Profile For Darren Clark

I live in Florida . I am taking my CDL permit test tomorrow . can I test for hazmat , tanker , double / triple , etc tomorrow or do I have to wait until I am testing for my full cdl?

Thanks ChrisEMT! Just a general update. Had a conversation with a friend of a friend last night that drives for knight and he answered a ton of my remaining questions.

What I’d like to do is pay for their squire school and go OTR with them for at least 6 months because there is a job (with knight) that can get me home on the weekends. I have a girlfriend and a dog that doesn’t fit the trucking company limits of 50 or 60 lbs.

My whole goal was to be able to find regional/dedicated lines thatd allow me weekend hometime and it looks like such jobs are available even thru the mega I want to work for. This dedicated regional gig lists that they will take 6 months experience so, I might be able to transition over around that time if the role still exists.

Frankly, just knowing that a role like that exists thru knight takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders. I hope I still have access to that account after I complete my training.

Thank you OLD SCHOOL for your response!

Knight is who I have my eyes on the most. I like their no-contract approach and that they have a cdl school that’s not in the other side of the country if I have to pay to go there. There’s a couple of really good YouTube videos that I’ve seen that really sell them as the best for me.

I don’t have a place to store my truck. I do see yards near my house that are full of trucks. Pretty sure they aren’t guarded and you use a key to get in there. Would I have to pay for space there or is that something knight would cover that for me?

Pay out of pocket or take paid CDL training thru a mega? I can afford paid cdl training but I dont want to pay it if i dont have to. Id consider paying for my CDL if if i get tuition reimbursement and guaranteed job placement. If I can get a guaranteed job, I'll do the paid training but I'm scared whoever I go with will pay me extremely poorly for a year.

Few megas have terminals near me. These companies have local terminals (and paid training options): Knight: Lakeland, FL Cypress Trucking: Tampa, FL Schneider: Winter Haven, FL

Schools Nearby: Roadmaster will guarantee me with Werner. Werner's terminal is in Lake City. Thats 2.5 hours away. Am I supposed to go there every time I need to go to work??!?!?! Recruiter said Werner and May Trucking were probably my only options as "they only work with megas with good reputations." Sage has a program nearby. No guaranteed placement from what I understand and the course IS 8-WEEKS!!!!. Lots of business cards for recruiters for megas, midsized and small companies on the desk outside their classroom. Same issue though. Only above-mentioned megas are reasonably close. Do I need to have a terminal closeby to get hired by megas? Tampa Truck Driving School can place me with Stevens but couldnt find their terminal locations. Nothing in my area surely.

Anyone with experience from these schools? Anyone from the Tampa area that has trained and gone on to a mega without moving somewhere else? Is paid CDL a financial death sentence if I end up choosing it?