I've cut and pasted and edited some info from an earlier thread on expediting in order to hopefully help more people looking for a way to get started.
I started working for Professional Transportation Inc., which transports RR crews to other yards, to and from hotels, etc. The runs vary but the maximum round trip is about 600 miles. The company has a lot of negative reviews and If I had just read those without having met with them first, I probably wouldn't have considered it but I like it so far. Each branch is run very differently, and rural areas are going to be much different than urban locations, but my personal experience has been very positive.
The pay's not great, and it's not consistent, but it's better than minimum wage, the hours are very flexible, and most importantly, it offers the opportunity to get a foothold somewhere to get something going - especially if you're starting over, feeling lost or just stuck and are beginning to lose hope or confidence. If you have a clean MVR for 3 years, a class D driver's license for at least 7 years and canpass a drug test they will likely give you a chance, which is more than a lot of companies offer. It seems you can only get a job if you already have a job.
It's also a good opportunity to get a little taste of the unpredictable nature of the trucking lifestyle without having to make an investment in equipment or training. This could be an inroad into many different things: the van driving experience to get a class c license and to see if you like it well enough to get into expediting; or to get your class a and pursue that career path. You also get some exposure to dispatching as well as the railroad and semi trucking industry. I would highly recommend it as a way for other women to get a little bit of exposure to the industry in a very controlled environment.
There's a sense of community here as well since you can hang around the office while waiting for a run. There's a little kitchen and lounge area. If you are homeless at the moment, or without any real anchor, that sense of belonging can make all the difference.
The training could be a bit more standardized and focus more on the radio and logging procedures, but most of it needs to be figured out as you go. The shifts are 12 hours, during which you need to be available to accept a run - anything from a longer trip that could take the entire shift to several hours getting nothing, or an hour trip, or 12 hours sitting in yard in case the crew needs you. you do get paid for wait time as part of the run but not while you're waiting to accept one. there are quite a few opportunities to help nearby branches like st paul if they're short drivers, so that helps to keep people busy. You can also log in by phone from anywhere, as long as you can show up within half an hour of being assigned a run.
I started working for Professional Transportation Inc., which transports RR crews to other yards, to and from hotels, etc. The runs vary but the maximum round trip is about 600 miles. The company has a lot of negative reviews and If I had just read those without having met with them first, I probably wouldn't have considered it but I like it so far. Each branch is run very differently, and rural areas are going to be much different than urban locations, but my personal experience has been very positive.
The pay's not great, and it's not consistent, but it's better than minimum wage, the hours are very flexible, and most importantly, it offers the opportunity to get a foothold somewhere to get something going - especially if you're starting over, feeling lost or just stuck and are beginning to lose hope or confidence. If you have a clean MVR for 3 years, a class D driver's license for at least 7 years and canpass a drug test they will likely give you a chance, which is more than a lot of companies offer. It seems you can only get a job if you already have a job.
It's also a good opportunity to get a little taste of the unpredictable nature of the trucking lifestyle without having to make an investment in equipment or training. This could be an inroad into many different things: the van driving experience to get a class c license and to see if you like it well enough to get into expediting; or to get your class a and pursue that career path. You also get some exposure to dispatching as well as the railroad and semi trucking industry. I would highly recommend it as a way for other women to get a little bit of exposure to the industry in a very controlled environment.
There's a sense of community here as well since you can hang around the office while waiting for a run. There's a little kitchen and lounge area. If you are homeless at the moment, or without any real anchor, that sense of belonging can make all the difference.
The training could be a bit more standardized and focus more on the radio and logging procedures, but most of it needs to be figured out as you go. The shifts are 12 hours, during which you need to be available to accept a run - anything from a longer trip that could take the entire shift to several hours getting nothing, or an hour trip, or 12 hours sitting in yard in case the crew needs you. you do get paid for wait time as part of the run but not while you're waiting to accept one. there are quite a few opportunities to help nearby branches like st paul if they're short drivers, so that helps to keep people busy. You can also log in by phone from anywhere, as long as you can show up within half an hour of being assigned a run.
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