My story is that I really wanted to join Roehl, I was bummed out when I did not get in. I started looking around and was not pleased with the pay rates and the fact that every trucking company want to send newbie on the road for 1-3 years for helping them get their CDL. I REALLY did not want to go away from my family for so long but I was going to do what I needed to do. I even tried to find an Owner Operator to lease me their truck so I could take the test (could not find anyone).
I google mapped every trucking company terminal in my county and started calling their corporate offices to find out if they offered a CDL training course. I ended up speaking with New England Motor Freight HQ and they told me that they do in face offer CDL training.
It is not like your typical company paid CDL training set up. The deal works like this. You work their docks for 3 months or so then you can request that your terminal manager send you for CDL training. (I think that they want to see you come to work and are a good employee and not a goof up) You then get trained get your CDL and work as a driver for them. then they being to take $25 per week out of your pay. if you stay 3 years they give you back the $3,600 in full. you are free to work Local, Regional , P&D , Line Haul , OTR whatever they need at that time!
So their HQ put me in touch with the Terminal Manager, I explained that I wanted to get involved in the program so I could drive for them. They had a dock opening and I got hired right there! Once I am done I will be doing Line Haul, home every day .41 cents per mile to start and union benefits too. the per mile pay is WAY better than any OTR opportunity that I found with the any other company paid CDL program.
I am sure that there are many more companies doing internal training for newbies many are very small hyper local outfits but many are fairly established regional operators like NEMF but they just don't advertise their programs. So while this may not be an ideal solution for everyone I would encourage those of you who got iced out by your first choice company as I did to continue looking and calling all the trucking companies around you don't give up you get a lot of 'no' but all you need is one yes and you could end up with a situation that works for you much as I did.
I am very please to start out at .41 per mile in a stable company. it will look great on my resume and If I don't want to stay in 3 years I will have $3,600 and a solid pay/driving history to shop for a new job with if I choose. As it stands now I am very happy with the way things worked 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.
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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.
Owner Operator:
An owner-operator is a driver who either owns or leases the truck they are driving. A self-employed driver.
P&D:
Pickup & Delivery
Local drivers that stay around their area, usually within 100 mile radius of a terminal, picking up and delivering loads.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers for instance will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Line Haul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
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.
My story is that I really wanted to join Roehl, I was bummed out when I did not get in. I started looking around and was not pleased with the pay rates and the fact that every trucking company want to send newbie on the road for 1-3 years for helping them get their CDL. I REALLY did not want to go away from my family for so long but I was going to do what I needed to do. I even tried to find an Owner Operator to lease me their truck so I could take the test (could not find anyone).
I google mapped every trucking company terminal in my county and started calling their corporate offices to find out if they offered a CDL training course. I ended up speaking with New England Motor Freight HQ and they told me that they do in face offer CDL training.
It is not like your typical company paid CDL training set up. The deal works like this. You work their docks for 3 months or so then you can request that your terminal manager send you for CDL training. (I think that they want to see you come to work and are a good employee and not a goof up) You then get trained get your CDL and work as a driver for them. then they being to take $25 per week out of your pay. if you stay 3 years they give you back the $3,600 in full. you are free to work Local, Regional , P&D , Line Haul , OTR whatever they need at that time!
So their HQ put me in touch with the Terminal Manager, I explained that I wanted to get involved in the program so I could drive for them. They had a dock opening and I got hired right there! Once I am done I will be doing Line Haul, home every day .41 cents per mile to start and union benefits too. the per mile pay is WAY better than any OTR opportunity that I found with the any other company paid CDL program.
I am sure that there are many more companies doing internal training for newbies many are very small hyper local outfits but many are fairly established regional operators like NEMF but they just don't advertise their programs. So while this may not be an ideal solution for everyone I would encourage those of you who got iced out by your first choice company as I did to continue looking and calling all the trucking companies around you don't give up you get a lot of 'no' but all you need is one yes and you could end up with a situation that works for you much as I did.
I am very please to start out at .41 per mile in a stable company. it will look great on my resume and If I don't want to stay in 3 years I will have $3,600 and a solid pay/driving history to shop for a new job with if I choose. As it stands now I am very happy with the way things worked out.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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.
Owner Operator:
An owner-operator is a driver who either owns or leases the truck they are driving. A self-employed driver.
P&D:
Pickup & Delivery
Local drivers that stay around their area, usually within 100 mile radius of a terminal, picking up and delivering loads.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers for instance will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Line Haul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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.