Need help! Thanks in advance

[craig_ginter]

Ok, here is the story - I have been online now for about 6 hours trying to learn about working in this field...and I still have a million questions. I want to expedite for a living, and have no experience....a good driving record, no accidents............I have no family, and would be willing to go over the road for months at a time.....Can someone direct me to a person, or phone number, who can give me a decent job in this field? Im exhausted! And just want to start working....Craig

 

[paullud]

Check out the classifieds on this site for driver wanted. You can also check with carriers like Bolt and Panther that might have a fleet owner with an empty vehicle. FYI several hours of research is not much when you are trying to learn about an industry with many pitfalls and scam artists.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using EO Forums mobile app

 

[cheri1122]

I can't direct you to a person or phone number [too little info] but I can direct you to some help: on the 'home' page of the Newbies forum, click in the FAQ thread, then on the link in the first post. There will be a lot of answers there for you to consider.
Good luck - I know it gets frustrating.

 

[Humble2drive]

Ok, here is the story - I have been online now for about 6 hours trying to learn about working in this field...and I still have a million questions. I want to expedite for a living, and have no experience....a good driving record, no accidents............I have no family, and would be willing to go over the road for months at a time.....Can someone direct me to a person, or phone number, who can give me a decent job in this field? Im exhausted! And just want to start working....Craig

Probably not because you haven't stated what type of job you want in this field and what qualifications you have.
I researched for a couple of months and had a plan put together before I approached the forum with questions. I understand you may not have the time to do that but at least put together some type of scenario regarding what experience you may have, what type of license you have, what type of vehicle you want to drive, etc.. That will provide a starting point where the E.O. Members can give you some advice and direction.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[craig_ginter]

Many thanks....well, I have no experience...and no preference on what vehicle to drive...no cdl or anything of that nature....I mean, is there a company you can call and just say "hey, I have no commitments, I'll drive for months at a time over the road, im hard working"....and have them train you?

 

[cheri1122]

No, Craig, you can't. Companies [actually, carriers] don't train drivers, they contract them to pick up & deliver freight in the driver's vehicle. Or, a fleet owner's vehicle - but rarely, a company vehicle. And even for the entriest of entry level positions, [driving a cargo van], nearly all require a CDL.
If you were to obtain a CDL B, you might find a fleet owner who'd subcontract you to drive a cargo van, but even that is more than you currently qualify for.
Expediting isn't a job - it's a business, and drivers [even those who drive for fleet owners] are self employed independent contractors, and those who are not well prepared for the demands of staying out for weeks & months at a time are generally doomed to fail.
I'm sorry it isn't what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth. The Newbies FAQ will help you to see that, I think.

 

[runrunner]

Ok, here is the story - I have been online now for about 6 hours trying to learn about working in this field...and I still have a million questions. I want to expedite for a living, and have no experience....a good driving record, no accidents............I have no family, and would be willing to go over the road for months at a time.....Can someone direct me to a person, or phone number, who can give me a decent job in this field? Im exhausted! And just want to start working....Craig

You might get qualified for a Cargo Van that does not require HazMat.

 

[Mailer]

Many thanks....well, I have no experience...and no preference on what vehicle to drive...no cdl or anything of that nature....I mean, is there a company you can call and just say "hey, I have no commitments, I'll drive for months at a time over the road, im hard working"....and have them train you?

That's what I thought too. Then, I spent the next 6 months read everything in this forum over and over to make sure I didn't miss anything. And, I was lucky to land a contract. I really believed that the knowledges I've gained from reading this forum, CDL A, and the 2 years experience as the OTR drivers landed the job.

