I work for a big international private career, (its divided into several smaller divisions and each division can do their own thing so it feels like a small company) and the drivers in my district are forming a union. These drivers are all Class B drivers who run local routes, except I drive one of the three Class A trucks. (there are two dedicated intra-state routes and one OTR route that goes into 2 of the surrounding states).

The reason for forming the union is pretty justified, but really only if your the Class B driver who is getting screwed because the company is growing too fast. I really don't want anything to do with the union because I have a dedicated route which is just fine, but with the union coming in, it'll just hurt my route because I drive a bigger truck then the other drivers. What I really want is to take over the OTR route, but management doesn't want to give it to me, even though I've been asking for 2 years. Now with the whole union thing they are dangling it in front of me like a carrot. If the union vote does go though (99% of the drivers are voting yes) you can pretty much bet that I wont get it. They are outsourcing it right now to a temp company and I've heard from other drivers that it is because they can get them to work cheaper and can get them to work over hours.

I've been working for the company for 5 years, and I was originally only going to do it for a year or two. I took the job when I was 21 because none of the OTR companies (including Swift and Werner) wanted to hire me because this would be my first real job.

Okay, now that I have some background info out of the way ... I've been thinking about just quiting and working for a common carrier since my current employer doesn't want to promote me. I've submitted a few applications and I haven't really been trying too hard because I have a pretty good job for right now. The problem is that I have been hearing the same responses, "you need OTR experience, local experience doesn't count". I haul hazmat, I have to secure my own load, I have to run a log book and I log about 1,500 miles a week in Colorado. I've had to drive in blizzard conditions for 250 miles and other winter conditions, and several times in high winds. I've never had a ticket or any kind of incident because of the weather and I've never had one backing accident. I don't feel like my "local" experience should be ignored. Its not like I'm a dumbass soda truck driver or a food service driver who never leaves the city.


I've only had 2 moving violations in the last 3 years. I got a ticket in 2005 in my Jeep because I busted a light off roading and was using my 55w KCs (not the 100w ones) as headlights to get home. The other one was in Jan 07 because a SUV side swiped the rear corner of my trailer with her driver side mirror. We both got tickets for 'failure to maintain a single lane' because she didn't make any attempt to stop me or flag me down and didnt report it for 4 hours and I got one because "I wasn't paying attention". (the officer's words, not mine)



I should mention the companies I've sent Apps to.

Gordon (GTI) - Wants me to take a refresher class. Ummmm, I drive every day, what am I going to learn by paying a CDL mill $2,000 that I don't already know?

CFI - They want me to RETAKE driving school! Of course they want to me attend their own school and I told them no way in hell. I already took a 240 hour class, I can't think of any reason why I need to take another class with other brand new drivers.

Marten, Knight, KLLM - no replies or returned phone calls

Crete - They said they would accept my experience, but I'd have to ride along team with another driver, which is fine with me but its been a month and all I get back is 'we're still working on your application'.

Melton said they would love to hire me if I had 3 months OTR.

I haven't applied to Werner, Swift or Scheinder yet. I'm kind of reluctant because it sounds like they to treat their drivers very poorly because they can be easily replaced. Although I've thought about staying with Werner for 3-6 months then looking for something better.

I'm sorry for the long post but after lurking through the forums I think some people might have a better idea of what companies would recognize my experience driving then I could find on my own. I also think the more info I can give up front the better someone here could help

 

I hate to say this, because I'm a really big fan of this company, but you might want to get ahold of Sheepdancer, a recruiter for JB Hunt.

 

Your pretty much s.o.l., unless you take a refresher course, It's not the companies, its the insurance companies.

Maybe an O/O might take you, thats about your only chance.

 

I've already learned that most companies are run by the insurance companies, but it just seems repetitive and a waste of money paying someone to remind me of what I already do every day. Seriously, what exactly am I suppose to be 'refreshing'?

 

Well...you're "refreshing" the wallets of whomever you take your refresher course from (courtesy of the insurance industry). :wink:

 

I drive for Crete and the same thing happened to me. I was driving dedicated regional for a small company out of Cincinnati and nobody would recognize it as OTR. Ended up having to go out with a finisher for two weeks even though I had been driving for 11 years at the time.

 

Wouldn't bet on an O/O. I drive for an O/O now, and I had to go through twice as much BS with the company he's leased to as I would have if I had been trying to get on as a company driver.

They even wanted the O/O to "train" me for "not less than one week." I've been driving since 1997 dammit.

It's these damn insurance companies man. There's nothing for it but to appease them.

 

Hey Elmdor, what do you mean they are dangeling it in front of you like a carrot? Do you mean they are offering it to you to not vote for the union or...........? How will being in the union hurt your route later?

 

Hey Elmdor, what do you mean they are dangeling it in front of you like a carrot? Do you mean they are offering it to you to not vote for the union or...........? How will being in the union hurt your route later?

 

Hey Elmdor, what do you mean they are dangeling it in front of you like a carrot? Do you mean they are offering it to you to not vote for the union or...........? How will being in the union hurt your route later?