Newest of the new.

[zman3k]

Greetings to everyone, I hope everyone is well. I'm looking for insight, facts and/or the complete absence of facts; whatever suits your taste.

I'm a 23 year old male with no commercial driving experience about to graduate college and the last thing I want is a job in my field or to be a desk jockey. I've always had an itch for professional driving so I figured I'd scratch while I was still young to see if it's something I could tolerate doing. At any rate, I was wondering if it is possible to break into the world of expediting without any practical experience in commercial driving. That is, can I find someone who will take me on if the only experience I have is the experience I got getting the CDL. My basic question, would it be better to go mainline trucking (ie T/T) and then switch to expediting, or go straight into expediting, as I have only a nominal interest in driving a T/T? Also, my girlfriend is also interested in driving a straight truck in expediting, so long as it is a semi-auto, automatic, or sycnchronized manual. She's the same age and same experience and education as myself.

If other topics have dealt with this subject, I'd love to read them, but all the searches I have done have returned only ambiguous posts barely touching on what I was looking for. There was nothing that I could really make an informed decision on, or maybe I'm just retarded like that.

Thanks in advance,
Zak

 

[davekc]

Based on your limited information, I would pursue expediting. Even more so if your wife has a desire to drive. If you go solo, then it is a toss up. HOS will be your biggest obstacle if going solo whether it is TT or expedite.
I would strongly advise driving for a fleet owner until you really understand the business and whether it is right for the two of you.
Please feel free to post your questions, but be a specific as you can. If it is too general (like what is the best company) you may not get the specific answers you are seeking.
Find the company you like, and then the fleet owner.
If possible, I would strongly encourage you to attend the Expo. Just about any expedite question you have can be answered there.






Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[terryandrene]

Over the years, we've met several people with an educational background similar to yours and they have been equally happy and successful in expediting. Most of us share the opinion that you should test the waters by driving for someone in their truck for awhile. A six month commitment to an owner would be good for them and you.

To coin a phrase; "The accumulation of mass wealth so you can sever yourself from society." is not a typical expediter occurrence but, there's more to life than money.

 

[LDB]

The biggest challenge I see is your lack of experience. Some companies require a minimum of 6 months experience so you will have a reduced "suspect list" to consider. There are a number of OTR companies that will take zero experience and some of them are now going to automatic transmissions. You may find it easier to get on there and gain experience and then transition to expediting. Many of them will pay your CDL training in exchange for a 1 year commitment to drive. That would definitely tell you if you can stand life on the road. If you do go straight to expediting I agree with the suggestion you drive for someone for at least half a year before considering your own truck. Good luck.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[zman3k]

We were definately looking for driving for someone as we are complete novices in the world of professional driving and seeing that buying a truck alone is a massive capital expense to say nothing of insurance, and fuel and so on and so forth.

We certainly do appreciate your input into this matter and we have considered going through a big T/T carrier for our CDL training and initial experience.

As an aside, what is considered "enough" information? I've been reading the forums and one of the chief complaints of an initial post is the lack of information the submitter provides.

In the interest of providing information. I personally have a mostly clean driving record, I've gotten a speeding ticket when I was 16 and a defective tail light ticket when I was 18. In 2003, I was involved in an accident delivering the student newspapers for the University of Texas at Arlington and at the end of June 2006 I was T-boned in Puyallup, WA. The accident in Arlington was determined to be my fault by the insurance company of the other driver (not adjudicated by the local police) and the accident in Puyallup was determined, by the police, to be the fault of the other driver.

My girlfriend was last ticketed for speeding in 2002, and has had her license suspended from April 02 to May 02 for having two other tickets in a 12 month period prior to the speeding ticket, but they gave her a hardship license for work and school during the time that her fully privileged license was suspended.

Currently, we live in Texas but we are not adamantly opposed to moving somewhere if it makes logistic sense to do so. These plans will probably not come to fruition until the beginning of the new year as I graduate in December from Texas State University.

