Big Truck Experience, what's mine worth?

[Marshall Banana]

I have a Class B with no restrictions, a year and a half of recent straight truck experience (non CDL and no sleeper, but truck is 26,000lbs, we run logs, and I frequently go otr and stay in cheap hotels), 2.5 years experience on school buses almost ten years ago, and zero in actual expediting. I'm getting a TWIC card but haven't started on getting hazmat or anything else fancy yet. No truck, so I'd be a company driver for now.

What kind of work should I realistically be applying for? It looks like expediting is all about teams, O/O, and old hands, so am I looking at 10,000 pound trucks and coffin sleepers until I can afford my own truck? Or are solo company drivers fairly common but unadvertised? I haven't been seriously looking for very long so I really don't know.

 

[Ragman]

I have a Class B with no restrictions, a year and a half of recent straight truck experience (non CDL and no sleeper, but truck is 26,000lbs, we run logs, and I frequently go otr and stay in cheap hotels), 2.5 years experience on school buses almost ten years ago, and zero in actual expediting. I'm getting a TWIC card but haven't started on getting hazmat or anything else fancy yet. No truck, so I'd be a company driver for now.

What kind of work should I realistically be applying for? It looks like expediting is all about teams, O/O, and old hands, so am I looking at 10,000 pound trucks and coffin sleepers until I can afford my own truck? Or are solo company drivers fairly common but unadvertised? I haven't been seriously looking for very long so I really don't know.

I would be looking at a same day delivery service....

 

[BigStickJr]

You like cheap motels?
Andy has a job for you.

 

[Ragman]

You like cheap motels?
Andy has a job for you.

 

[asap4u]

If your home is in the Atlanta or central FL area, PM me re Fedex CC TCN straight truck that runs M-F regional (GA TN NC SC FL AL MS) needing class B driver


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[Marshall Banana]

If your home is in the Atlanta or central FL area, PM me re Fedex CC TCN straight truck that runs M-F regional (GA TN NC SC FL AL MS) needing class B driver


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I'm in the St. Louis area or I would be all over that.

 

[Marshall Banana]

I would be looking at a same day delivery service....

I got a call back and have an interview Monday, so I'd say you were on the nose. It's looking like a lateral move, it's a company driver position starting at 14.5 and going up to 15 or 15.5/hr after three months, and I'm already making 15.6 where I am (plus that goes to 18.6 whenever I go past 150 air miles from base, though that isn't nearly as often as I'd like). But, I'd get at least some experience with actual CDL trucks (they have both those and non), and down time shouldn't be an issue at all (which is a major reason I'm looking to leave what I have). Still, I'm a little ambivalent about this one.

They do at least some line haul, but the two runs he mentioned off-hand both start at 9pm and run overnight, is that normal? I am NOT a morning person, and I really don't mind staying up until 2 or so, but I don't know about being nocturnal. Line haul does sound interesting and I imagine it pays better than local work.

 

[Andyinchville1]

I would be looking at a same day delivery service....

I got a call back and have an interview Monday, so I'd say you were on the nose. It's looking like a lateral move, it's a company driver position starting at 14.5 and going up to 15 or 15.5/hr after three months, and I'm already making 15.6 where I am (plus that goes to 18.6 whenever I go past 150 air miles from base, though that isn't nearly as often as I'd like). But, I'd get at least some experience with actual CDL trucks (they have both those and non), and down time shouldn't be an issue at all (which is a major reason I'm looking to leave what I have). Still, I'm a little ambivalent about this one.

They do at least some line haul, but the two runs he mentioned off-hand both start at 9pm and run overnight, is that normal? I am NOT a morning person, and I really don't mind staying up until 2 or so, but I don't know about being nocturnal. Line haul does sound interesting and I imagine it pays better than local work.

My "normal " waking hours left to my own devices would be 10AM wake up / 3 AM sleep....

I can work on either side of my "normal" sleep patterns BUT it is harder to do....

I used to run some overnights and some early AM's BUT I found it best to work within what is "normal" for you (life is easier that way UNLESS the $$ are right then it may be worth working outside your normal body rhythms).

 

[Marshall Banana]

I would be looking at a same day delivery service....

