Need advice about getting CDL

[Tony]

Just looking for some good advice on how to go about obtaining my CDL. Thanks.

[Super trucker]

Don't! I really mean that and I drove for 5 years. Right now freight volume is WAY down and the money is not in it like before. Company drivers are doing good to get 33 CPM and 2100 miles a week right now. You see that 690 gross a week and think thats for me but consider this all carriers pay Household mover guide not real miles driven so that 2100 you drive is more like 2500. The trucks in the start out companies are governed/restricted to 61-64 MPH so you average 48-50 miles per hour because of scales, city driving, and traffic jams. You will be out with a training carrier 14-21 days at a time and have to go like you first 2 months besides CDL training time with a trainer and get paid like $200 week. In your first 3 months of trying to get them you will ruin your credit and be broke the whole time. You might not even get a job when your done either.

As for That 690 you will gross after the first three months a week. Consider you will drive 50 hours for it, spend another 5-10 doing paper work, spend 10 fueling, inspecting, and minor repairs for the work. Then your going to spend another 10-20 hours a week waiting at shippers and recievers. You will only get paid the miles to. That 690 is only if you start out at the high end of company drivers at these starter companies. Most are paying under 30 cents for mile.

[Super trucker]

If you must go then take this advice pay for the school yourself and don't sign any contract. Look at the Community Colleges because they can get you a student loan to go on with a very small interest rate. Don't ever lease a truck from a carrier because it's ripoff. Don't ever work for SWIFT, Knight, Werner, JB Hunt, or Central Ref these companies love to DAC drivers on the USIS/DAC report. My DAC sucks because I worked for a couple of these rip-offs. I have no accidents or tickects and close to a million miles driving yet I can't find work with a good company because of reports these companies make on me. I got two places I applied to but never worked at that I can't get removed from my report unless I hire multiple lawyers in multiple states to work the case that would cost thousands. Trucking is shady and the sharks look to eat up the new drivers first.

[Tony]

I'm still interested, I was looking at going to Somerset community collage to get my CDL. Thanks for all your advice.

[not a super trucker]

A good place to start out would be how I did, started out slow moving soft drinks for a company in a smaller truck. When you sign on with a company like that, you get the permit on your own, which costs about 120 total for basic in Kentucky. However, they let you use their truck for the test, and only fee you will pay then is to get the license printed, which cost me less than 30 bucks.
Smaller companies also work good too, cuz I started with one with little experience and was home most every night, bringing home more than "Super trucker" was. If you are from Albany you can get with some of these little companies or owner-operators and get some decent money that way. I know the reefer haulers from Cagles like extra drivers sometimes for days they dont wanna run. Its not all bad, just gotta get your foot in the door. Good luck Tony.

[Super Trucker]

not a super trucker wrote:

A good place to start out would be how I did, started out slow moving soft drinks for a company in a smaller truck. When you sign on with a company like that, you get the permit on your own, which costs about 120 total for basic in Kentucky. However, they let you use their truck for the test, and only fee you will pay then is to get the license printed, which cost me less than 30 bucks.
Smaller companies also work good too, cuz I started with one with little experience and was home most every night, bringing home more than "Super trucker" was. If you are from Albany you can get with some of these little companies or owner-operators and get some decent money that way. I know the reefer haulers from Cagles like extra drivers sometimes for days they dont wanna run. Its not all bad, just gotta get your foot in the door. Good luck Tony.

I did it backwards and your right GO SMALL IN TRUCKING. Bust advice I could get as a new guy. Now a days because of insurance small companies can't and will not hire drivers with no expierence. As a company I can and have made over 60,000. That's not exactly chump change any where in America. I never was a concrete cowboy either, 5 days out unless I wanted to go West. As for cagles that's not a good job by trucking standards,$13 an hour is chump change in a normal economy. Coca cola in Somerset is hiring a couple of drivers and they make like $16 to 25 an hour depending on route size. You must have had a CDL for 3 years or they will not even take your application.

What you forgetting to tell this guy is how much volume and tonnage is down right now. I got a cousin who went out and got a CDL against my advice and he has no crimnal record, good MVR, and work history yet 3 months after obtaining them he is on the couch on waiting list for those large carriers. Every time the economy turns south people reach for trucking and get CDLs. This time is unlike any other time because not only are you lossing 15-20% of overall tonnage but the cap and trade that is coming will force more intermodel rail. This may be permenent. I think Tony should go to school for LPN!! Job Corp can have him trained for free if he is 26 or under right now. If he is over do it in Somerset. Much better future in it. Obama's green policy will kill trucking.

FYI Tony look at the job board on Somerset Unemployment office, 9-12 an hour is what all the local stuff pays around there aside from coca cola and Somerset foods. You being new couldn't work at either. Today you will pay with your time for 2 years before you get that good job.

[think]

here we have some one just asking about your ideas, and they may help him make his choice. any way it is a good topic that needs up fronmt for a while

[trucking]

think wrote:

here we have some one just asking about your ideas, and they may help him make his choice. any way it is a good topic that needs up fronmt for a while

You got that right. That supertrucker fella put two names of small fleet owners out there to apply to when Tony gets a couple years under his belt. The post got removed because no one wants thier name on this filthy board. Super didn't say anything bad about the people either, he said it is where he would be right now if he was going to drive.

