Dayton freight called me back less than 24 hours of applying
Posted by scarface0021@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 35 comments
I am a police officer trying to switch careers into trucking, so I applied to Dayton freight with 0 experience for the dock worker position with the end goal to be a driver there. So dock to driver path they offer. I heard they are tough to get into and hear back, but they called me back less than 24 hours of applying, is that normal? I have to call him back in a couple hours so I won’t know what it’s about until I call back but seems like a good sign to be so fast. Anyone have experience with them enjoy it there? I want to be a driver but figured I’ll start as a dock worker at a better company and work up to a driver role than be miserable OTR with a mega.
yardbirdtex@reddit
Why don’t you go straight to it and hit up a mega like swift or KLLM that will pay for your CDL? You won’t learn anything in a dock that is useful for driving a truck. Go straight to it. Don’t waste your time in a warehouse. Also- get ready to lose the control you have as a cop, you will go from what you do now to the bottom of the social totem pole. Be ready to breathe and let go.
Good luck
GumbysDonkey@reddit
If Dayton is like the other LTLs they have their own CDL school and training that you are paid to attend. Not too mention you will probably make money similar to what an OTR driver at KLLM or a mega is making while working the dock and going home every night. Sleeping at a truck stop isn't experiance you need to learn how to function as a driver at an LTL.
Seebs9@reddit
He’ll probably make more money as a dock worker at Dayton than he would at swift or kllm.
Feisty-Tomato8812@reddit
Dayton is starting part-timers at $23.95/hr at about 25-28hrs/wk.
Feisty-Tomato8812@reddit
I’ve been with Dayton for 16 years and used to train D2D. You absolutely learn everything you need about driving a truck in the program. Will you be in a truck in 3 weeks NO! The program takes 18-24 months to complete. First prospective drivers start in a non-CDL truck doing deliveries for about 6mos, during that 6mos you’ll train for and obtain your class B license. You’ll be in the Class B truck for about 12mos, during the last 6mos of that you’ll train for and obtain your Class A license. Once you’ve obtained your Class A license you’ll be on your own with an evaluation after 3 weeks, 6mos and one year. Dayton provides a driver to train you in our equipment and is completely paid training throughout the entire program. It’s a great program.
scarface0021@reddit (OP)
Ppl said megas suck and otr sucks so was thinking of staying local playing the waiting game . And what u think I should stay a cop? It’s not respected much these days
Rich-Broccoli7085@reddit
Sorry to break the news but if you think a cop isnt a respectable job, wait til you start trucking. We treated like 2nd class citizens.
hera_the_destroyer@reddit
Plus you have to deal with dot and cops.
polarjunkie@reddit
Right lmfao
kona_kenanu@reddit
Dayton is a solid LTL company. Very normal to be called back for a dock position. I’d take it and work towards getting into the dock-driver program. Don’t listen to any advice saying you have to start at a mega.
Feisty-Tomato8812@reddit
I second this as a current driver Dayton who used to train dock to driver guys!!
Seebs9@reddit
Dayton is a great company and the dock to driver program is highly recommended at any Ltl. Do your time and get trained and you get a coveted Ltl position right out of school.
Just be aware, depending on the size of your terminal, it could take a while to get sent through the program. Just make it clear from the get go it’s something you’re interested in.
APizzaWithEverything@reddit
Most LTLs will hire for driver positions right out of school these days
GumbysDonkey@reddit
That's location specific, and definitely not happening at my terminal. We have a pretty long list for our dock > driver program and because of our terminal size we pretty much get a guaranteed spot every month. The last time I remember us hiring anyone from outside the company as a driver was when Yellow went belly up and the 3 or 4 we hired from there are no longer with the company. They all had dogshit work ethic and were shown the door.
Individual_Wasabi669@reddit
Yea that’s normal, why don’t you work your way up with UPS ? And then be a class A driver ? Way better i assume since that’s how they function
Ups is a dream for truckers locally from what i hear
GumbysDonkey@reddit
UPS sounds great on paper until you start to pay attention and notice how much they enjoy laying people off and closing facilities. That pay don't mean shit if your sitting at home waiting to be called into work. Of course if you can put up with that for 10yrs and get some seniority it's not an issue anymore, but fuck dealing with that imo.
PutridContribution41@reddit
UpS will go bankrupt soon. They're closing shops like flies and lying off by the thousands.
ANiceDent@reddit
Their business model is to expand & contract (close & open) buildings based off of package volume in a market area.
They consolidate & move hubs a lot also.
This was always the #1 reason I avoided them.
A buddy I knew who went there had his hub close after being there for 12 years, he had the option to move 200 miles away. Or yeah kick rocks.
PutridContribution41@reddit
Closed shop, while Amazon takes their customers. Amazon just launched a outside party logistics company aka the new FedEx / Ups competitor. If they keep closing, Amazon will be the only provider left in the area.
Gilgamesh2000000@reddit
Amazon is one of the only things going on. Tons of logistics facilities, they even got the usps contract.
Gilgamesh2000000@reddit
The shit they do so people can’t claim unemployment
bulldog522002@reddit
My son was load off last year by ups.
SamuraiJono@reddit
Could be 20 years before you get that class A spot depending on where you're at. For some people it's probably more money overall to just work other places, so they're making normal money for those 10-20 years instead.
scarface0021@reddit (OP)
Was looking into ups couldn’t find open gigs nearby
Individual_Wasabi669@reddit
True that
Good luck with your career switch
GumbysDonkey@reddit
You are applying as a dock worker, not a driver. Any LTL is easy to get into as a dock worker, and difficult to get hired into as a driver.
Unfortunately a large number of people on this sub just refuse to go that path and would rather make 50cpm driving for a shitty mega, than go make 28+/hr on the dock while waiting for your turn at the driver program.
Gilgamesh2000000@reddit
What’s starting pay?
justdan76@reddit
You got a load of comments already, I would just compare the benefits package to what you already have. If I had started a public service job instead of trucking, I’d be on track to retire with a pension in the next few years. As it is, I’m going to be an old man with a broken down body by the time I can retire from trucking.
cowboygeo89@reddit
Skip the dock and go strait to a mega. Do one year otr then apply for any local position you want. Otr isn't bad. It's an adventure I recommend it. No telling how long you will be in that dock position. Don't waste your time.
adventureandlife137@reddit
As someone who works for Dayton it is the beat trucking job I have had hands down! They have given me the best life balance of any company. Doing P&D I work about 9 hours a day mon-fri home everyday!
MidLifeChanger@reddit
I have not worked for Dayton but I hauled a fair share of backhauls out of the Chicago area. Only reason I never applied there is because I lived too far from a terminal. Seemed like good places.
Auquaholic@reddit
You might get some results using the search function within this sub for them. Good Luck & God Bless.
jmzstl@reddit
They called you back so fast because you applied for a dock worker position.
Dock to driver is not guaranteed.
my_peen_is_clean@reddit
fast callbacks are normal for dock gigs, they always need bodies especially nights. dayton has a decent rep, dock to driver is a solid route. go in clean record, good attitude, be upfront about wanting to drive
scarface0021@reddit (OP)
Sweet exactly what I’m going for is dock to driver