I got a call back and have an interview Monday, so I'd say you were on the nose. It's looking like a lateral move, it's a company driver position starting at 14.5 and going up to 15 or 15.5/hr after three months, and I'm already making 15.6 where I am (plus that goes to 18.6 whenever I go past 150 air miles from base, though that isn't nearly as often as I'd like). But, I'd get at least some experience with actual CDL trucks (they have both those and non), and down time shouldn't be an issue at all (which is a major reason I'm looking to leave what I have). Still, I'm a little ambivalent about this one.

They do at least some line haul, but the two runs he mentioned off-hand both start at 9pm and run overnight, is that normal? I am NOT a morning person, and I really don't mind staying up until 2 or so, but I don't know about being nocturnal. Line haul does sound interesting and I imagine it pays better than local work.

My "normal " waking hours left to my own devices would be 10AM wake up / 3 AM sleep....

I can work on either side of my "normal" sleep patterns BUT it is harder to do....

I used to run some overnights and some early AM's BUT I found it best to work within what is "normal" for you (life is easier that way UNLESS the $$ are right then it may be worth working outside your normal body rhythms).

That's what I was thinking too, I ended up passing. Between that and those guys not returning calls after saying they definitely wanted me, it wasn't actually that hard of a decision.

So, I got myself a HME and a TWIC, and today I got a call from a fleet owner with Panther. They're only looking for teams but I figure I'll give it a shot and look at it as a stepping stone. I'm looking at 38/62 with them covering everything except some kind of independent contractor insurance I need. I think I'd prefer to go 60/40, my end goal is to be an O/O, but again I think this might be a good deal for right now. What do you guys think?

Also, what do I want to look for in a team driver? I'm really not a people person and want a good working relationship but I don't want to be their buddy and I sure as hell don't want to talk to them all day about sports or whatever. Do most teams basically work 12 on 12 off, with them not really seeing much of each other, or... ?

 

[RoadTime]

I'm really not a people person and want a good working relationship but I don't want to be their buddy and I sure as hell don't want to talk to them all day about sports or whatever. Do most teams basically work 12 on 12 off, with them not really seeing much of each other, or... ?

Your basically living in a over sized closet with someone, pretty hard to avoid them. Especially, when the wheels are not turning
My sanity sanctuary was very long shower time

 

[Andyinchville1]

I would be looking at a same day delivery service....

I got a call back and have an interview Monday, so I'd say you were on the nose. It's looking like a lateral move, it's a company driver position starting at 14.5 and going up to 15 or 15.5/hr after three months, and I'm already making 15.6 where I am (plus that goes to 18.6 whenever I go past 150 air miles from base, though that isn't nearly as often as I'd like). But, I'd get at least some experience with actual CDL trucks (they have both those and non), and down time shouldn't be an issue at all (which is a major reason I'm looking to leave what I have). Still, I'm a little ambivalent about this one.

They do at least some line haul, but the two runs he mentioned off-hand both start at 9pm and run overnight, is that normal? I am NOT a morning person, and I really don't mind staying up until 2 or so, but I don't know about being nocturnal. Line haul does sound interesting and I imagine it pays better than local work.

My "normal " waking hours left to my own devices would be 10AM wake up / 3 AM sleep....

I can work on either side of my "normal" sleep patterns BUT it is harder to do....

I used to run some overnights and some early AM's BUT I found it best to work within what is "normal" for you (life is easier that way UNLESS the $$ are right then it may be worth working outside your normal body rhythms).

That's what I was thinking too, I ended up passing. Between that and those guys not returning calls after saying they definitely wanted me, it wasn't actually that hard of a decision.

So, I got myself a HME and a TWIC, and today I got a call from a fleet owner with Panther. They're only looking for teams but I figure I'll give it a shot and look at it as a stepping stone. I'm looking at 38/62 with them covering everything except some kind of independent contractor insurance I need. I think I'd prefer to go 60/40, my end goal is to be an O/O, but again I think this might be a good deal for right now. What do you guys think?

Also, what do I want to look for in a team driver? I'm really not a people person and want a good working relationship but I don't want to be their buddy and I sure as hell don't want to talk to them all day about sports or whatever. Do most teams basically work 12 on 12 off, with them not really seeing much of each other, or... ?

