The best truck driver jobs for Owner Operators & Truckers
RDI is currently seeking Independent Contractors Driver / Owner Operator to join our team. This unique business opportunity is ideal for someone that has experience in the home delivery and moving industry and someone that has the desire to own and operate their own truck. As an Independent Contractors/Driver for RDI you will run a two person crew providing high quality home deliveries and showing extraordinary care, respect, and courtesy to our customers. Hiring for the following areas: Southampton, PA; Taunton, MA; Bessemer, AL; Salem, NH. See more here!
Please contact Christine Sullivan at 1-508-205-0530 [email protected].
Through our partnership with The Home Depot, Mendocino Forest Products brings beautiful redwood and Douglas-fir lumber products to customers throughout the West Coast. Our redwood companies consist of approximately 440,000 acres of timberlands in the state of California and our Commercial Truck Driving jobs will include driving big-rig vehicles to & from forest lands, to & from Sawmills, distribution centers in and around metropolitan areas, and or hauling logs, heavy equipment and construction materials. 1-707-485-6731
While most industries are laying people off and dramatically downsizing, there's one industry that's always looking for people: the trucking industry. If you're looking for a career that's almost guaranteed to give you consistent, ongoing employment, you can't go wrong with trucking. Finding a trucking job isn't difficult, but you have to be adequately prepared. You can't just walk in off the street and get hired. With that being said, you can realistically become an actual trucker in as little as six months. The trick is knowing how to go about it, and specific steps for doing so are outlined below.
The last thing you want to do is get your hopes up about finding a trucking job and discover that you're not actually qualified for one. In general, it's fairly easy to meet the basic requirements for being a trucker. However, you should keep the following points in mind:
In order to find a trucking job, you're going to need a CDL, or commercial driver's license. You can technically study for this and go take the test at the DMV on your own. However, simply having a CDL isn't going to be enough to get a decent trucking job. You'll need to complete training at a truck driving school. These schools teach you the basics of driving truck, and they also train you so that you can get your CDL.
There are three basic options for truck driving school: private schools, company-sponsored schools and community college courses. The quickest and most reliable way to find employment quickly is by opting for a company-sponsored school. However, you will have to commit to working for that company for at least one or two years. In many cases, your schooling will be largely subsidized, so you will owe little or no money. The same can't be said for private truck driving schools, but you can shop around for a job more easily with that kind of training. Community colleges only make sense if one is located near year and has a record of connecting people with decent jobs.
Truck driving schools typically run from three to six weeks. Most require 120 to 160 hours of instruction. They include classes, instruction about safe driving techniques and training for state CDL exams. You'll do a lot of driving, and you'll have to complete many written exams as well. Three to six weeks may sound like a decent length of time, but everything is crammed in, so the experience can be quite intense.
If you opt for company-sponsored truck driving school, you will have to make this decision ahead of time. You should actually apply for a job before your schooling begins. If you opt for private truck driving school, you should start looking for a company as soon as you know the date when you'll complete your schooling. When you find one that works, you should receive a pre-hire letter. Although it's not a guarantee that you'll be hired, it's pretty close.
When your schooling is finished, your training isn't. You will still have to undergo additional training, which is usually done in the form of going on the road with a company trainer. This is when you will really get a feel for what trucking is all about. If you've gone the company-sponsored schooling route, you will be paired with a trainer from that company. This training can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Every company is different.
If you receive your schooling from a private trucking driving school, you will still have to undergo this additional training. However, you won't get started until you are hired. In fact, your hiring will most likely be conditional. As long as you successfully complete your training, you should have a job.
Local trucking jobs are highly coveted. With that in mind, most truckers start out with over-the-road, or OTR, jobs. You do have options in terms of the kind of freight that you will haul though. Whether you choose to drive refrigerated trucks, dry van trucks, flatbed trucks or another kind of truck, do plenty of research to figure out which option is right for you.
There's a dizzying array of trucking jobs out there, and OTR trucking jobs are especially plentiful. If one company isn't a good fit, you should be able to find work at another one without a lot of effort. Just remember that you may have to commit to staying with one company for a few years if you opt for company-sponsored training. From that point forward though, finding a job should never be an issue.