[think]

Maybe you have some information that could help this man.

[wow]

Just get the book and study, I know people that just do that and then they practice with the big rigs or trucks. Is it necessary to attend a school?

[not a super trucker]

It depends. If you are just starting out with a CDL and don;t have any over the road (OTR) experience, many companies cannot or will not hire you based on insurance reasons. I know, I started out with Pepsi and did everything there. They were nice enough that I could use their truck and do my test in and all I had to do was get the permit. They also didnt have strict guidelines as for age ontheir insurance, and i have been driving for them since the day I turned 21.

Some people arent as lucky to have any trucks on hand to practice with as they please, so they will more than likely have to go to a school or start with a company who will train them and get them their license, which will get you into more heartache than you realize at the time.

To respond to super truckers earlier post, it is true that freight is down right now, but some companies are still going pretty good. The company I am currently employed with is still doing good as far as freight, however some other things are making it impossible for me to keep the position I have there.

As far as the chicken plant, I was not talking about their live haul or feed haul, more like the reefer haulers that come in and out that dont do reallylong runs and pay decent for loads. However, I consider 13.65 an hour very reasonable pay for a job where you will be home every night, and the fact that the drivers always get at least 50 hours, closer to 60, and all the overtime is 20.48 an hour. for 60 hours a week that would be gross 955 for a job where you are home every night, not exactly the chump change you mentioned earlier. Not trying to be smart, just stating a fact.

That being said, you are right about the trucking industry being down and insurance being a problem. Best bet is to get with someone you know that has a truck, gowith them some to see if its something you are really interested in doing, then go from there with the license and hoping to find a job, because its really hard to get right now.

[Super Trucker]

wow wrote:

Just get the book and study, I know people that just do that and then they practice with the big rigs or trucks. Is it necessary to attend a school?

No school is not mandatory and it's really not a school. It's 1.5-3 weeks training program. Then a month out with a trainer team driving for most large carriers who can insure new drivers. I didn't go to any school. I was in the service and back then all you had to do was take the written test if you were in the service to get a CDL. I got mine and all the endorsements in Barren County for free. Oh yeah the fees for active duty were waived until 1999 when getting a CDL in KY to back then. Still should be.

Other advantages of going to a training program is you will know the logging and get hands on access. Those trucks are not cheap and just borrowing one from your neighbor is not an option. Most small companies can't hire you if you haven't had a CDL 2-3 years, can't insure you. The bigger companies are self insured for a million dollar out of pocket deductable that they pay before the secondary insurance will kick in.

The plus about attending the training is access to trucks. Even though I had CDLs I had no idea how to drive or properly log. Not to mention mechanical stuff. I learned on the fly and about killed myself a couple of times. That little 3 week program is the way to go but don't over pay for it. anything over 1500 is a rippoff and most larger companies that NEW drivers must work for will not hire you unless you complete one.

[Tony]

well, I've been looking, somerset wants 3500 for like 2-4 months training, and promisses to help get a job when completed. I need something to build toward. I'm 30 years old, currently working a part time min wage job. This is killing me. I have no connections because I don't "party" or socialize with alot of people, I'm just a good wholesome clean cut man who needs a break. I looked into the military, but they denied my because of my MVP heart disease. Looking for some good advice or connections to help me get back on my feet with some type of career. Thanks. Oh, any help, leads is greatly appreciated.

[Tony]

BTW, there is no possible way I could find someone willing to "borrow" their trucjk to take the final exam in.

[Tony]

Does anyone know if the national guard would disqualify for MVP heart disease? I was mainly looking into flying aircraft for the airforce and it disqualified me.

[could be]

Tony sorry to hear about your bad times I wish I could give you some advice but don't have any. But you will be in my prayers.

[not a super trucker]

Well Im sure glad we got people like Super Trucker out there to shoot peoples hopes down. Looks like between the know it all and the one who dont know anything about it, I am wrong on every aspect. I just know my experiences in the last 30 years i have been driving so I guess tahts not enough. So good luck.

[super trucker]

not a super trucker wrote:

Well Im sure glad we got people like Super Trucker out there to shoot peoples hopes down. Looks like between the know it all and the one who dont know anything about it, I am wrong on every aspect. I just know my experiences in the last 30 years i have been driving so I guess tahts not enough. So good luck.

I am just telling the guy the truth, sometimes it's hard to hear. We both know it's not what it used to be and is getting worse. Insurance, DOT, ect. We both know Obama's Cap and Trade if passed is going to hurt the industry big time and reduce tonnage. 500 small to mid size carriers (5-600 trucks went bankrupt in the last quarter alone. As the samll boys go under JB get bigger, not my fault. Here is a link
http://www.purchasing.com/article/216421-Truc...

We know Jevic is gone and Gainey is in Chapter 11 right now. That big reefer company with the blue freights went under and turnover on drivers is the lowest ever since the DOT started watching it. http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp...

I would hate to tell the guy to go and him spend six months training at a school then with a finisher only to be 5 grand in debt with no job. If he is young and wanting to fly I recomend going to college for a couple of years and getting into the Army's Warrant Officer flight program for Helicopters. Four years of flying active duty then go to the reserves and fly for a health care service.