Driver Spotlight: Alejandro and David Alvarez

When Alejandro Alvarez immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 2015, he didn’t know what the future had in store. He just knew that the possibilities in California would be much more lucrative and the sooner he could find a job and lay the groundwork on a new life, the sooner his wife and two teenage children would be able to relocate from Mexico to join him.

With hardly any money to his name, Alejandro lived many of those early days on nothing more than a daily cup of coffee and a microwavable soup cup. In desperate need of something that would pay enough to support his family, he began researching salary ranges for jobs that did not require a college degree. Admittedly, he was shocked when he came across the earning potential for truck drivers.

While in Mexico, Alejandro worked as a substance abuse counselor at a facility he also owned and operated, and driving professionally would be a new challenge for which he had no prior experience. Not letting this stop him, Alejandro enrolled in truck driving school where he was first introduced to Dot Transportation by a visiting recruiter. Impressed by the company culture and intrigued by the financial possibilities, the former counselor and entrepreneur applied to be a DTI driver.

“I had never been in a truck before, but DTI makes it easy for students,” he said. “Some people are afraid of big trucks, but DTI teaches you everything and won’t send you out until you are safe.”

In 2016, more than a year and a half after arriving in America, Alejandro’s family was able to finally and permanently join him in the United States.

Today, Alejandro has racked up nearly one million safe miles as a team driver with DTI. And many of those later miles came alongside the best partner he could’ve asked for: his son, David.

David joined the Dot warehouse team in 2016 and made the switch to driver in 2018. Together, father and son keep their truck rolling close to 24 hours a day for five days a week with the elder Alvarez taking the wheel from 4:00 am to 4:00 pm and David picking up the night shift.

“In the truck, we’re not father and son. We’re teammates. We give each other space. When one is driving, the other is sleeping or doing their own thing,” he said.

And while that’s true, they certainly make time to bond and enjoy one another’s company in ways that many fathers and sons cannot. Driving together has allowed Alejandro and David to see corners of the world they never would have otherwise. For instance, on a recent trip to New York, the team parked the truck, hopped in an Uber, and enjoyed a much-deserved lunch break at Niagara Falls.

“A lot of people pay top money to go through a site like that, and we paid $15 for an Uber and we went together and had lunch,” Alejandro said. “That’s one of the great things about driving across the country if you’re willing to appreciate certain moments.”

When they’re not rolling on 18 wheels, both Alejandro and David enjoy spending time on just two; both are accomplished dirt bike enthusiasts who love finding new spots in the desert to test the limits of their bikes. David knows this expensive hobby would not be feasible without the hard work he commits to his day job and the support DTI has shown him and his father.

“Driving is a big sacrifice, but it’s worth it in the end,” David said. “It changed my life in many ways. I can do stuff that I couldn’t do before.”

For those interested in team driving–especially those looking to team drive with a son or daughter–Alejandro offers the following words of wisdom:

“Besides God, you have to trust your co-worker. Everybody loves their kid, but I actually like my kid too.”