take students with no experience. I already have my CDL and tankers endorsement if that helps.

However I’ve been working since 2012 up until 2021. However, due to personal family problems (medical), I haven’t worked for a year which is a problem for trucking companies I hear. And I should mention I have a speeding ticket (in a car) but that was 3 and a 1/2 years ago.

Any suggestions?

Since you already have your CDL with a tanker endorsement, a company to consider is Western Dairy Transport. They hire drivers without experience. They don't hire from all areas of the US, so you need to inquire from the company whether or not they hire out of your area.

Ryan wrote:

Since you already have your CDL with a tanker endorsement, a company to consider is Western Dairy Transport. They hire drivers without experience. They don't hire from all areas of the US, so you need to inquire from the company whether or not they hire out of your area.

No… never recommended that an entry level driver with zero experience drive tanker, especially unbaffled, smooth-bore food grade tankers in farm service.

One of our members, Raptor wrote a very good reply to a similar thread, as follows:

I drove both chemical and fuel grade tankers for 11 years. This is something I would not recommend for a rookie. I have never done food grade and wouldn't want to either. Enough of that. Food grade doesn't have baffles in then to slow the slosh of the liquid. In fuel tankers they have baffles to slow the slosh. Let say you are in town with stop lights that most cities have. You are on a road that is 45 mph, you now about one football field away from the light, the light changes and instead of the car in front of you going through he decides to stop. How long do you think it will take you to stop? Can you do it without hitting the car ahead of you? Let's say you do stop in time, now the slosh is slamming forward pushing you on, now you ha e hit the car in front of you. So my opinion is to say no, NO to rookies driving tankers with at least 8-10 weeks minimum.

Raptor

To the OP, try to get a job driving dryvan and/or reefer. Apply to many companies offering training with this luck:

Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

That actually sounds terrifying.

Ryan wrote:

Since you already have your CDL with a tanker endorsement, a company to consider is Western Dairy Transport. They hire drivers without experience. They don't hire from all areas of the US, so you need to inquire from the company whether or not they hire out of your area.

No… never recommended that an entry level driver with zero experience drive tanker, especially unbaffled, smooth-bore food grade tankers in farm service.

One of our members, Raptor wrote a very good reply to a similar thread, as follows:

I drove both chemical and fuel grade tankers for 11 years. This is something I would not recommend for a rookie. I have never done food grade and wouldn't want to either. Enough of that. Food grade doesn't have baffles in then to slow the slosh of the liquid. In fuel tankers they have baffles to slow the slosh. Let say you are in town with stop lights that most cities have. You are on a road that is 45 mph, you now about one football field away from the light, the light changes and instead of the car in front of you going through he decides to stop. How long do you think it will take you to stop? Can you do it without hitting the car ahead of you? Let's say you do stop in time, now the slosh is slamming forward pushing you on, now you ha e hit the car in front of you. So my opinion is to say no, NO to rookies driving tankers with at least 8-10 weeks minimum.

Raptor

To the OP, try to get a job driving dryvan and/or reefer. Apply to many companies offering training with this luck:

Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

Just the thought terrifies me! I have hauled large quantities of liquid, and I can def feel the difference in hauling cans of beer vs kegs of beer. I have taken one long trip with those white caged chemical totes, and THAT had a big effect on trailer handling, with the slosh only able to move the area of a pallet. I can't imagine an unbaffled tank.

That actually sounds terrifying.

Ryan wrote:

Since you already have your CDL with a tanker endorsement, a company to consider is Western Dairy Transport. They hire drivers without experience. They don't hire from all areas of the US, so you need to inquire from the company whether or not they hire out of your area.

No… never recommended that an entry level driver with zero experience drive tanker, especially unbaffled, smooth-bore food grade tankers in farm service.

One of our members, Raptor wrote a very good reply to a similar thread, as follows:

I drove both chemical and fuel grade tankers for 11 years. This is something I would not recommend for a rookie. I have never done food grade and wouldn't want to either. Enough of that. Food grade doesn't have baffles in then to slow the slosh of the liquid. In fuel tankers they have baffles to slow the slosh. Let say you are in town with stop lights that most cities have. You are on a road that is 45 mph, you now about one football field away from the light, the light changes and instead of the car in front of you going through he decides to stop. How long do you think it will take you to stop? Can you do it without hitting the car ahead of you? Let's say you do stop in time, now the slosh is slamming forward pushing you on, now you ha e hit the car in front of you. So my opinion is to say no, NO to rookies driving tankers with at least 8-10 weeks minimum.

Raptor

To the OP, try to get a job driving dryvan and/or reefer. Apply to many companies offering training with this luck:

Apply For Truck Driving Jobs

Agreed, my first beer load was nerve wracking, and I can only imagine what that must be like in a tanker. I'm guessing that it must take some skills and experience to deal with, especially food grade.

I pulled a food-grade tanker for a year, and I stand firm against rookies pulling liquid tankers of any type. There is no way in the world a rookie has the skills to manage almost 50,000 pounds of sloshing liquid.

Food-grade tanks are worse than chemical tanks because they do not have baffles, but even baffles won't stop the sloshing. They may reduce it, but not nearly enough for a rookie to handle it.

I've had the liquid slosh so hard that it knocked the baseball hat off my head and everything on my shelves went to the floor. It looked like someone had turned my cab upside down.

Slowing down from highway speeds to negotiate a tight off-ramp is one of the most dangerous situations you'll encounter. You're trying to slow down before you get to the sharp curve. If you're going just a little too fast and must hit the brake just before entering the curve, the liquid will slosh forward with a slight delay and hit you right at the curve's apex. You can imagine what might happen if you're approaching rollover speed or the curve is a little slick from rain or snow. It can get ugly very quickly.

No rookies in liquid tankers. Too dangerous. Rookies should stick with flatbed, dry van , or refrigerated. Even dry-bulk tankers are ok for rookies, but nothing with liquid.

Agreed rookies have no business doing liquid tankers. i pulled them for 5 1/2 years and enjoyed it, but it is a very different animal and a driver needs basic driving experience first.

Something I thought about is of all the truck wrecks I see out here, I seldom see tankers or car carrier involved in any accidents. I feel the reason for this is more driving experience which brings along with it more caution. Conversely, vans/boxes and flatbed I see a lot more of these involved in various stages of mayhem and calamity.