Question:
Hi:
I've been lurking on this and other forums for a month or so. I work and live in Alaska June through September, and then I live in Virginia for the rest of the year, and I'm looking for something to do for the other 8 months of the year. I'm starting a four week training program at a Community College next week. for my CDL that I'll complete around September 20, and then I hope to start driving in Early Febuary.
Here are my questions: If I take a job in February and then leave at the end of May how damaging is it going to be for me to leave after only 4 months with my first employer ? Is it likely that I could find a company that would hire me on each year from October through May? Does anyone know drivers that work seasonaly?
Any thoughts that you have would be appreciated.
Muskeg

Answer:
As far as I know they will take anybody with a pulse. BP needs to be 140/80 or below. Sugar needs to be inline w/o the needle. No other qualifications. Most couldn't even hit the river if they drove off the George Washington Bridge. Getting hit in a truckstop is a different tune.. But it's a lifestyle for sure. I'm sure somebody would welcome another warm project even if it's part time.Whoa is me. Yup, put the brakes on the trucking crapola and haven't looked back.


Answer:
Most newbies in this racket job-hop between 2 to 7 companies within their first 1-2 years anyway so how's that any different from what you'd like to do? You'll end up doing the same thing but, in your case, you'll be able to call it "driving seasonally". Just quit wherever, take your break and hire on somewhere else next time around(they all pay the same - schitt - and offer the same benefits - none - anyway). This industry has a bona fide 100+% turnover rate. Sounds like you're just what the doctor ordered.
As far as finding work, like Luther says, got a pulse? Just look around here at some of the posts by these "drivers". Do that and ask yourself how difficult it must be to get hired as a truck driver.
Answer:
Unfortunatley, that's true! But don't count on a good job, with that record!
Answer:
Thanks for the info, guys. I recognize that there's a lot of drivers that are very unsatisfied with the job and they leave to do something else. I've been reading a lot of the training journals over at NewbieDriver.com and last night I spent a couple hours reading one from a guy in his forties that I kind of related to. He was a bright guy with a prior successful career, super pumped up before and during his training. He went to work for Schnieder and they squeezed the life out of him within a few months. I assume that his story is not un-typical but he was a very good writer and wrote with amazing detail.
I'm not going into this with great excitement or unrealistic optimism, I don't think. It's simply a tool for me to pay my bills and get me out and doing something in my off season. As long as I can stick it out for this Spring and next Winter I figure it'll be worth the investment I'm putting into the training. Anything after that will just be gravy, I figure.
My concern was in not being straight up with my first employer in that I'll likely only be there for a few months as t not the kind of thing that I normally tend to do. My other thought was in how much training an employer would expect I'd need after being out of a truck for four or five months.

Answer:
The biggest problem that you're going to encounter is getting your next driving job when you return from Alaska next year.
The majority of trucking companies will treat the three months of driving experience you accumulate early in '05, as being training. Combine that with your absence from the biz until October, and they'll most likely want to put you through their own training program.
What would probably work better is for you to find a temp agency to drive for next October. They are considerably more lax in their hiring requirements.

Answer:
Another "issue" beyond the excellent point Phil made is that you are talking about driving during some of the slowest months for freight.
Answer:
You also have the option of doing the seasonal trucking that alot of drivers do in Fl. Many come here from the Ne to drive in the winter months and leave when it warms up to go drive back home. Most work in some construction type work like rock hauling or dump trucks. There is also seasonal produce driving jobs in different areas. The only trick is to find companies that you can trust and depend on.

Answer:
Yeah the return from Alaska in the Fall is when I thought that I might have a problem. From what I'm reading it seems that new drivers are assigned to trainers for at least 6-8 weeks and best case scenerio that leaves me with two months of solo work this Spring before I leave for the summer. Riding and driving as a trainee seems to be pretty close to a volunteer operation. If I sign on with a new company in the fall, I'm guessing that they'd want me to hire on as a trainee again so between this Spring and next Fall I could spend a lot of weeks riding with a trainer.
Ideally, I'd like to be able to come back to the same company that I sign on with out of school this January. Im hoping that if I like the company and II can make a good enough impression in the first four months, that my employer will take me back in October. I'm in Richmond VA by the way, so if anyone has any good suggestions for companies around here, I'm all ears.

Answer:
I hate agreeing with YDSM, but the way the industry is today, you're probably better off just doing that. Go in with the intention of quitting when the time is good, but don't tell them that up front. Give at least 2 weeks notice, don't burn your bridges, and maybe you'll get rehired.