I agree with the previous post....It'll be pretty hard to avoid somebody in such a small space and I guess if each person sleeps for 8 hours then there's still at least 4 hours of together time.... well at least 4 hours of awake time overlap.

I'm not sure how one "shops" for a team driver ....do the hiring companies set up something similar to a dating site and people just select each other by reading bios and looking at pictures?

I suppose for me some things I would look for in a team driver would be : non smoking , not having BO , not gassy, ideally not a complainer, a person with similar interests / a good debater for conversation , A night / overnight driver because I would prefer day driving so we can each work our respective shifts without having to switch all the time to make things "fair" , A work motivated person so I would not have to cattle prod to get them to do their share of the work, listens to similar radio stuff but I guess that can be taken care of with head phones, someone who is considerate because when I sleep it should be relatively quiet (Ideally not a lot of loud talking on the phone when sleeping) ....I'm sure there's more but that would be the basics for me...

As far as team driving, I understand why a truck owner would want to have the truck running 24 / 7 but is there an advantage for the drivers themselves in such a situation (especially if it's 2 separate people and not married people because I can see in a same house hold situation the $$ would or should (?) be effectively doubled ? I'm guessing the pay is generally more as a single person in a team truck vs a solo truck situation?

 

[Kip life]

That's what I was thinking too, I ended up passing. Between that and those guys not returning calls after saying they definitely wanted me, it wasn't actually that hard of a decision.

So, I got myself a HME and a TWIC, and today I got a call from a fleet owner with Panther. They're only looking for teams but I figure I'll give it a shot and look at it as a stepping stone. I'm looking at 38/62 with them covering everything except some kind of independent contractor insurance I need. I think I'd prefer to go 60/40, my end goal is to be an O/O, but again I think this might be a good deal for right now. What do you guys think?

Also, what do I want to look for in a team driver? I'm really not a people person and want a good working relationship but I don't want to be their buddy and I sure as hell don't want to talk to them all day about sports or whatever. Do most teams basically work 12 on 12 off, with them not really seeing much of each other, or... ?

Your life must be tough

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[Marshall Banana]

Your life must be tough

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Thanks for the wisdom.

I agree with the previous post....It'll be pretty hard to avoid somebody in such a small space and I guess if each person sleeps for 8 hours then there's still at least 4 hours of together time.... well at least 4 hours of awake time overlap.

I'm not sure how one "shops" for a team driver ....do the hiring companies set up something similar to a dating site and people just select each other by reading bios and looking at pictures?

I suppose for me some things I would look for in a team driver would be : non smoking , not having BO , not gassy, ideally not a complainer, a person with similar interests / a good debater for conversation , A night / overnight driver because I would prefer day driving so we can each work our respective shifts without having to switch all the time to make things "fair" , A work motivated person so I would not have to cattle prod to get them to do their share of the work, listens to similar radio stuff but I guess that can be taken care of with head phones, someone who is considerate because when I sleep it should be relatively quiet (Ideally not a lot of loud talking on the phone when sleeping) ....I'm sure there's more but that would be the basics for me...

As far as team driving, I understand why a truck owner would want to have the truck running 24 / 7 but is there an advantage for the drivers themselves in such a situation (especially if it's 2 separate people and not married people because I can see in a same house hold situation the $$ would or should (?) be effectively doubled ? I'm guessing the pay is generally more as a single person in a team truck vs a solo truck situation?

I'm sure you guys are right, I'm just hoping there's a realistic way to make this work without relying on my first codriver and I magically being perfect for each other.

There might be companies that do the dating site thing, but these guys said they'd just send me an email with contact info once they come across someone with the same endorsements and who isn't a smoker. That was the only preference they asked for, smoking or non. :/

From what I've seen so far, the incentive for solo drivers to team is that that's all that's available unless you have your own truck. Solo company driving positions just don't seem to be a thing unless it's for a smaller next day delivery service. I tried several of those in my area and only got one response, then that one flaked out after saying they wanted to hire me. I may have to see if there are any others around here that I've missed.

 

[Ragman]

Solo company driving positions just don't seem to be a thing unless it's for a smaller next day delivery service.

Nothing wrong with that...

When my carrier slinging rags and aprons ended, i made a carrier of same day work. Best of all, I was home almost every night.