Trucking: otr jobs, local trucking jobs, cdl school

Question
I have 20 mos. over the road experience and graduated from cdl school in 2006.My problem is I have been off the road for 3 years driving a taxicab.Is there any companies that will still hire someone with a cdl but may need some re-training to get back in a truck.

Answer
Hi Stephenie!  I hope I can help you! I was somewhat in the same situation as you last year. I had left driving back in Feb 2009 and then I got the bug to drive again last fall.  No one would hire me because I had no recent driving experience. One of the problems, Stephenie, is that trucking companies can cherry pick who they want because there is more drivers than freight. As the economy improves, that will be less of a problem.  If your MVR is clean, that will definately help. Depending where you live, I would contact Werner, JB Hunt, US Express, or Knight Transportation for starters.  They are large, successful companies, that hire nationwide.
I drove for Werner for several years.  I know they have in the past, taken someone like yourself, and assign you as a "co-driver", with another driver for 90 days. If the driver feels that you don't need to be with him for 90 days, he can call Safety and get you routed to the nearest terminal to take a road test and if successful, be assigned your own truck.  That happened to me years ago. Other companies probably have the same program. With the economy still weak, trying to get on with a stable, large company, can be a much better position to keep you busy. Minor companies, without the advantages larger companies have, and with poorer equipment, should be avoided. There are companies that are trying to survive by cutting back on maintenance and deferring, purchasing newer and better trucks.  Stay away from them Stephenie!  If you live near a truck stop, go over there and pickup one of these truckers magazines-they have ample op-
portunities, to find employment. Think about considering dedicated, regional or local trucking
jobs as well. You can make just as much money doing that as OTR. I've done them all.  One other
consideration, is to get your hazmat and tankers endorsement. I drove for Foodliner, out of Iowa.
They haul liquid sugar. I went through their training program, and it wasn't that hard. I was guaranteed $1000 a weeek. That was a local job out of Philadelphia.  The more endorsements you have, the more marketable you become-especially in this tough economy.  Good luck to you and I be interested to know how it works for you!!!