New into trucking, would like advice on good/bad companies

Kamel · Oct 31, 2008

I am terribly sorry if this is gone over before. There are so many threads it's difficult to find them all. I have seen where in the past you recommend to others to just go through and read threads posted within the last year to get an idea of what to expect and what trucking is like.

Thanks for all of your precious information so far, it has helped a great deal. I am 23 and my wife is 18. We wanted to operate as a team, but her age is prohibiting, I think (could anyone explain if this is the case, I thought you could have your CDL permit being 18, in which case I could always watch as she drives... Perhaps I am missing something big here). We'd like to be out on the open road, to be able to see the sights and get paid better than $8/hr doing it. I am sick and tired of terrible paying unrewarding jobs and think trucking will be excellent to do for a while. I have always thought I am naturally talented at operating vehicles/machinery and now I suppose I feel like I have a chance to prove it.

Anyway, my major question is, what advice do you give a newb such as myself. And also, what company should I go with to get my CDL? I am already in a good deal of debt so I'm not interested in going to a school. I am thinking about getting trained by a company then signing a 1 year contract. Is this a good idea or do you guys have any suggestions? If it's any constellation, I have 2 friends who are truckers so it may be possible to be trained by one of them if that would be the best route to go.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may give. I hope to return the favor in some way

. Please, if this has been answered before, post a link to the appropriate post that I was unable to find.

BillChaffey · Oct 31, 2008

I think, although I may be in error. You can go to your local MVD and get what ever information you need for a written test for a CDL. Then if your going after a CDL "B" you could rent a "Ryder" or "Hertz" straight truck for your driving test.

gotta go · Oct 31, 2008

Your public library should have study video/book combos available. The rental truck suggestion is a good one, just make sure the truck has airbrakes if you want that endorsement. Penske trucks generally do.

nightcreacher · Oct 31, 2008

As far as getting your cdl,without schooling,you will never find a job.There are plenty of trucking companies that run their own schools,but you would need to sign a contract to stay with them.As far as taking your girlfriend,once you get your cdl,and was witha company,you might be abe to get her authorized as a passenger till she became old enough to drive.
Most companies that insure transportation companies, require the driver to ba at least 21 years of age, for interstate commerce.As far as intrastate,18 is just fine,by the way thats like local delivery

dare2dream1 · Oct 31, 2008

I will explain your options being that I have been a cdl instructor for both virginia and florida. You can obtain you cdl permit first and then if you find someone that has a tractor trailer you can have them teach you and after you have been taught all the things you need to know on a tractor which you need to identify over 150 different items to pass. plus be able to do a air brake test which if you make one mistake you fail. as far as your girlfriend is concerned, she can also get her permit and do all the things that i just told you that you would have to do but the only catch with her is that she can only drive in her home state until she is 21, thats the Law!!!I would suggest that you both attend a 10 week school that offers financial assistant or look for a federal grant to pay for it.. with the financial aide loan you dont have to pay it back until you start working and most good tractor trailer schools have job placement right out of school but your girlfriend would have to be a passenger until she is 21 unless she just drives in her home state..By the way, what state are you from? Now, with that bad news I have some good news for you... You can Team together right now if you can find a company that will hire you to drive one of their non -cdl straight trucks or a cargo or sprinter van, they are out there but you just have to find them and that way it wont matter about your girlfriends age because your not required to have a cdl so the rules dont apply to you from the federal government just the company that hires you... I hope this helps and if you have any more questions please feel free to email me at ([email protected] ) John

nightcreacher · Oct 31, 2008

but john,if they dont get the schooling from an acredited school or company,they still wont be able to get a job

arrbsthw · Nov 1, 2008

You may be able to go to truck driving school through a
technical school in your area for free. My son got a hope
grant and it paid for his 12 wks schooling. It's not one of those
3 week schools that get your license and turn you loose either. He could only drive in state until he turned 20 I believe. He bought his owntruck and hauled local.

gotta go · Nov 1, 2008

nightcreacher said:
but john,if they dont get the schooling from an acredited school or company,they still wont be able to get a job

Shhhhh . . . Don't tell anyone, I didn't go to an accredited school or sign on with a company and haven't had any problem getting a job. I chose not to grandfather in, because I wasn't going to be driving anymore, yeah right. When I came back to driving I did exactly as I've mentioned. Went to the library, asked lots of questions, rented a Penske truck, drove for a fleet operator at the 2 headed cat. It can be done.

