New CDL Holder.
Topic 10116 | Page 1
Welcome Walter!
Well we have reviews of various Trucking Companies and we also have a great listing of Truck Driving Jobs for you to browse.
Now there are Company-Sponsored Training Programs which are companies with their own training. You already have your CDL but those companies hire out of truck driving schools also so have a look there.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Well, Walter, you got over the first hurdle. It looks like you went to a non-company school. Didn't any recruiters come by to tell you about their company? Any sound good to you? Have you been looking around yourself, checking advertisements, calling the numbers on the backs of trailers?
As for your question:
Ive currently finished my training. Can anybody point me in the right direction as to what companies I should be looking at.
You give us nothing to go on except that you have a CDL , I think. Where do yo live? What kind of freight do you want to haul (dry van/flatbed/bulk/reefer, etc.) What do you want to see in a company? (and you won't get all your desires, I promise!) Is home time important to you? Stuff like that.
Don't tell me you did no "planning for the future" like this while you were in trucking school!
At trucking Truth, we have a few places to check out: the Truck Driver's Career Guide will give you the big picture. Here's a list & evaluation of many Trucking Companies, and advice on How To Choose A Company.
Here's a "shotgun" approach to sending out your application: Apply For Truck Driving Jobs.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
I actually went to swift driving academy. I stay in the memphis, TN area. As far as frieght goes it really doesn't matter. I just wanted to see what else was out here job wise.
I just want some insight from people that's already out on the road.
I actually went to swift driving academy. I stay in the memphis, TN area. As far as frieght goes it really doesn't matter. I just wanted to see what else was out here job wise.
I just want some insight from people that's already out on the road.
Let me get this straight. You went Swift in Memphis. You signed a contract for about $4000 for tuition, and now you want to bail from Swift, just to see what's out there? Usually, people choose a company first then go to school.
I did the Swift Academy in Memphis (actually Millington), started driving in February. No complaints about the company. Sure you can move for another $0.02 somehow promised to you, but you will be stuck with the Swift tuition cost. I suggest you stick with Swift for the first year at least. Reading through Trucking Truth topics, you will find that staying with your first company for at least a year is highly advisable.
I live in Olive Branch. I'm at the Swift terminal in the morning most days. Any more personal questions, feel free to PM me.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
No I didn't sign a contract with swift. I paid the tuition upfront. I'll take your advice on it though.
Can you start out with swift on a dedicated run or straight otr?
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Can you start out with swift on a dedicated run or straight otr?
Generally it's OTR. After "they" see how you do, you might get a call or you can ask about other things.
I drove OTR for about three months then got recruited for a shuttle. Then again, a driver fresh off her mentor's truck went right to the same shuttle.
After driving OTR for about a month, I asked about a dedicated account. The dedicated DM told me to wait till I had 6 months OTR first.
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.New Reply:
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Ive currently finshed my training. Can anybody point me in the right direction as to what companies I should be looking at.