Been out of work since March and I've decided to make a career change, I'm not going to deal with the public again! I've had enough with rude, crude, obnoxious, unappreciative people! I've been dealing with the VA on getting re-trained. I got them to approve/sign off on truck driving school! I drove some in the Seabees and drove the church bus for quite a few years back in Ca., so this is more of a re-fresher school then anything! Plus the school offers lifetime job placement!

Here in Denver there seems to be quite a few jobs hauling frozen food and produce.

Any thoughts???

Buckshotmckee's Sig:

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Can do some local driving for a couple years. Then maybe think about over the road.

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I'm going to do OTR for 6-12 months to get some experience back under my belt and then go from there. I'm going to try and get a designated run that will put me home every couple of days?

Anybody???

Looks like I'm going to work for Werner when I'm done with school. They guaranteed/gave me a job since I told them I wanted flatbed work. With there flatbed program they pay more $$$ per mile, plus loading/unloading pay, plus tarping pay, & they pay me to stop every 100 miles to check the load. I guess Werner is on of the few companies that run the mountain states in the winter so hopefully I stay busy.

It looks like you got something going.

You're sick & tired of dealing with the public, but want to try your hand at truck driving.

Seriously?


Have you seen how people drive? If you are sick of rude, crude, obnoxious people, the last place you want to be is in the cab of a truck where the DOT expects you as the "professional driver" to make a conscious effort to adjust your driving behavior to keep the idiotic morons in the four wheelers from killing you, others, and themselves.


As for Werner....well, make an effort to really research what their load/unload pay, tarp pay, etc really amounts to....and you may as well forget about being home every couple days with them, for a very long time. The reason they have virtually guranteed you a seat when you said you want to run flatbed is their turnover in the flatbed division is about 80%.

Just an honest observation......be prepared for a reality check. Not trying to be a jerk, just saying....

Cheers, Dan

Mr. Miyagi's Sig:

I would look for a different company. Werners trucks are slow and there drivers rep is not very good. Your definitely not going to be home every couple of days with them. In fact you'll be lucky to see the house for a day or two every couple of months. All those big companies do that to their drivers. I talked to a J.B. driver one time said he hadn't been home in 3 months and thats how long he had been working for them. In my opinion, look for a small company pullin stepdecks or tankers. Those were the best experiences I had when I was doin it. And the smaller company will know you by name and not a number. Good luck and drive safe! Theres a lot of nuts out there

jasonfriedlin's Sig:

It's a very good idea to stop every 100 miles no matter who you choose. I did 400 miles on a Monday without stopping much, that Friday I was in critical condition. I spent 3 days in the ICU and two more days in a private room. I was totally healthy my whole life and then that one day happened. A clot formed in my leg and broke loose and filled up both my lungs with clots, (pulmonary embolism). The ambulance came and got me off the side of the road to start the whole deal. Anyway, stopping every hour or so is a good idea. BTW, I have to take Coumadin for the rest of my life, (rat poison) to keep my blood thinned out.

I'm not trying to scare you or anything. I had never even heard of my condition until it almost killed me. Just want everyone to know about how sitting too long can kill you.

Good luck on your career change.

zwhite97's Sig:

Anyone who is sworn-in to uphold the Constitution of the United States and then doesn't, should be convicted (not tried) of Treason and dealt with swiftly.
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Im with Mr.Miyagi on this one. If ur tired of the public, just wait till u get driving!
And run, dont walk, RUN away from Werner as fast you possibly can!! I started out in their flatbed devision when I went OTR, it sounds like fun, but trust me, it sucks, and Werner is one of the worst companys to drive for. I know all about Werner, I was an owner op for them, lost my truck cause they wouldnt give me enough work, and the dispatchers are straight from college, punks.
I guarantee you will be in a truck for 6 weeks with a "trainer" you will not see home in that 6 weeks, u will get a hotel in your trainers home town for a day or 2, then your dispatcher will stiff you out of seeing home for another 2 weeks after you get your truck. And you will tarp 90% of your loads.
Keep looking man! If anything, get with a company that isnt HUGE, and pull a refer trailer. I loved pulling refer.
Good luck!

Cowboy_Customs's Sig:

'95 Dodge 3500 SLT Laramie NV4500 4.10LS Chevy cyl's flatbed Pacbrake 60# springs timed and tweeked Bilstein HD's 19.5's Lukes link 309K on the ticker
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What about Swift???

Keep looking man! If anything, get with a company that isnt HUGE, and pull a refer trailer. I loved pulling refer.
Good luck!

Read more: How's the Job Market???

It would be more profitable to pull a trailer full of Refer. What about doing heavy equipment?

Jet A Fuel's Sig:

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man i cant take the road very long. i kinda flip out

diesel pap's Sig:

www.mightydiesel.com - Make Your Diesel MIGHTY !

Reefer unit is the backup plan. I want to get into heavy equipment, oversize loads, stuff like that, more $$$.

PM me if you want the real deal about Werner. I work for Gra Gar ( the maintance division of Werner) and I see first hand how they treat there drivers.

dieseldocter16's Sig:

2001 Dodge Ram 2500 SPORT CTD, NV 5600 swap, Valair DD from Mighty Diesel w/ stock 3rd. gen. hydros, leveled, Bilstein 5100's, boost elbow, FASS 150, S&B intake w/ AMSOIL filter, Recon smoked clearance lights and Line of Fire (thanks 07redsled), SBS diesel 5" T-pipe w/ 5" stacks, LED lights, Grand General train horn and Viair on board air
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I recently went through retraining also and got my CDL and learned to drive the big rigs. It was a blast and i really liked driving with a van trailer. The school i attended had bad news about going to work for Werner. They told all of us to stay away from them unless it was a last resort for a job. Ill have to agree, we were also told that a newbie would be in the truck and not see his home for the first 3 months of employment and also have a ride along trainer with them. Not my cup of tea! We were also told to stay away from Crete Carriers that they were even worse about home time.