Fiancé looking for new truck driving job (application, applications, companies)

[heavensgal]

Does anyone know of any trucking companies hiring in the Jacksonville area for a local truck driving job. My fiancé is looking for another truck driving job as the one he has now taxes aren't being taken out which means he has to pay his own taxes. He took this job after filling out 16 applications and no phone calls. His age may have something to do with it
He will be 59 this year. He's currently working 13 hrs a night, 6 nights a week and is only bringing home a little over $500 a week. Remember no taxes are taken out. He's been driving for years and has been with this job 8 months but it's time for him to find something in his field that pays a decent wage with taxes taken out. If anyone knows of any trucking companies here in the Jacksonville, Fl area who hire older drivers, please let us know as time is of the essence. We are really getting frustrated with the low pay and we believe there's something better for him out there.

[Knives78]

Unfortunately I can not recommend anything local or that is regional. And as it has been my experience it will be tough getting something like that our of Florida mainly because nothing comes out from the port of Miami. I mean it is one of the most useless commercial ports in America. Usually trucking companies hate sending drivers to Florida because more often than not they will have to either bob tail or dead head out the state in order to get a decent load.

[Creature of the Wheel]

Originally Posted by heavensgal

Does anyone know of any trucking companies hiring in the Jacksonville area for a local truck driving job. My fiancé is looking for another truck driving job as the one he has now taxes aren't being taken out which means he has to pay his own taxes. He took this job after filling out 16 applications and no phone calls. His age may have something to do with it
He will be 59 this year. He's currently working 13 hrs a night, 6 nights a week and is only bringing home a little over $500 a week. Remember no taxes are taken out. He's been driving for years and has been with this job 8 months but it's time for him to find something in his field that pays a decent wage with taxes taken out. If anyone knows of any trucking companies here in the Jacksonville, Fl area who hire older drivers, please let us know as time is of the essence. We are really getting frustrated with the low pay and we believe there's something better for him out there.

You might have better luck on The Trucker's Report.

[Kees]

Originally Posted by Knives78

Unfortunately I can not recommend anything local or that is regional. And as it has been my experience it will be tough getting something like that our of Florida mainly because nothing comes out from the port of Miami. I mean it is one of the most useless commercial ports in America. Usually trucking companies hate sending drivers to Florida because more often than not they will have to either bob tail or dead head out the state in order to get a decent load.

I'm not a truck driver but I did spend many years in Savannah, GA and as I recall the port there is pretty busy with lots of truck driving opportunities.

It's 90 minutes from Jacksonville and I would assume pays more than the $6 an hour the OP's fiancé is getting for his 78 hour $500 weeks.

[jwiley]

Legally he cannot be working 78 hours a week, DOT rules will not allow that much work for a truck driver, also if he is really only bringing home $500 a week than he should have been looking for a job long ago.

[maus]

Unfortunately, I do think age is a big factor. I would check out some truck driver forums to get more advice on what to do to get hired locally.

[Knives78]

Originally Posted by Kees

I'm not a truck driver but I did spend many years in Savannah, GA and as I recall the port there is pretty busy with lots of truck driving opportunities.

It's 90 minutes from Jacksonville and I would assume pays more than the $6 an hour the OP's fiancé is getting for his 78 hour $500 weeks.

I agree that there are truck driving opportunities for OTR that would pretty much anywhere in the continental US. However she was talking about regional routes and as far as Florida that is pretty scarce.

I know rookies wet behind the ears that make more than $500 a week and complain about it all the time. I really don't understand how he is making so little with a Class A CDL.

[rosie_hair]

Originally Posted by Knives78

I agree that there are truck driving opportunities for OTR that would pretty much anywhere in the continental US. However she was talking about regional routes and as far as Florida that is pretty scarce.

I know rookies wet behind the ears that make more than $500 a week and complain about it all the time. I really don't understand how he is making so little with a Class A CDL.

Truckers make money from the distances they drive, not the hours they work.

[Creature of the Wheel]

Originally Posted by rosie_hair

Truckers make money from the distances they drive, not the hours they work.

You're mostly wrong about that. I work locally now and have been for nearly 3 years. I get paid by the hour, get time and a half after the 40th hour, paid double on holidays, paid per-diem for working more than 10hrs a day, get paid 10hr breaks while I'm on an overnight route, and some other perks that aren't afforded to long haulers.

The better money is in working for an hourly based, local company. However, one doesn't just go from trucking school into a local driving position. A person has to work their way toward it.

[Knives78]

Originally Posted by rosie_hair

Truckers make money from the distances they drive, not the hours they work.

That's partly true, which is why I said what I said A rookie OTR making .32 driving at least 600 miles a day should be taking home at least $900 a week after taxes. That is assuming you drive a governed truck and that you stick to just East of the Mississippi and don't do Texas at all. This is of course all assuming you are driving with a starter company like PTL, Swift etc.