Jack_Berry · Nov 1, 2008

kamel,

you can get a b license by driving a school bus. they will administer the road test for their standards and the state will suppy the b written test. you can learn the size of the vehicle in the bus and transfer road time as experience.

TeamCaffee · Nov 1, 2008

I all ready had a Class A CDL but had only driven local with no verifiable experience. Just had to take a road test and pass! As for the age thing only time will cure this problem.

Kamel · Nov 1, 2008

First and foremost, thanks so much for your helpful advice so far. It has meant a lot.

EDIT: I live in TN, but am considering moving to KY. TN, KY, and PA are the 3 states we have most family and may end up. If moving to one of the 3 would make things much easier we may consider it since we will have to move soon regardless.

I did notice all of you seem to be referring to my wife as my girlfriend. Though we are young, we are definitely married, if any of that has a bearing on our ability to get a job *shrugs*.

Do you recommend trying to go to a school, or should I try to get a job at one of these places that will hire you and train you then have you sign a contract not to leave them? I did look at PRIME, and they offer training in which you can leave at any time, but you have to pay a certain amount if you leave before 6 months, a discounted price if you leave after 6 months, and free if you leave after a year. I was concerned about some things with them though, such as their allowing my wife and I to be together (the only reason I am considering being OTR is, I can take 'home' with me) due to their website stating "Team with a trainer for 4-6 months with guaranteed pay." but perhaps I misunderstand what this means?

I am not interested in taking a risk. My life is way too crazy to take on a lease for a truck. I'd like to be a company driver. I am sick of having an unstable income. I'd rather be paid less and know that I will be getting X amount for sure than to know that I could make a whole lot or I could make next to nothing.

Well, if you could throw out a couple of names to get me started, atleast to look up, I would appreciate it. So far I have looked in to PRIME Inc, Schneider, CR England, Swift, and that's about it. I am sure there are several others that I am missing, so let me know which companies are available (is there a list somewhere that I overlooked?). Thanks again for all of your support so far.

broker · Nov 1, 2008

Go to any major truck stop like Petro and you will find tons of ad books with 100's of pages of trucking companies looking for drivers. If you are willing to sacrifice for a short time, you will have no problem getting hired on.
Been doing this for 37 years now, need any advice, drop me a line.
Big John

Kamel · Nov 3, 2008

Thanks for your suggestion. There is a TA and Petro not far from where I live (you may know it, Watt road exit, right before you enter Knoxville, TN coming from the west/south). I went there today as per your suggestion and I'd like to say thanks a lot. It had totally slipped my mind. I grabbed several free magazines with jobs etc. Probably more than I'll ever need or be able to read haha.

Well, looks like I have some reading to do. Thanks for your suggestion broker.

mofisherman · Dec 24, 2008

arrbsthw said:
You may be able to go to truck driving school through a
technical school in your area for free. My son got a hope
grant and it paid for his 12 wks schooling. It's not one of those
3 week schools that get your license and turn you loose either. He could only drive in state until he turned 20 I believe. He bought his owntruck and hauled local.

Where did your son go to school for 12 weeks?Where can i get more information on the hope grant.Thanks

ttruck · Dec 24, 2008

Im not new to trucking, but to the web site, id like to try this expiditing i am a solo driver w/ 20 plus years of otr ive been driving local for the last year prior to that i drove the southeast prior to that the lower 48 for crst, landstar ,southern cal.tranport i have all otr miles accident free no points on lic.most of them as team with my bst friend she is looking to get back into the otr thing but is comitted to a current job till ive found something for us, my med card is current and all of my references check out ,if anyone out ther is looking for a driver please drop me an e mail . thanks and keep yourselvs safe out there
art beatty

dletheridge · Dec 24, 2008

With a CDL to exercise those privs across state boundaries you have to be 21 or over.

Some things you will need to check on:
Will the companies allow you to have her drive?
Can someone with a learners permit, be allowed to drive in other states?

Have you thought about having her as a rider then when she turns 21 she get her CDL? That way you can find out if you can stand each other living in a closet.

RTOspeedwagn · Jan 9, 2009

Call the Tennessee Vocational/Technical School in Knoxville. I got my CDL there and they have an excellent program, I think 9 weeks and you can get a grant to pay for training.

mikeangel · Jan 24, 2009

i heard pam transport had a good training program. There schools in Ind, Indiana 3 weeks on the site training an 4-6 weeks OTR with an instructor. The schooling is taken out of your pay as long as you sign on with them for 1 year. you have the option of driving for pam, decker usa trucking, or averritt trucking. Good luck buddy.