Thanks again,
Zak and Holly

 

[terryandrene]

Zak:

Many folks come on here and want to know the best truck to buy or the best company with which to drive or other ambiguous questions that can't be answered. We each work for the best carrier (for us) and drive the best truck size (for us) and bought the best brand of truck (for us). It's all subjective.

If you have a CDL, there are many owner/operators that will give you a shot if you make a good first impression with your enthusiasm, appearance, demeanor, etc. No different than applying for a suit and tie job. Just a CDL isn't enough if you want to widen your choice of owners. Most Straight truck owners will require a CDL class B, with air brake and Hazmat endorsement. Driving records will always be checked so you, and your ladyfriend, should have reasonably clean records. A background check costing about $90 will be required for that Hazmat endorsement as the State agency is required to do a background check on all hazmat applicants. Gotta make sure you have no terrorist connections.

Try reading the articles on our home page, and subscribing to the free "Expedite-Now" magazine. Visit any truckstop and gather a copy of each of the free magazines that are usually in the display rack around the big-truck fuel desk or the drivers lounge. and finally, when you're ready, check the free classifieds on this site and talk to some of the owners there that are looking for drivers. Somewhere, among all of us, there is a good fit for you and your companion.

Good luck with the homework and stay in touch.

Terry

 

[zman3k]

Terry,

Thank you for the kind words of advice. I'll try to keep up with my homework, but I may need your help with some aspects of the modern global economy.

-Zak

 

[rfrogger120]

Back in 2000 I paid $16.00 for my hazmat, 2005 it cost me $150.00 for the test and background check.

 

[ATeam]

Diane and I entered the industry with no previous truck driving experience. See:

"Expediting; A Lifestyle of Choice"
http://www.expeditersonline.com/artman/publish/article_002322.html

"Five Challenges of Expediting"
http://www.expeditersonline.com/artman/publish/article_001719.html

and

"Introduction to Expediting"
http://www.expeditersonline.com/downloads/introduction.pdf

We drove fleet-owner trucks for almost three years and then moved into a truck of our own.

See: "The A Teams new ride"
http://www.expeditersonline.com/artman/publish/New_expediter_truck.html

 

[zman3k]

You say you got into the expediting business without prior trucking experience, what did you do about initial training, that is what about getting your CDL and endorsements and related?

Thanks in advance,
Zak and Holly

 

[ATeam]

We self-trained; got the free CDL manual from the state and used it and some free online resources to study for the written tests. We then rented a large U-Haul-type truck to practice with. Where we lived, there was a company that rented air-brake-equipped trucks for taking road tests. We used one of those on the day of the road test.

HAZMAT endorsement came from passing the written HAZMAT test. Air brake endorsement came from passing the written air-brake test and passing the road test in an air-brake-equipped truck.

FedEx Custom Critical, our carrier of choice, had a six-months experience requirement. In lieu of that, FedEx allowed us to take an additional road test at a Fed-Ex approved trucking school.

 

[TeamCaffee]

To get a class B drivers license in Missouri you first have to take a written test for your permit. You can also get the HazMat study guide and take that test at the same time you get your permit. Then you will need to either rent a truck or attend a truck driving school. You really need to study the pre trip inspection. In Missouri you can take the pretrip inspection sheet our of the study guide with you to the test but you cannot write on that sheet. You would need to check with your state to see if that is allowable. This seems to be what really causes a lot of people to flunk the test. After you have got your license and also your HazMat you will probably have to take a drive test with the company that you go to work for. Good Luck!! It will be worth all the work you put into it.

 

[zman3k]

Thank you all for the wealth of information, but mostly the lack of a monetary charge , it is truly appreciated.

I'm looking at the Texas Department of Public Safety site, and the information on the site is rather limited. There is no mention of the CDL permit (pre-license) or the like, but they do have an in depth section on the Haz-Mat endorsement, mostly how you can not obtain it, but I believe that I am perfectly able on the statute parts of getting an HME, the written and practical test maybe something else.

