What qualifies as experienced?

Typically, 1 year of OTR is considered experienced. Sometimes 6 months. But alot of companies are demanding recent experience. I've got 2+ years verifiable, but would have to go back through training with a bigger carrier due to lack of recent experience. Plus, I'm not sure how carriers would consider your experience since it's local work instead of OTR. You know you can drive, but if the carrier can run you through "training", they get a cheap team. Me, I'd keep the local gig if possible. OTR ain't all that great these days. Not like the old days at all...

 

Generally one year of OTR is considered an experienced driver. But if you plan on going into a specialized area of trucking such as pulling over sized loads/heavy haul or pulling tankers then you will need more experience depending on the company and the job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkKn5HrKgHQ&feature=player_embedded

 

your experience will count AS EXPERIENCE..

on the applications you will put down what you have and done..if anything at all, you might spend a day or two with a company trainer, just to make sure you can drive, which you obviously can. the thing about OTR is that its lonely, and you will be spending your time at truck stops and service plazas than at home. they just want to make sure you can do THIER paper work, and maybe operate a qualcomm, fill out a trip-pak, whatever.....
i wouldn't sweat the details, your experience IS recent....not like you had a 6 month to 2 year absence...

 

And SOME companies will NOT count that as experience !!!!

Also, some companies don't count it if it didn't cover a certain number of states........

just saying........................

and some companies don't count it if the company had less than 200 trucks.....

alot of variables involved !!!!!!

 

only a few

anywhere's from 3 up to 10 i believe, but certainly not all of them...we have at least 2 smaller companies here in my area that'll take drivers with only in state or 2 states driving experience...

now that's the biggest bunch of BULL SHIOT if ever i heard it.....the number of trucks a company has, has no bearing on hiring practices/requirements...

"just sayin".....

only a few, but to say that the number of trucks a company has towards hiring drivers is pure, plain B.S.

 

Just read some want ads,

that'll bring you up to date.............

 

in helping my students, i am on the internet quite a bit with the various driver hiring companies, whether they be the actual trucking company, or the "referral" companies where a driver fills out a "generic application" to be sent to a general job search website. not only do i read the help wanted ads, i print them up and post them to the school bulletin boards.

i gotta tell you the requirement of your former employer having 200 trucks before the new company talks with is non-existent....

 

I'd put that on the application. Sounds experienced to me. Any who don't consider that experienced probably want you to attend their school. Don't worry, they aren't biased at all.

If you can read (since you're posting here, I assume you can), you can probably learn how to record mileage in each state and follow the other interstate regulations like Hours of Service and whatnot.

I wouldn't sweat it, look for smaller outfits (ones that don't hire with "recruiters").