The recruiters lied to me, now I'm $5k in debt and a bunch of useless endorsements.

Posted by BigTsnipes@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 13 comments

Back in February I lost my job of 4 years as an Operations manager making $55k a year due to budget cuts caused by "the economy".

They at least had the courtesy of giving me a 3 weeks notice to look for other work. In that time I looked at my work experience and realized I definitely have a strong history of driving for companies and doing excellent delivery service using many different large vehicles. My background and love of driving led me to see how much earnings potential is in the CDL workforce.

Before the end of that month I found Roadmasters Drivers School in Orlando, FL and decided to stop by and speak with them about it. While in the office talking to a recruiter they went over the program and let me know they have career placement programs as well.

Now here's what you were waiting for if you're a salted CLD driver... They told me that TYPICALLY you would have a 3 to 4 week training once I start a job after graduation and MAJORITY of the time I would need to go into OTR for 3-6 months before looking elsewhere. I LET THEM KNOW it would be tough but DOABLE for me to do the training but I need to get a local job due to my personal family situation. Being gone most weekends for 3-6 months was not an option for me. They assured me that it's very possible to find local routes or jobs out there I could find especially if I had endorsements and a TWIC card. I agreed and decided to finance the program myself.

GREAT NEWS, as strict as the instructors were I confidently passed every one of my evaluations and even the states exam first shot on schedule. My experiences already outside of the CDL world definitely helped. I immediately went and got my double/triples, tanker and hazmat endorsements as well as a TWIC card. During the program I had heard of other students getting local routes and I saw the no experience needed local routes online and started applying... Then I graduated and kept applying... And now it's been over a month and I'm still applying...

Jobs listed as NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED HIRING URGENTLY!... "Oh, sorry we actually need experience." Home DAILY but only OFFERING $19 A effing HOUR! That won't even cover rent. Decent jobs that have everything I need but haven't heard anything back from them. Even class B jobs are turning up their nose at me...

I really am flexible Tuesday though Friday but how screwed am I? Should I just give up at this point and look at other work or something ACTUALLY out there relatively near the Orlando area?

[-]

doobersthetitan@reddit

First CDL job you can be too picky with.

If you got a Strong back HHG....moving companies always need a driver.

Trash companies need drivers too. Around here its pretty good money and you work like 2am to noon or something. 4x10 with OT if you want.

Also if you have Hazmat+ tanker...oil, grease, bulk gas, fuel trucks etc.

Gilgamesh2000000@reddit

Who did you vote for?

Radiant_Swan187@reddit

We get it. You hate Trump lol. Just say that next time

I don’t hate trump. Trump is winning. You’re not 😂

Seebs9@reddit

Florida is a really rough market for this industry, even a lot of megas dont hire out of there.

Try all the food service companies. It’ll be hard but the money is generally good.

Ornery_Ads@reddit

Truth is, with the current market, and insurance rates, if you get a local class A job, consider it a godsend. I doubt you will, though.

Yes, apply, but also expect to get nothing back.

You should look hard into class B positions, especially ones with companies that have class A trucks.

Food service is a solid position if you can handle the hours and labor.
Construction has a lot going on and will get you variety (crash trucks, dump trucks, water trucks, flatbed, heavy equipment, etc).
There's also a lot of dump truck exclusive companies to look into.
Trash can be very lucrative if you can put up with it. Strong unions and high pay at most operators.

The666Apes@reddit

As much as I dislike them for how my local management did me, look into your local concrete companies. SRM is decent money. I was making 1500-2000 a week with all the overtime as a plant manager. I started as a driver and worked up pretty quickly.

Perfect_Brilliant_48@reddit

My buddy got into a really nice company called kehe straight out of school. He was doing regional but was basically local 2 or 3 days of the week. The first year is always the hardest to be picky but it isn’t impossible to find a decent job.

PlastomaGaming@reddit

Orlando Florida? Yea you’re competing with everyone and their mom. You might get something but who knows, there’s a lot of guys with cdls down there that aren’t new drivers.

homucifer666@reddit

Looking for local as a new grad isn't impossible, but it certainly isn't easy either. It takes time to hunt for someone who's willing to take a chance on you, and bills don't stop coming in whilst you do.

Odds are that you'll run out of time and money before then, which is why the lion's share of us end up going OTR with a mega just long enough to get the requisite experience to get a better job.

deezkeys098@reddit

Have you tried Coca-Cola and Sysco I forget the other names of Sysco like companies atm your probably looking at going OTR you mentioned Orlando so I’m assuming you live in flordia give Indian river transport a call. If all that fails you can apply for OTR with every mega company. If even that fails….my previous advice would be search 1099 trucking jobs flordia and call every ad asking for work but they just passed a law for brokers not to hire shady carriers so don’t know how that would work

chocolate_asshole@reddit

got my cdl in 2022 and heard all the same crap, "local home daily" then it’s 60 hours for 19 an hour or nope we want 1 year experience, insane how dead hiring is now

TheRealOutis@reddit

Endorsements arent useless, they can help you get into fuel tanker jobs, and I see tons of job postings that require TWIC so thats great. But unfortunately you have to get a year or so of experience (any CDL job) to get considered for Fuel tanker gigs in all likelihood. When I was new I had success with local foodservice taking me with no experience, you could try that. Just gotta keep applying til you finally get a yes. Be persistent and call them.