Getting My Bearings To Set Sail In A Big Rig.
Topic 1384 | Page 1
Sounds great Jason! Definitely let us know when you find out.
Have you applied with any other company-sponsored training programs?
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.
I only applied with them about a week ago. Is it a good idea to apply to several at the same time? Obviously this is a first for me.
I'd apply to any and all that fulfil what you're looking for. If driver solutions is what you want, go for it but it doesn't hurt to contact more. Sometimes its hard to get ahold of recruiters so you may be able to get into another quicker if time is essential. My best advice is to narrow down all of the ones that suit your needs and apply to all of them. Once you talk to them you can pick from there. Just make sure that the company is what you want. Don't just jump at one for the heck of it. This will be a big choice, make sure its right for you.
Sorry it took so long to respond.
Yes, you should apply to a bunch of them at once. Get a conversation going with the recruiters and once you've done your research then make a decision. Hopefully you'll have several companies to choose from.
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.
Okay, getting frustrated. Driver Solutions is a crock, or at least that's what I think so far.
Maybe it's the one recruiter I am working with. First he has not been upfront with me, I ask specifics and get genaric answers. If I don't qualify for training with one of the companies that sponsors the paid cdl training, tell me that. I am 35 and wear big boy pants, but to tell me that the company doesn't have any available openings for training at this time, it sounds like the past two weeks has been a waist of time. Second, he should have told me exactly all info that I need to fax in at the start, not tell me after getting all my ducks in a row that more info is needed to find out that the online processing disappears and then give me the BS reason I just mentioned.
Brett I took your advice and applied to four other companies on Friday the 13th. All these companies have routs that run through my state of Florida. Should I call or wait for them to call me from my application?
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.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
Definitely call them. Don't wait. Trucking company recruiters are usually overwhelmed with work and applications can sit around collecting dust forever. Give them a call and let em know you're seriously interested and ready to go. Be persistent. You won't be "bugging them", you'll be showing a keen interest and that's what they're looking for.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Well after a few disappointments from companies not hiring from Florida it looks like Swift Transport is taking me to Tennessee for schooling. I got my CDL learners permit today using the High Road Online CDL Training Course here at TT. Man it was a breeze. There was one question that I missed out 150. So I am now waiting on a return call from the Swift recruiter.
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.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
It's official I start on with Swift October 7th. I am excited, scared, and shocked all at once. Excited to start a new career. Scared if how this will effect my home life with the wife and my three kids. Shocked that the universe is starting to throw me what I need to get by after so much bad karma.
Man that's a ton of great news in a short amount of time - an outstanding score on the CDL permit test and then a pre-hire?? Excellent!!!
I completely understand the concern about your family. After a short time running OTR you'll be able to find something that gets you home more often.
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.
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.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
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I have been in the mortgage/banking/customer service industry for 15 years. About a year and a half ago I was laid off from one of the largest banks in the nation, been on unemployment ever since. This week is the last time I get to claim for unemployment, so some decisions had to be made. I have to provide some kind of income for my wife and 3 kids. We had to drain my 401k to pay our attorney for our bankruptcy, debts and bills had overwhelmed us. What to do next?
Having no college degree I have been turned down for many positions and was getting frustrated by rejection. So I made a list of everything I was good at, and broke it down into what I love to do(always enjoy your work). I am a bit of a shade tree mechanic but schooling takes several years to get ASC Certification. Good with a hammer but not a lot of construction jobs. An excellent artist but not good enough to get into an art gallery. Love to drive, even took a beginner race school course when I was younger but expensive to go that route. What about driving a semi? Well, schooling is relatively inexpensive and doesn't take long. So, my mind has been made up for about a week now.
My wife cashed in her 401k and we started looking at our options to get started. I found TT and have been researching and learning every thing I can. Considering that I will not have any income for a while we opted to look at company paid training, that way my expenses would be available and the available income for the family will be there. I decided on Driving Solutions to place me in a program and to line up a position once training will be completed. I am currently waiting on their approval but it looks like I will be going to C1 training out of Indy and then possibly USA Truck after that. More to come once I know more.