I can assure you, if you spend another 6 hrs of reading the threads in this forum, millions of more of your question will be answered. And, millions more will be answered with additional 6 hrs

If you are not well parepared, you can actually be starved in this business. Good luck and hope you land a job soon

 

[mpeak68]

Ok, here is the story - I have been online now for about 6 hours trying to learn about working in this field...and I still have a million questions. I want to expedite for a living, and have no experience....a good driving record, no accidents............I have no family, and would be willing to go over the road for months at a time.....Can someone direct me to a person, or phone number, who can give me a decent job in this field? Im exhausted! And just want to start working....Craig

Hi Craig,
I could possibly help you. Not 100% sure, but if you would like to email me we can
talk about it.

Thanks,
Michael

my email is [email protected]

 

[xiggi]

There are plenty of companies that do not require a cdl to drive a van. Just remember anything worth doing is rarely as simple as reading 6 hours on some forum. Van driving isn't rocket science but a little more research could save you a lot of excedrin.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

 

[BillChaffey]

IF you get started in a Cargo Van chances are pretty good you will have more then six hours spare time in which to read.

 

[cheri1122]

There are plenty of companies that do not require a cdl to drive a van. Just remember anything worth doing is rarely as simple as reading 6 hours on some forum. Van driving isn't rocket science but a little more research could save you a lot of excedrin.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

I stand corrected: many carriers do not require a CDL to drive a cargo van.
However, I'd be willing to bet that the list of carriers who don't require a CDL and the list of disreputable [untrustworthy] carriers would have a great deal of overlap, and inexperienced people are their primary demographic for finding new drivers.

 

[Humble2drive]

I'd be willing to bet that the list of carriers who don't require a CDL and the list of disreputable [untrustworthy] carriers would have a great deal of overlap . . .

Or they could be companies that transport non-placarded, 26,000 pounds or less shipments with less than 16 passengers.

That doesn't necessarily signify a disreputable company does it?

 

[cheri1122]

Of course not. But it's where the disreputable carriers tend to be, snagging warm bodies who don't yet know what to watch out for..
I sure didn't, when I started. It's pure luck that I started with ConWay Now, because I didn't even know about EO then, either.

 

[Humble2drive]

. . .I didn't even know about EO then, either.

So you never even knew that you should go back and read 6 months of posts??
How on earth did you do it?

 

[cheri1122]

So you never even knew that you should go back and read 6 months of posts??
How on earth did you do it?

The way I do things when I really don't know what I'm doing: half fast.

 

[runrunner]

I think that is the best way to learn,just get in the truck and go.Me and a whole lot of other people got our start just that way. There was no EO and no GPS. Robert's was the only company with Qualcomm. If you had a cell phone it was in a big bag and to expensive to use. I didn't see anyone out there with them. I sought out other expediter's on the road and drove them crazy with question's. They were more than happy to help me with Custom's forms or what ever.So if any are still around and I bet a couple are Thank You again.

 

[cheri1122]

Runrunner: what was the best way to learn when you began ["just get in the truck & go"] was also the only way to learn an entirely new way of business then, but much has changed in the years since. Technology, brokers, 3pls, CSA - there's a lot more ways to go broke these days, I believe. Much as I hate cliches, for better or worse, it is what it is, and it's not what it was.
EO has taken the place of approaching other drivers at the truckstops for a lot of wannabees, and I think they get better information here.

 

[craig_ginter]

Ok I get it now.....well at least a little better than I did....so basically its word of mouth, get a trusted contractor....

 

[ebsprintin]

Ok I get it now.....well at least a little better than I did....so basically its word of mouth, get a trusted contractor....

...and read. Consider it an exercise in patience. Since you first posted I've only had one 500 mile load. The rest of the time I've been sitting. If you can't spend that much time researching a new career, would you have the patience to sit that long?

That you are still here after four days is a positive, but you have a long way to go. My signature line goes to some of the articles that others have already mentioned. In the blogs look for the "Tin Can" posts. I concentrate on vans, because that's what I do; you should continue to look at all your options. Some people say to just jump in blind. Problem with that is if you approach carriers or fleet owners with the lines from your opening post, you will scare away the good opportunities and open the door to some of your worst nightmares. Like Cheri says, half fast.

eb