Profile For Mark P.

I am confused on the automatics and going downhill fully loaded. (41k)

At the crest of the hill I slow down 50-55. (Not major downgrade) I switch down to 9th gear. The rpm goes up to 16,000 and roars. I start firmly pressing the break on and then release for 5 seconds. I start gaining momentum. I have the jag brake on full and here is where I am confused. (Jag brakes does not seem to help)

Should I have shifted down to 8? Because 9th and applying brakes is not cutting it. I am not smoking the brakes but I can smell them when I stop. (That's if I stopped right away)

Side note. My thoughts on the jag brakes from a previous truck .... They slowed the truck down. But not so much here. I just brought the truck to dealer and said they not work. They tested and said they work. Feeling dumb😠

You would be insane to leave that job

I have been looking into upgrading my CDL from a class B to a class A for a while now. I have been driving a bus for King County Metro which is a transit agency here in the Seattle, WA area. It's a good job, pay starts at 22.41 an hour and tops off around 32 to 34 an hour within 10 years. I have been doing my research and have been wanting to drive a truck for a while now. There are a lot of old veteran truck drivers here that now drive a bus and everyone tells me I'd be an idiot to give up this job and drive a truck. They all drove in the 70's, 80's, and 90's and they all tell me that the pay will never be what I could get here driving a bus and that I will hate the job. I'm honestly trying to ask if anyone on here agrees with them or thinks they are wrong. This is considered a state government job so it has a pension instead of a 401k. Would I make just as much in the long run as a truck driver? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

I have only 4 months otr experience and finding a company willing to pay a somewhat decent pay.

I can't see any info on this site about them. However I see glass door has bad reviews. I know people are fast to report bad news and not to report good news. I also know it's not always the company but the driver who can make the situation bad.

I guess I am just looking for some positive feedback.

They have auto and apu and would only require me to train for 1-2 weeks with my previous experience.

Thanks for any info on National Carriers

Mark

I am really considering May Trucking. I have searched high and low and can't find out. I am wanted to do the lower 48 states so it's the refer division. Do you know about the freight? Is it no touch. Or you need to unload several stops? I have heard other companies the refer trucks do it of unloading the trucks.

There will be time that you will be back very soon.

I have been studying using this website for about 2 weeks. Based on the practice tests being learned will the material I learned be enough to pass the California permit test? I see the questions are from Illinois dmv. Will most states be virtually the same?

What is your coverage like in the following state with Verizon: Wyoming on 80, Indiana on 80 and WI. Those are the state Sprint suxss at lol Evidently they are uping their towers but idk. They have been really sucky lately

i know this is old. But sprint still sucks. Half the service of att and Verizon.

Thanks all I got the answers I need. Great when so many people care for each other!🚛🚛

Mark

I don't know what to do! I live in San Diego and am planning on starting my CDL sponsored training someplace (tbd). I plan on selling my house soon and bank the funds. I want to just find a company I could hire on with. I have no experience with living in a truck but in my mind I just want to be on the road for a year or so. If forced I could get a hotel for a couple of days or so.

Will these big trucking companies hire you under the pretense you choose to move in the hiring area.?

My real goal was to move to Florida someday. But why rent an apartment or buy a house to stay only 5 days a month. Right now my am in a point I have no ties to anyplace and I don't need to go home.

There appears to be a few that would hire out of California but not many

You're probably better off having a little firmer game plan in place - time-frame-wise AND where you're actually going to end up, both location and company-wise, before you go ahead and take your permit tests.

If you get a permit in CA, and then move elsewhere (before getting your CDL) you are likely going to have to return to CA to turn the permit into a CDL, then transfer it to your new home state. OR just dump the permit, and get them in your new home state (since companies either require you to have a permit in your home state, and return to upgrade it to a CDL - OR - get your permits in the state the trucking company trains in, test and get your CDL there - THEN TRANSFER it to your home state).

The last time I renewed my CDL (with HM, Tanker, Doubles/Triples & Passenger), it cost me around $200 with all the endorsements and the HM renewal. Not an inexpensive proposition, and certainly not something you would want to pay for TWICE.

Too many variables in the current early stages of your plan, to just go out and get your permits now - you may just be wasting time & $$. Federal law also mandates a DOT Medical Card on file with your state DMV - again - you don't want to pay for a physical/card - when you're just going to be getting one from your company anyways.

You WILL need to do air-brakes and general knowledge at a BARE MINIMUM for a Class-A CDL. While it varies from state to state - in some states you cannot take the HM, until you're getting your CDL, as you cannot actually haul HM until your background comes back and you actually HAVE the full endorsement. Many companies REQUIRE a HM endorsement.

What you CAN DO NOW - is go and get your TWIC Card - which many companies also require. There's no "test" for this, and the background is done by the same agency as the HM (TSA/Homeland Security). Having a recently issued TWIC card, will make the background check for the HM come back quicker. Mind took almost two months when I renewed it last year (they were re-doing their computer systems).

In the meantime - study the High Road CDL Training Program, right here on this site. It's FREE, and is better than the ones I PAID FOR 6 years ago when I took all my tests. Run through the course, and keep going back through it. That way - whenever/wherever you decide you're going, you'll just walk in and nail the tests cold.

I'm in a similar boat. Totally burnt out in my profession. Went to CDL school for 9 weeks and got my license 6 years ago. Kept everything current - but never used it. Now I'm considering bailing out of my business and home (think I might ACTUALLY BE FED UP ENOUGH to do it this time). BUT - I need to do a refresher - or start from scratch as a student at a company (minus the CDL tests, since I already have one). Need to be hired on within 30 days of going back to my school for a refresher - so - I need to have ALL MY DUCKS IN A ROW - before I go in for the refresher. This means selling all my crap - storing what I don't sell but can't part with, etc. etc.

So - to reiterate. Get a little closer to your "jumping off point". Figure out which company you plan on getting on with, and find out WHAT THEY REQUIRE, as far as permits etc. STUDY THE HIGH ROAD TRAINING PROGRAM. Get relocated FIRST - so you don't have to pay to transfer stuff, and maybe have to take tests ALL OVER AGAIN (and pay for them).

Hope this helps...

Rick

Wow that was alot of much needed info. I guess I will just study like you suggested for now. Thanks for the detailed information.