Help Desperately Needed

Posted by wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 36 comments

Okay guys, I’m new to the game. I got my CDL through Prime in May of 2024. Went in with a friend, he was my trainer. Long story short, a couple months later, we both got fired because of a video I posted (from the passenger seat I might add). Careless, stupid, perhaps. But I’m desperately trying to break back into driving because it’s the only job ever loved or even liked. I have my CDL but I don’t have enough experience on the road to go out and drive for another company. More importantly, I’m not confident enough to do so. I’m a good driver with a clean record, never been in an accident. I just don’t know what route to take next. No one wants to hire someone with just a couple months of experience. And I don’t know who will take me on to help me get comfortable enough to kickstart my career. I never thought I would get my CDL to begin with and I don’t want my efforts to go to waste. Can someone please point me in the right direction? I live in Arkansas. I just need someone to have a little faith in me. Thanks in advance (:

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36 Comments

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rcbrown527@reddit

Jb hunt in Arkansas

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

Do you know if they’ll give me a lil bit of training? It’s been over a year since I’ve driven a truck and I wanna be confident if I’m gonna be driving such a large vehicle. There’s a lotta risk that comes with it

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Real-Chard4597@reddit

Smart choice, dont just sit behind the steering wheel if someone is going to hire you without training, only go with a company that will train you the real world is much more vicious than what they teach you at school. There is a lot of challenges in the real world make sure to get that training until your fully comfortable with the vehicle and have full confidence that you could drive it any where without making a mistake.

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

I struggled a lot with backing when I was learning. More or less when I was in higher stress situations. It’s hard to do when you know everyone is watching and you don’t wanna mess up.

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Real-Chard4597@reddit

A lot of companies these days dont care about safety or about who is behind the wheel. Best thing for you in my opinion find a tight knit small family company who has maybe 10-15 trucks these are the best people to work for. Currently i work for a guy who owns 10 trucks, no stress with dispatch, no disrespect from dispatch and all together stress free and good pay. The first company that started me off was trash sent me with a trainer who did drugs for 2 days than send me solo to Montreal Canada some of the tightest streets i have ever seen as a rookie, and probably one of the worst docks i backed into i have a video of the dock up on my page check it out if you want. But i wish the best of luck to you get that training because if you dont you will be put in a situation were you might mess up or panic.

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FutureCorpse699@reddit

As others have said, Tyson and Jb hunt hire anyone. Maybe even try maverick. They’re in NLR but have yards all over the place.

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Odd-Improvement-2135@reddit

Maverick is HUGE on safety. Ain't no way!

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Caucasianjulio@reddit

Panther premium logistics, If your buddy is willing to team with you. They look for teams in either class A or class B trucks with the big sleepers

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Commercial_Ad3579@reddit

Try US Xpress or Total Transportation of Mississippi. I know they hire from Arkansas. Total is amazing for team driving, and most teams make $100K a year, and there’s a $7500 sign on bonus for the team, too.

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Neat-Big8950@reddit

Might not be the answer you want as it will involve more money but check into a regular trucking school. Almost all of them do job placement. Explain to them what happened. Ask them if you can do some sort of a refresher course. They might offer it for like $500 and then their HR/Jib placement office should be able to find you something. Most of those guys have agreements with companies.

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Known-Banana-6415@reddit

Come to Schneider national. We have one of the best training for new drivers in the industry. You will be paired with a team member if you don’t want to be solo for a start. You can then later break out and go solo if you so choose. Pay might not be awesome for the first 2-3 months but you’d be good after that. If you need any help with it or a referral. Let me know.

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MuphDiesel@reddit

Don’t. Just find something else.

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bimbeauxnegative@reddit

Man, go to Schneider. Folks in this sub like to shit on them, but I started with them and wouldn’t change a thing. Pay could be better, but in my opinion what’s important in the beginning is experience. If you get on a dedicated account, you’re golden. I was treated very well.

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Due-Technician3715@reddit

Schneider might hire

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Stunning_Sentence_40@reddit

Could try a local construction

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Viktore777@reddit

Swift

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Wu-Tang_Panda@reddit

Best bet is to find a company that does team drivers and get paired it with someone for a year or so then you can start shopping around for other work solo

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derpmcturd@reddit

Wait, how did the company see the video?

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

I was friends with another guy who works there and he sent it to them. Denied it when I asked him about it.

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derpmcturd@reddit

I think this is the bigger lesson to take away from this situation. Noone is on your side at a company except you. Take that with you moving forward. Dont look back but dont forget either.

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

I won’t, I’ve definitely learned my lesson. Thank you 🫶🏼

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Brooklynj-718@reddit

I think the question everyone is wondering is… what was the video you posted that got you fired? Because the rest kinda reads like engagement bait.

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

I explained it in another comment. I’m not hiding anything.

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Siom_one@reddit

USXpress hires new drivers. You might have to go out with another trainer but you can still get a decent pay once youre done with training.

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sixeight@reddit

Maverick is based in Arkansas if you want to try flatbed.

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tylerh369@reddit

Honestly there are so many companies out there. Start calling and tell them you have your cdl but not the comfort of being solo and want a trainer. Most should be happy with you knowing your self well enough to still need training. And for the ones who dont want to tranin you or say anything negative then you didnt need to work for them anyways.

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

I didn’t really look at it that way but I suppose you’re right. Thank you (:

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Kong__Dong@reddit

If your in Arkansas try Tyson they will hire anyone

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Grumpy_Trucker_85@reddit

Gotta ask, what happened in the video that you got fired over it? That may be what tells everyone who you are likely to get a job with

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

My trainer was wearing a ski mask and I was just laughing hysterically, it was funny after all. But I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong. Not to throw him under the bus by any means.

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Koreatown94@reddit

so they fire you for wearing a ski mask? lol that's a lawsuit

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

He was wearing it while driving. I don’t know that that necessarily makes a difference but it made a difference to Prime for sure

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Koreatown94@reddit

that's wavyybabyyyyy lmfaoo 😂😂

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

That’s what I’m saying 😭 it was my ski mask so he obviously had swag

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Grumpy_Trucker_85@reddit

That's kinda weird, you can probably try any of the other megas, like Werner or Swift to get you started again. I'm assuming your issue is you have under 6 months experience, and that is absolutely gonna shut the doors to any decent job in the current market without a fair bit of luck, which you sound like you are short on lol.

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wavyyyybabyyyy@reddit (OP)

Oh, if it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all 🥲 I spoke with someone from both companies last year in efforts to get back in but it didn’t seem like they were too interested in hiring me either. Apparently I’ve got too little experience to be hired on and just drive and I have too much experience to be considered a student because I already acquired my CDL.