Profile For Papa G

I just spoke with the California DMV about transferring my Louisiana CDL to their state. Sheesh! Those folks are pretty proud of their CDL status. Turns out I will need to take a new physical exam, show up at the DMV office with the form DL51 from my exam, retake all of the tests (General, Air brakes, Semi, Double/Triple, Tanker, and Haz Mat) before they will transfer my License to California. My question is this.... Is the testing for California so different that I should be studying their booklet exclusively, or can I just review the High Road Series (which is what I used successfully the first time I tested)?

Who makes the best mattress for trucks? Any suggestions?

Does anyone have information about transferring a CDL from Louisiana to Texas. Process, costs, testing (Especially Hazmat), etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Yeppers, real SPAM. I might even splurge and buy the bacon flavored type. Mmmmmmm, Bacon! As for long term teaming, well that remains to be seen. Our company requires two months of teaming as a Phase II type of training. So they put two rookies out there.... So I guess we can screw up twice as much. I am lucky that I was able to team with a known, rather than an unknown. We have been at it for 5 days and it appears we will get along just fine. However, both of us want to go solo once our required two months is up. But hopefully a lasting friendship will be formed, and that's a good thing. We are learning things from one another. While he is driving I am learning about Hip Hop music (evidently the ***** betta have his money, and the Man must die). While I am driving he is learning about Jazz music (Cool Daddy-o, dig them crazy threads). Drive safe!

After a long 175 hours with my trainer (nice guy, but a complete slob), I have upgraded to a full paid first seat driver! Yippee! Now I can afford the Spam, rather than the generic brand! I am teaming with my buddy from CDL School in the brand new Freightliner our company issued us. With 2000 miles on the odometer, we've only had to spend 1 whole day at the dealer getting a stupid sensor repaired. Gotta love todays modern computer driven trucks! Right now we are on a load from Pennsylvania to Laredo, Tx. Yeee Haaa!

Yes. Instead of 10 hour break an 8 hr break

Dude, nobody.... And I mean NOBODY understands this! If u can fogure it out and utilize it.... More power to you!

Welcome Joel!

It will make almost no difference at all. About 98% of the various State CDL Manuals are identical. There are a few states with a few exceptions like maybe they calculate theoretical stopping distance a little differently or their steer axle weight limit is a little bit higher. But it's nothing that's going to hurt your test scores, nor will it hurt the ultimate level of knowledge you get from the program. Basically, the differences are pretty trivial. You can go through your state's manual to see if you pick out any differences if you like, but it's not necessary.

We've also gone beyond what the CDL permit testing requires and built a section on Learning The Logbook Rules and Understanding Truck Weight & Balance.

Here is how our program breaks down:

To Get Your CDL Permit:

• Rules & Regulations
• Driving Safely
• Transporting Cargo Safely
• Air Brakes
• Combination Vehicles
• Pre-Trip Inspection
• Driving Exam

To get your CDL endorsements which are optional but we highly recommend you get:

• Transporting Passengers
• Doubles And Triples
• Tankers
• Hazardous Materials

And two sections we've built ourselves with info you'll need for everyday life on the road but the manual doesn't really cover it:

• Logbook
• Weight & Balance

Brett, you need to update the HOS where it talks about the 34-hour reset requiring two periods between 0100 qnd 0500. And also where ot says you can only do 1 34- hour reset per week. Cheers!

Anchorman, it sounds like you are very well versed regarding lease purchase. And thanks for all of the great information. Say a driver really wants to own his own rig, do you have any details regarding the other method of becoming an owner.... Which I guess would be to visit a dealership and buy a new or used tractor. I am new to this career, but already I see many owner/operator and owner/contract trucks out here, so there must be some advantages. Thanks.

I am not with Prime, but I am currently finishing my third week with my trainer. Bud mentioned Lease Op guys, so I wanted to comment. My trainer is a "Lease Op" guy and a pretty OK fellow. But he is definitely doing this solely for the extra income, and not because he has a desire to train new drivers. I look at this phase of my new career as a necessary evil. I am learning quite alot, but not because my trainer is "teaching" me. I'm learning by virtue of operating his truck for him while he talks/texts non-stop on his phone. I've never seen another human talk on the telephone so much. It's quite amazing. He speaks Patois, which is some kind of french dialect so I have no idea what he is saying.... But it must be pretty important. Meanwhile, his truck that he is working so hard to pay for is going to hell in a handbasket. Inside it is the filthiest pigsty I have ever lived in. Outside... i dont think it's ever been washed. Mechcanicaly.... Fuhget about it! Every day I ask f he would like me to do a thorough pre-trip inspection, amd his answer is always, "Nah, we'll do it later. Just add a pre-trip entry to the e-log and let's get going". In three weeks I have only seen him check the oil level once, and he was doing it with the engine running! Whatever dude, it's your truck. So, yes a necessary evil in order to further my career, but maybe you should shy away from Lease-Op trainers. I am learning alot of what not to do! Man, I can't wait to get off this truck!

Thanks for letting me vent.

Empty trailer,start in 4th gear,make your turn,find correct lane,then shift to 5th,while engine is screaming at 1800rpm. Safe drivers lol.🐎

Shift? Ooooh..... Shift. I read about those somewhere. The transmissions you have to shift yourself. How quaint. Mines an automatic.