Need Advise On The "next Big Thing"

I'm good, still tearing up the highways, and loving every minute of it!

That's awesome!!! Forgive me, but I don't remember what your hauling?

I started out in Flat-bed and have never looked back. I worked for Western Express for almost eighteen months, and recently started a new gig running a dedicated account for a large company that manufactures all sorts of aluminum extrusions and other aluminum products. The company is called SAPA, but my actual employer is Knight Transportation. Here's a shot of a recent load of aluminum pipe on my truck that went to a mining operation in West Virginia.

That's cool!!! I considered flatbed for a minute...haha!! I don't know if my knees and back could handle it to be honest. That's why I'm leaning towards a Tanker gig. If I could find a company that was a 100% No Tarp I still might consider it.

Welcome back Sly!

I think you'll get a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to job hunting. Some companies won't care that it's been 16 months since you last drove, some will. The 8 months is enough time to prove you were capable of getting the job done, especially with the nominations and such. One big factor that companies take into consideration is whether or not your former company would be willing to hire you again. So hopefully Prime has you on their rehire list, but it's certainly not a make or break kinda thing.

Just hunt around like crazy for work and pretty much ignore the experience levels companies are requiring. Sometimes they'll say they require 2 or 3 years but often times they'll take people with less experience. A lot of times they say that to keep the call volume down. If they say they hire with little or no experience they'll get 1000 calls from people who never drove a truck or only drove a month or two before being fired.

We of course have an awesome listing of Truck Driving Jobs and you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs With One Application also. Have a look around there and see what you can find.

Welcome back Sly!

I think you'll get a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to job hunting. Some companies won't care that it's been 16 months since you last drove, some will. The 8 months is enough time to prove you were capable of getting the job done, especially with the nominations and such. One big factor that companies take into consideration is whether or not your former company would be willing to hire you again. So hopefully Prime has you on their rehire list, but it's certainly not a make or break kinda thing.

Just hunt around like crazy for work and pretty much ignore the experience levels companies are requiring. Sometimes they'll say they require 2 or 3 years but often times they'll take people with less experience. A lot of times they say that to keep the call volume down. If they say they hire with little or no experience they'll get 1000 calls from people who never drove a truck or only drove a month or two before being fired.

We of course have an awesome listing of Truck Driving Jobs and you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs With One Application also. Have a look around there and see what you can find.

Hi Brett!!! Great to hear from you!! I kind of dropped off the face of the earth when I started my TNT training with Prime in 2012. My trainer and I busted butt and were all over the US. East to West and North to South and I simply was worn out most days and didn't get on any forums. The main reason was sleep!!! Some might adapt to sleeping in a moving truck, but I never did. So most nights I drove from 9pm till my clock ran out and then was exhausted. Typically the TNT training last around 6-8 weeks, but we had our share of issues with the trainers truck breaking down a few times (once we were stuck in a hotel for a week in FL). then my trainer took off for 2 weeks just before Christmas and he lived in Montana and I live in Houston so he had to drop me off in Houston and come back to pick me up, so I had almost a month out of the truck which delayed things. I got into his truck on Oct. 3rd and didn't get back to SpringMo till January.

Anywho, I digress!! haha!!

Good to be back on here and catching up and thanks for the info!!! This is still the best Truck Forum on the web!! :)

My buddy Steve Marshall that was a big contributor here at one point went to Prime with me

Ahh I remember Steve, haven't heard from him in ages either..

I remember when you joined us too Sly. Welcome back sir. Sorry to hear about your ankle, hope it healed well.

Ahh I remember Steve, haven't heard from him in ages either..

I remember when you joined us too Sly. Welcome back sir. Sorry to hear about your ankle, hope it healed well.

Hi!!! Good to hear from you!!! Yes, Steve is doing very well being an owner/op. I think he is doing mostly intermodal stuff, but he's making $$$$!!!

My ankle is doing fine, thanks!!

Ahh I remember Steve, haven't heard from him in ages either..

I remember when you joined us too Sly. Welcome back sir. Sorry to hear about your ankle, hope it healed well.

Hi!!! Good to hear from you!!! Yes, Steve is doing very well being an owner/op. I think he is doing mostly intermodal stuff, but he's making $$$$!!!

My ankle is doing fine, thanks!!

Glad to hear he's still running, should tell em to come back and say hi.. Be great to hear from em again.

Glad to hear he's still running, should tell em to come back and say hi.. Be great to hear from em again.

I called him out.......let's see if he has time to jump on here with an update!!?? :)

Welcome back Sly!

I think you'll get a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to job hunting. Some companies won't care that it's been 16 months since you last drove, some will. The 8 months is enough time to prove you were capable of getting the job done, especially with the nominations and such. One big factor that companies take into consideration is whether or not your former company would be willing to hire you again. So hopefully Prime has you on their rehire list, but it's certainly not a make or break kinda thing.

Just hunt around like crazy for work and pretty much ignore the experience levels companies are requiring. Sometimes they'll say they require 2 or 3 years but often times they'll take people with less experience. A lot of times they say that to keep the call volume down. If they say they hire with little or no experience they'll get 1000 calls from people who never drove a truck or only drove a month or two before being fired.

We of course have an awesome listing of Truck Driving Jobs and you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs With One Application also. Have a look around there and see what you can find.

Brett, One question regarding companies that might consider a person with less than a years exp. Wouldn't a lot of that henge on their insurance carrier and how they have set up their policies?