How To Find Local Companies That Are Hiring

By: Joshua,
Rosedale NY

Ask Your Truck Drivers Money Saving Questions HereHello Again,

For an update, I just got my Class A license and am now trying to figure how to find a Class A job.

I am not sure if I bragged about achieving the highest score in the history of my school’s PTDI test, but I am mentioning it now. I got 98% on the written test average. My weakness however, is that I am new to the U.S and so the roads and traffic signs are unfamiliar, hence doubt develops while I am driving. This cost me 30 points on my road test, but I passed nevertheless.

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With that said, I am scheduled for a telephone interview with Schneider tomorrow, but I wish to be thorough in my job search so in addition to OTR companies, I would Like to apply to local companies in New York which uses class A trucks and are willing to hire newbie drivers.

I think I should investigate both Local and OTR companies because there will be disadvantages and advantages in each that I need to understand.

Since I am new to the U.S, I don’t know where local trucking companies are located. I will use Google.com and the yellow pages, but this seems like quite a task to identify companies that are located in my area, then of those companies I have to figure which uses trucks, and then I have to identify those trucking companies using Class A trucks, then I have to identify the type of class A job that matches my abilities and skills, and then I know that local jobs require experienced drivers; so I may need to contact 100 companies before I can be lucky to find one that is willing to employ a newbie.

While driving on the road I copy the name of trucking companies advertised on the door of trucks that don’t have sleeper berth compartment, as I figured these must be local trucking companies, but I either cant find the company online to locate their address or when I locate the company website, the company is located over four hours away from my address.

Also, I don’t like to submit my personal information on those recruiting sites because I don’t know how well they will protect my information from identity thieves. Hence I prefer to identify companies so I can contact them directly.

I figured that if I explain my local job searching approach, you might be be better able to point me in the right direction or refer me to resources I can use to find local jobs.

Regards
Josh

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Response from Vicki:

Congratulations on having completed your truck driver training school program to the point of having gotten your Class A CDL! This is a tremendous feat and I know that you’re looking ahead.

Please continue working on mastering your knowledge of two things:
1. traffic signs and
2. how traffic flows in the USA.

You need to know, too, that there are different kinds of roads and traffic flows in different parts of the country.

For example, in the northern USA, there is a type of “intersection” called a “jug handle” where you cannot turn left immediately at the intersection of two crossroads. Drivers wishing to “turn left” have to exit to the right, connect with the cross road farther down, turn left on the cross road from that point and then go across the original intersection.

In some places out west, there are frontage roads that run alongside major roads like interstates.

Drivers also have to exercise caution in exiting interstates at mile marker numbers and any added letter. Some interstates used to have exits marked by number but were renumbered by mile marker numbers. Where there is more than one exit within a single mile, the additional designation of letters helps drivers navigate the exits, such as on I-75 in Ohio.

As you can imagine, even experienced drivers find challenges in various areas.

While you should be pleased with your highest-ever score in truck driver training school, please understand that this does not put you ahead of anyone else just starting out in trucking. What you have learned in school is theory and practice. However, the real test of your ability to handle a truck and pick up and deliver loads will come on the road over time. There is a lot to learn about “the ropes” of trucking and truck operations.

We have said it numerous times on our site, but we do not match drivers and trucking companies. That is not the purpose of our site. However, I will refer you to our local truck driving jobs page.

In addition to the resources there, you may wish to consult your local unemployment commission and Chamber of Commerce for information on companies that hire local Class A drivers.

We don’t want to discourage you, but in our experience, Class A local truck driving jobs usually go to drivers who have proven themselves in OTR trucking first. That is, those who have “paid their dues” get the local driving jobs. There may, of course, be exceptions.

You may also choose to get your start with driving smaller trucks locally first and then move your way up to Class A trucks.

You are wise to be leery of recruiting websites. We state on our local truck driving jobs page that Mike had a bad experience with submitting his personal information through one of those recruiting websites. So, we don’t recommend them either. What you can do is go through the actual websites of trucking companies.

You can also look through trucking forums for information about truck driving jobs.

Finally, do not miss looking through the information on file at your school. Hopefully, you have heard numerous recruiters from trucking companies that are willing to hire “newbie” truckers fresh out of school. The first year — including the all-important winter driving season — is the most crucial.

We wish you great success in your finding employment. Please realize that you may need to approach your career in a stair step fashion. Start small, get your experience, then move on to a job that is more like your dream job. It took Mike more than 11 years of professional truck driving in various situations and with various trucking companies to get a local truck driving job. When he did, it was pulling a type of trailer that he had never pulled before. However, any disadvantages of his local job are outweighed by his home time.

When you get on the road, we wish you safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities. Please stay in touch and let us know how you prosper. Thanks.

Best regards,
Vicki Simons

https://truck-drivers-money-saving-tips.com/