So, tomorrow to the DPS License office for a CDL booklet, or perhaps to my university's library to print it out }>. I'm also trying to get on with a university bus driving job (training provided) so I can get the B license, an air brakes and passenger endorsement; although, I suspect transporting passengers in the box of a straight truck may be frowned upon....even in Texas. And where do you rent a U-Haul type truck with air brakes, it doesn't look like U-haul rents air braked trucks anymore, or if they ever did.

Thanks guys,
Zak and Holly

 

[TeamCaffee]

Try Penski we could not find one at u-haul either. Also if you want to go over HazMat info you are reading send us a PM. Bob is really good at that and helped our daughter pass the test with flying colors. I am also thinking the passengers in a box truck might be frowned on. Of course though if you got one with a liftgate you could get them in the box with style. We where somewhat in your shoes when we started except that we had our CDL's just where not sure expediting was the way to go. We bought our airline tickets, rented a car and a hotel room and spent two days taking notes and talking to anyone that would talk to us. That has to be the best money we have ever spent. You just cannot find a better way to meet a lot of expediters in one group then this event. We made up our minds after getting so much information and have never looked back, changed our lives 100% for the better.

 

[zman3k]

Now the question is, will Penske let me rent a CDL truck for the purposes of practice and a road test via there business rental, being that they don't rent their CDL trucks for household moves and I'm not a company so much as I am an individual?

I know if we had any money at all, we'd make a run up to the expo and check it all out and get some good talking in, but unfortunately we lack the finances for that as we are about to have to move to a new apartment for the next little bit while I finish up my degree.

Thanks,
Holly and Zak

Addendum: I (Zak) just took an application to Cognisa Transportation (the folks who run the buses for Texas State) and the boss guy said that if I'd give him a full academic year of work (9 months) he'd hire me which includes paid training. He's going to review my app and possibly give me a call tomorrow to set up an interview time.

 

[zman3k]

Update:

I have an interview with Cognisa Transportation tomorrow for the bus driving job and it looks like everything is falling together how it should, so I'll be able to recieve my Class B CDL and get 9 months, at least, experience driving a Class B vehicle, albeit a passenger transporting vehicle, but we have to start somewhere, aye?

Zak

 

[TeamCaffee]

Sounds like a good start. Get lots of experience driving in tight areas with lots of distractions. Everything happens for a reason.

 

[zman3k]

Well, on any given loop there will be anywhere from 10-60 distractions sitting behind me. And driving through the campus there are some very tight turns, the only real thing I'll be lacking is a variety of backing maneuvers since those only take place in the yard and that's just to squeeze the bad boy between a couple of buses to park it for the day. But I am rather excited about this opportunity, and I hope that it comes to fruition. I've basically applied for this job every semester that I've been at the university, and this fall will be my 7th semester at this university.

Zak

 

[Blondie n Dag]

I started in the T/T and moved to the S/T and the backing up was all wrong at first. No pivit point in a S/T, so you will have it easier when backing the non piviting bus. With anything it takes time and practice, don't rush any turn, when backing (I'm sure yoou will learn this) remember, G.O.A.L. Get Out and Look. Backing accidents are one of the industries biggest problems just because you can't see everything directly behind you. Keep us posted on how the training goes. Good Luck!!!

 

[zman3k]

The interview, if one can call it that, went very well today. I met both of the boss guys today, one of them has the same name as me, and the other one is a big marching band guy like I am, and they're both friendly. I was there for over 90 minutes today talking with them and doing a "2nd Interview Questionaire." They told me that I'm not officially hired until I pass their road test, but they seemed to believe that I would have no problem doing that.

And assuming that I can pass all the required tests, which as of right now I'm not worried about, but that's b/c the only test....err tests, 5 of them, I'm worried about are the written ones that I have to take to get the learners permit. The tests are: General Knowledge, Passenger Endorsement, Air Brakes Endorsement, Pre-trip (written) and Special Requirements. Luckily I have a brain that likes to latch on to everything that it reads and even more what I take notes on, so I'm going to head down to the TX DPS Drivers License Office in San Marcos tomorrow to take the tests and hopefully walk out of their 10 dollars poorer but with a Class B CDL Learner's permit.

-Zak