Looking for RTD CDL advice

[fedex_rtd]

Couple of things to keep in mind, RTD's work all hours, some guys are heavy weight drivers doing PUD type work, some drivers do ramp and station runs. At my location we have drivers on the road 24 hours a day, either going to an airport hub, ramp, or station. Depending on your station size you may be a swing driver and working different shifts during the week. Get use to the idea of working at night!

These are very large vehicles and some people just can't get the hang of maneuvering them around, if this happens to you, swallow your pride and step down before you have an accident, when someone gets let go at an RTD location 95% of the time it's due to accidents.

 

[fredxx]

if i were u i'd get the class A then once u do that out in the bay area u have to work weekends until a mon-fri shift becomes available..which could take years from what i've heard..normally our RTD's get betw. 35-40 hrs per week...like some else said once u get your "A" license you can probably find another job pretty much anywhere since there is supposed to be a shortage due to either people CAN"T qualify for the position due to prob many factors like can't pass the DOT process due to high blood pressure, sleep apnea, certain meds they may be on etc... with all the accidents with truckers it's much harder to pass all the requirements to get a job...for me RTD it was much better for me vs. being a courier..(11yrs)...either way if u do get an "A" you have more options than w/o one...

 

[bacha29]

if i were u i'd get the class A then once u do that out in the bay area u have to work weekends until a mon-fri shift becomes available..which could take years from what i've heard..normally our RTD's get betw. 35-40 hrs per week...like some else said once u get your "A" license you can probably find another job pretty much anywhere since there is supposed to be a shortage due to either people CAN"T qualify for the position due to prob many factors like can't pass the DOT process due to high blood pressure, sleep apnea, certain meds they may be on etc... with all the accidents with truckers it's much harder to pass all the requirements to get a job...for me RTD it was much better for me vs. being a courier..(11yrs)...either way if u do get an "A" you have more options than w/o one...

Interesting story. About a year after we started up our little RPS terminal a guy came in one evening looking for whatever he could find. As it turned out he was among the earliest hires at the new Walmart distribution center over in the next county. As it turned out he was out on a metro freeway someplace it was in the middle of the night didn't realize that he was in the pull off lane ran into the back of a disabled car and killed two people. Needless to say BigR wouldn't put him on at any opco . Don't know what happened to the guy. As you guys are pointing out all it takes is one major screw up to put you out of the industry sometimes permanently .

 

[59 Dano]

Couple of things to keep in mind, RTD's work all hours, some guys are heavy weight drivers doing PUD type work, some drivers do ramp and station runs. At my location we have drivers on the road 24 hours a day, either going to an airport hub, ramp, or station. Depending on your station size you may be a swing driver and working different shifts during the week. Get use to the idea of working at night!

I would love doing it at night. Much less traffic and it's cooler in the summer than daytime work.

 

[MAKAVELI]

I would love doing it at night. Much less traffic and it's cooler in the summer than daytime work.

They have AC the heat is really not an issue for RTD.

 

[Csdsm18]

Good honest question would be how much longer you think these types of jobs will last, with all this talk with self driving cars and trucks? Robots are taking over everything. Shame

 

[It will be fine]

Good honest question would be how much longer you think these types of jobs will last, with all this talk with self driving cars and trucks? Robots are taking over everything. Shame

I few decades at least. The OTR stuff without customer interaction will be automated first. Anytime a truck needs to pickup or deliver from a 3rd party they'll need a driver to verify the product and cargo security.

 

[59 Dano]

They have AC the heat is really not an issue for RTD.

So?

 

[Schweddy]

I would love doing it at night. Much less traffic and it's cooler in the summer than daytime work.

And?

 

[Star B]

I would love doing it at night. Much less traffic and it's cooler in the summer than daytime work.

I thought so too until I started doing it in a previous life. Yes, less traffic but greater chances of you seeing drunks, other truck drivers that are cooking their books (and falling asleep), massive boredom because there's nothing but darkness and the stripes, and wildlife if that's an issue in your neck of the woods. Tack on limited visibility because its all dark.

Also, it's a royal bitch to fight against your bodies natural rhythm at the 2-4AM time frame.

However if you can make it work, that's awesome, there are plenty of people who want to run people at night.

 

[Csdsm18]

Can someone explain what pick up and delivery CDL drivers do? It's supposedly is a 9-5 position with about 15 stops. Would you recommend that or the driver that goes from station to station or airport to airport?

 

[mxblue]

Can someone explain what pick up and delivery CDL drivers do? It's supposedly is a 9-5 position with about 15 stops. Would you recommend that or the driver that goes from station to station or airport to airport?

It depends on what you want to do; Deal with incompetent shippers/receivers, blocking traffic to back off the street to get into tight docks/alleys/whatever. Messed up paperwork/freight, angry customers, pushy dispatch, crappy loads. But it's a 9-5(ish) gig. Some stops are cool, though. You're out and about in the daytime.
vs
Hook and book at the yard. No customers, minimal paperwork, you're pretty much left alone. But you're working nights.

 

[Operational needs]

Can someone explain what pick up and delivery CDL drivers do? It's supposedly is a 9-5 position with about 15 stops. Would you recommend that or the driver that goes from station to station or airport to airport?

I would rather do airport to station. You're only dealing with FedEx people then. A lot simpler and less headaches.

 

[Csdsm18]

So sounds like the 9-5 is basically a courier in a bigger truck.

 

[Operational needs]

So sounds like the 9-5 is basically a courier in a bigger truck.

Basically. And a lot less stops. A little more money.

 

[Csdsm18]

So still back breaking also.

 

[MAKAVELI]

So still back breaking also.

Lol. Heavyweight is easy $.

 

[Schweddy]

So still back breaking also.

potentially, yeah.

edit>> that is, compared to driving from station to ramp, then doing a ground run. I don't think anything gets much easier than that. But heed said warnings about the incredible responsibility as an RTD.

 

[Operational needs]

So still back breaking also.

Not really. You use a pallet jack on a PU/delivery route and on a ramp to station route you just pull cans. There are people to help with the cans.

 

[Csdsm18]

Just thinking what would be better for me. Have 2 hernias which I'm not trying to mess up from lifting or pulling to heavy of things. 9-5 is totally the sweet perk of that, not much over time if any with it. Also I hear doing station to stations you can get OT with it just looks like I'll be working crappy hours.