Saying Goodbye To OTR
Topic 15181 | Page 1
How's the pay with them? Will you be taking a step up or down?
Congratulations and best of luck on your new adventure. Not sure what WM starts out at where you live, but here in Central Kentucky, they start out at about $18/hr which is really good for this area.
I would keep my CDL-A if I were you, just because you can drive anything with it and it's such a pain to get reinstated if you relinquish it.
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.
Congratulations and best of luck on your new adventure. Not sure what WM starts out at where you live, but here in Central Kentucky, they start out at about $18/hr which is really good for this area.
I would keep my CDL-A if I were you, just because you can drive anything with it and it's such a pain to get reinstated if you relinquish it.
Good Luck in the new job!!
I second Sue D. If you keep your CDL-A, it's possible that the company you are now going to work for might have a use for a combination vehicle driver from time to time, perhaps they have a truck and lowboy for moving equipment around, or a combination dump truck for taking scrap metal to recycling facilities. If you are licensed for that type vehicle, you might get some extra money from time to time, or at least save the boss the hassle of paying a part-timer.
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.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
Well I accepted a position with Waste Management driving a garbage pick up truck, so now I will be able to sleep in my bed every night, I will miss the open road, thank you guys for all the answers to questions that I posted here in the forum, I will still be here but not as an OTR driver anymore, will b moving down to a B license, but it's a sacrifice I have to make for the family, again thank you guys.....out
Why would you want to "downgrade" to a B license? Your A license allows you to drive anything that a B does, and is not any additional hassle to keep renewing.
You STILL NEED to keep a DOT Med Card - since B CDL requires it also (unless you are in an "intrastate exempt" classification - which trash hauling is not). You may (or may not) need to keep your HM (if WMI requires it).
So keeping your CDL-A is a no-brainer, as it is no more (or less) difficult to maintain than a B license. And it does keep the door open for future opportunities.
Rick
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Intrastate:
The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.
Well it will start me at 17.50 with a lot of opportunities to move up in pay, you get a move up in pay every 6 month in accordance with your performance, I will look into keeping my CDL "A" I was under d impression that u automatically down grade to a "B" if you move to straight trucks, guess my research didn't cover that, it will be a step down for at least d first 6 month but I plan on performing well to earn that better pay, my wife is getting sick more often with diabetes and I worried when she calls me and I'm on the road, my kids are 8 n 11 n they can't help as much as I would being a couple of miles away in case something serious happens, perhaps in the not so far future I will b able to come back OTR and I am leaving in good terms with Shaffer, I will be a re- hire if I maintain my class "A", that's plan B if this thing goes south, thanks for the input n suggestions....out
Well I accepted a position with Waste Management driving a garbage pick up truck, so now I will be able to sleep in my bed every night, I will miss the open road, thank you guys for all the answers to questions that I posted here in the forum, I will still be here but not as an OTR driver anymore, will b moving down to a B license, but it's a sacrifice I have to make for the family, again thank you guys.....out
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.
Congratulations and best of luck on your new adventure. Not sure what WM starts out at where you live, but here in Central Kentucky, they start out at about $18/hr which is really good for this area.
I would keep my CDL-A if I were you, just because you can drive anything with it and it's such a pain to get reinstated if you relinquish it.
Not to high jack this thread, but you said Walmart pays their drivers 18 an hr in Central Kentucky? Anyone know how much OTR experience one needs before going to work for them?
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.
Congratulations and best of luck on your new adventure. Not sure what WM starts out at where you live, but here in Central Kentucky, they start out at about $18/hr which is really good for this area.
I would keep my CDL-A if I were you, just because you can drive anything with it and it's such a pain to get reinstated if you relinquish it.
Not to high jack this thread, but you said Walmart pays their drivers 18 an hr in Central Kentucky? Anyone know how much OTR experience one needs before going to work for them?
I believe in this case WM refers to "Waste Management" not wal-mart.
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.
Well it will start me at 17.50 with a lot of opportunities to move up in pay, you get a move up in pay every 6 month in accordance with your performance, I will look into keeping my CDL "A" I was under d impression that u automatically down grade to a "B" if you move to straight trucks, guess my research didn't cover that, it will be a step down for at least d first 6 month but I plan on performing well to earn that better pay, my wife is getting sick more often with diabetes and I worried when she calls me and I'm on the road, my kids are 8 n 11 n they can't help as much as I would being a couple of miles away in case something serious happens, perhaps in the not so far future I will b able to come back OTR and I am leaving in good terms with Shaffer, I will be a re- hire if I maintain my class "A", that's plan B if this thing goes south, thanks for the input n suggestions....out
Well I accepted a position with Waste Management driving a garbage pick up truck, so now I will be able to sleep in my bed every night, I will miss the open road, thank you guys for all the answers to questions that I posted here in the forum, I will still be here but not as an OTR driver anymore, will b moving down to a B license, but it's a sacrifice I have to make for the family, again thank you guys.....out
No - you don't "automatically downgrade" to B, if you drive straight trucks. Your confusion about this, is why we all were acting shocked about you keeping your Class A.
Your Class A, allows you to drive anything you have endorsements for. So with a fully endorsed (doubles/triples, tanker, hazmat) - if it's got wheels - you can drive it.
OTOH - having just a B, will not allow combinations.
You WORKED HARD to get your CDL-A. Glad to see we cleared this up for you.
Best of luck in your new gig, and keep us posted.
Rick
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
England asks:
Not to high jack this thread, but you said Walmart pays their drivers 18 an hr in Central Kentucky? Anyone know how much OTR experience one needs before going to work for them?
Walmart' Private Fleet requires three consecutive years of OTR experience with no reportable accidents as a minimum requirement. First year average pay for a Walmart Private Fleet driver is $82,000.
Suggestion for next time; if you have an off-topic question or point, start a new thread.
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.
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Well I accepted a position with Waste Management driving a garbage pick up truck, so now I will be able to sleep in my bed every night, I will miss the open road, thank you guys for all the answers to questions that I posted here in the forum, I will still be here but not as an OTR driver anymore, will b moving down to a B license, but it's a sacrifice I have to make for the family, again thank you guys.....out
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.