Question:
I want to get my class a but dont want to be otr for a year what are my options. are there any. has anybody experienced differently coming out of trucking school with getting a local job. being over the road for a year is crazy especially when a person has a family & newborn . i need some insight on this topic please help

Answer:
Before going to school or getting CDL......
Call the Local companies you are interested in working for & ASK them what their Requirements are.

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If you live in the right area ABF hires students. Check out their website for more info.

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Check with building supply , construction companies many have local work

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Also check with Swift . They have a terminal right there in Columbus and may be needing a local driver.
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Yea....check with local companies. Some local companies will pay for your schooling, but require you to stay with them for a certain amount of months/years. My company will pay, but wants you to stay for 2yrs min.
Answer:
what company do u work for?

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There are lots of local jobs around here, dump truck, concrete truck, local nightly store delivery's, Milk truck, cattle hauling. It should be easy to get a local job, i never even went to trucking school, just went and got a licence, and i started at a local company. Almost all construction and farm trucking companies are local.
I started driving tandem dump truck, when i was 17, didn't even have a licence, i just drove in the pit and stuff, then got licence when i was 18 and drove on road. I'm 20 now. And still can't get hired for OTR.
I work for a large industrial supplies company, that delivers to there own stores everynight, i work about 8 hours a night, and unload myself at every store, i have about 6 stops a night.
Only work mon-fri too.

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Is there any logging going on in your area. Most log trucking and wood chip hauling companies don't require experience and pay pretty decent.

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Most local gigs won't touch you. The vast majority of your choices seem to be otr but that doesn't mean there's nothing out there. You must look and make phone calls. I never had that problem (Thank goodness) I received my CDL thru my employer in 1993 and worked local for a year before changing jobs.

Answer:
I know from being young and dumb myself I got out of truck driving school and didn't want to go OTR so I started looking I know California and Ohio are two different worlds but I found work as a seasonal truck driver hauling fruits and veggies just within a 150 mile radius I was home every night, I dunno if Ohio has much farming opportunities for drivers but that is one avenue to go (they don't really look for much experience) I worked for a building supply company they took me with no experience it was very local but very very hard work and not much driving involved either you can try some of those companies, I know any sort of driving job that involves physical work that is entry level doesn't require much experience but if your just looking to cruise around the county and not do much physical work, those jobs don't exist (without the proper connections anyways), I know Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser all hire newbies its tough work and local just not very glamourous and average pay some LTL's small rag time ones will take newbies, almost every area has a newbie company I noticed, not an OTR one either, construction companies hire newbies but you will probably be doing more work than driving, check to see if the truck driving school will give you local references I know mine did also check out www.everytruckjob.com and http://www.ajb.dni.us/ and www.careerbuilder.com that is how I found all my jobs, and by talking to who does the hiring good luck and stay safe and the pay for entry level local work is usually very low end such as $8/hr or 25% of a load or what have you, and no benefits but see what the school says and its not only what you know but who you know and the squeaky wheel always gets the grease.

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Aw, c'mon... OTR's exciting! It's not like you're leaving the planet.
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In that area you could try fuel transport and some LTL companies,you'd be surprised who will give you a chance if you make a few phone calls. Set those goals high too,you never know until you ask. Call Yellow and Roadway,ABF, start on the docks and in the yard if you have too. You have a brand new baby and you need to stay home,trust me i have 3 and 5 yo girls and i'm gone every week and i'd love to be home.Ask around with your friends,network yourself,besides, all those books do is glorify being an over the road driver anyway,it's not all that. Good luck

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thanks a bunch to all u members who have helped me out. without this forum i would be lost, i feel sorry for the unfortunate who dont have a computer who are diving into truck driving without any enlightment or knowledge. well my top pick would be abf i would rather work the dock for a while just to get my foot in the door... my other picks would be roadway there hiring for dock workers right now seen the ad in the sunday newspaper. other are yellow and usf, but well see what happends im shooting for the best.. once again thanks for the help and i'll keep everyone posted.

Answer:
are out there, I went to school & got my CDL, then decided not to go OTR, found a local outfit close to home. I am hauling new dump boxes regionally & back hauling whatever the boss finds out there, mostly steel for more dump boxes, I did make a run to Tuscon w/a load of new horse trailers, picked up a backhoe to Deming Nm, then machinery from Odessa Tx to Houston & 47000# of steel back to Oklahoma, was out 7.5 days, took a while to get out of Tucson! Flatbedding is dirty work, but it's a job! About midnite in El Paso, somebody decided to hit & run the rt ft corner of my tractor, took off the rt turn signal, crunched the fender tip, folded up the rt side mirrors, I was asleep in bunk, woke up seeing the back of trailer dissapearing, didnt get ID, lot lighting was on other side of trailer, some people have no class at all! Took Pics of damage to prove to boss, I didnt do it, always carry a camera!
Wizard Too