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Post by shin204 on Sept 5, 2013 0:26:32 GMT -6
I am 20, grew up in the industry and want to start looking at my options to get into the industry I so dearly love and passionate about.
I have no class one experience, and little driving experience. What is more, I need to stay regional.
If anybody has tips, suggestions I would greatly appreciate them.
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Post by seriousmods on Sept 5, 2013 1:02:37 GMT -6
By regional do you mean in town, or BC-AB region? Up the Coq to Prince George-ish, over to Calgary, and occasionally down into the States?
I know of a guy on Youtube who works with Challenger Transportation. He switched from BC-AB to in-town deliveries around Vancouver, Hope, etc.
I don't know how good of a company they are, but I have heard a bit about them from him.
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Post by shin204 on Sept 5, 2013 1:29:36 GMT -6
Day trips mostly. Kelowna, Kamloops, Seattle, Fraser valley. I was thinking Dumptruck, but I imagine it is probably flooded, and I hear it is mainly O/O now.
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Kyle
Gold Certificate Member
Posts: 2,440
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Post by Kyle on Sept 5, 2013 1:45:59 GMT -6
Do you have your class 1 already? If not then that would be an obvious good start. Where exactly do you live in BC.
I hate to be a downer, but my best recommendation is to not get into it. It is flooded with east indians willing to work for piss poor wages. It's cool whenyou are young, but there is very few long term options. I can't say what your life is like, but if you can I would get a decent trade or go to school. You make at best average wages and are away from home from home a lot and home very little especially in the beginning. My old man and a buddies old man are truckers and I think thy both liked it when theywere young, but would not do to again i they had the choice.
Now if you're still committed to trucking and you have a class 1 already I think generally most start by doing runs to california. I'm pretty sure very few people start with in town work. I guess your best bet is craigslist. there are a ton of adds on there, but most require a 2 years minimum experience and often mountain pass and b-train experience.
So I would think at first your best bet is to get experience anywhere you can and then try to find a better job. Also I'm sure it wold hlp if you never have kids you want to see and have a girlfriend or wife you don't like having sex with.
I'll ask my old man for you and see what he says. I'm sure he'll say don't get into it, but I'll try and get you some real information.
Sorry to be so negative, but in BC I think it's become the honest truth for a multitude of reasons.
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Post by shin204 on Sept 5, 2013 2:28:32 GMT -6
Yes, sadly that is the reality out here. I have tried my damnest to *not be into it anymore* but as hard as I try, even leaving the virtual world behind but I always keep coming back.
And I still got my class 5, so I need the $$ to get the damn class 1.
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Kyle
Gold Certificate Member
Posts: 2,440
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Post by Kyle on Sept 5, 2013 9:25:16 GMT -6
Well I can't argue with doing a job you love. As far as getting your license I would go down to the license place whatever it's called and get the book for your class one and study. I know the langley one has it and its free. It's a good start. Also another option is to work for CN or the ports driving a hostler truck. I have a couple buddies that work for CN in port kells And they do all right.
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Post by Chris on Sept 5, 2013 13:24:50 GMT -6
If you want to drive truck and make some actual good money, stay away from dryvans or reefers once you get some experience. Even flatdeck doesn't pay nearly as much as heavy haul or oil field. There is a few companies around in the lower mainland who give a decent wage hauling freight towards the oil sands here in AB. The only type of freight I know that makes money in BC is logging and chip hauling. Forget about cans, hindus run that show now. I believe arrow transport starts you at $26 an hour for a company driver, which isn't too bad. If I were you though, I'd concentrate on just getting the proper license first. Then get as many courses and certficates as you can. Once you get some experience in, you can get a driving job doing pretty much anything. You can try J&R hall for your first job. They will hire rookies, but if you want to stay not far from home, city work can be tough as they send you into places a truck should have no business being in. And for their regional runs, they don't really give you enough time to stop when conditions are bad, especially the sicamous switch drivers. Fed ex just set up a switch from kamloops to roger's pass, so a kamloops switch looks possible. But their trailers are all pup doubles usually with pintle hitches, and light loads. Can be a disaster waiting to happen on ice and snow. First get the license though, that should be your main goal.
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Post by Colonel on Sept 5, 2013 14:50:36 GMT -6
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucios
I can't really help you with getting a job or getting started since I'm not even old enough for Airbrakes yet, but I just thought I'd leave you that quote.
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Post by seriousmods on Sept 5, 2013 17:24:40 GMT -6
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucios I can't really help you with getting a job or getting started since I'm not even old enough for Airbrakes yet, but I just thought I'd leave you that quote. Man, I didn't realize how young you were Colonel. You surely have some talent. Makes me feel kinda old. But Chris is exactly right about the reefer, dry van thingy. I wouldn't even attempt either of those if I were looking for a job in the industry. Heavy haul is the way to go or some kind of natural resources work. Personally, I might give Lynden Transport a try when I get done with school. They run all the way into Cali and Texas, and all the way up to the North Pole. So they definitely provide the range I'm looking for, their equipment always looks pretty good, and they deal with a lot of oversize stuff too. Maybe not the best company to work for if you're wanting to stay in BC, but they do seem to be on a good track as a trucking company.
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Post by Triple Ace on Sept 5, 2013 19:18:09 GMT -6
Hey shin if you're not looking too much into driving with the big guys around here sometimes its better to start with courier, 5 ton guys round here. It would help with experience and knowledge of the industry.
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Peter379
Diesel Jockey
Politicians, like diapers, have to be changed frequently - and for the same reason.
Posts: 1,816
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Post by Peter379 on Sept 5, 2013 19:48:06 GMT -6
If you love trucks, Do something with trucks other than driving them. Become a mechanic. Get into the buissness end and maybe become a manager at a trucking company. Work at a dealership.
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Post by Triple Ace on Sept 5, 2013 20:00:58 GMT -6
Ya that would be ten times better also better pay
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Post by Corby on Sept 5, 2013 20:22:26 GMT -6
I know that you can work on a tow truck with no class 1 nor 3 . just a regular car liscence. or maybe its only here in QC that it works
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Kyle
Gold Certificate Member
Posts: 2,440
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Post by Kyle on Sept 5, 2013 22:47:04 GMT -6
No point in keeping this going until he responds.
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Post by shin204 on Sept 6, 2013 12:56:05 GMT -6
Jeeze I never expected this thread to blow up like this! And I was thinking of doing that myself Peter 379. That or try getting into Dumptruck.
I know Arrow is always *killing* for drivers, so I may hit them just to see.
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Kyle
Gold Certificate Member
Posts: 2,440
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Post by Kyle on Sept 6, 2013 13:40:27 GMT -6
Arrow has the potash run coming off of highway 3 as well not sure where it comes from. I think it's potash at least. Whatever goes to Van warves. I know ledcore has a trucking outfit in chilliwack now. As much as I hope their trucks, barges, boats, reload facilities and tree farms burst into flames I'm sure they're a good place to work. Take any work you can though if you're new.
I don't know about dump trucking. I think is generally an o/o job. It's full of soft tops just like can hauling as well. And as far as work it may slow down once they finish the highway project and the perimeter road, but who knows they like to spend money on shit in this province.
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Post by Triple Ace on Sept 6, 2013 17:52:54 GMT -6
Ya Arrow or DCT would be good to, I also saw that DCT is looking for a truck garage mechanic, I think you need class 1
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