High Road Question
Topic 17573 | Page 1
Personally I would make the inquiry with my recruiter. They should be able to give you most accurate information. I do not know how the CDL Manual is layed out in your state, but in Virginia the manual lets you know which sections you need to study in order to get just the CDL permit without any endorsements.
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.
I studied the Highroad and got my Hazmat , Tanker, and Doubles/Triples all at the same time as General Knowledge, Air Brakes, and Combination Vehicles. Did not get my Passenger. In Arizona you need to do a Pre Trip and Driving test in a Bus. I plan on getting my Passenger someday, if for no other reason than to have it. Who knows, when I get Old and retire, I can drive other Old and Retired people around in a Bus on their Summer Vacations. As far as Coils and Securement, at least familiarize yourself with them. Study and get all of your endorsements now while you are in study/ test mode. Doubles/Triples and Tankers are real easy 20 or 25 question tests. Hazmat is not that hard either. I have already hauled 6 or 7 HM loads in my first 6 months with Swift.
Good Luck!
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
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
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.
Don't bother with coils/securement - even if you go flatbed - unless you are from NY (which is the only state that has it on their license), you aren't going to need it.
For Prime, you probably won't need to bother with doubles/triples either - it's easy enough to add if you get a job that requires it, and you will never pull a double for Prime.
Tanker - portable totes, over a certain total/capacity - require a tanker endorsement, even though they are not a TANKER TRAILER as they are considered "portable tanks". It's not a difficult endorsement to get - and I believe they might require it.
HazMat - probably the most difficult and costly. Difficult from a "technical standpoint" because there's a lot of info to remember. Costly, because the fingerprint and background check can run upwards of $100. HM also requires you to renew every 4 years, so your 6 year CDL that you paid for turns into a 4 year CDL. I believe Prime requires this one also.
Most folks just "shoot the moon" and get them all. Buy Once/Cry Once. It gives you the flexibility to carry ANY TYPE OF LOAD - and may get you a load because you are the only guy in range that has the proper endorsements. Same thing with TWIC and Passport. Every endorsement and edge you can get yourself, can only mean bigger and better things down the road.
I've held a PTX endorsed license for 7 years now (Doubles/Triples, Tank, HazMat, Passenger + Motorcycle). If it's got wheels, I can drive it. Between the CDL renewal fee, plus the HM, and all the other endorsements - my license costs me close to $200 every 4 years to maintain (not counting the DOT Med Card every 2 years).
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
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.
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.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
I'm currently in my 2nd week of Prime PSD. They only want you to focus on general knowledge, combination, air-brakes, and tanker endorsements.
You're encouraged to get the hazmat endorsement AFTER you complete your 30k miles of training. At that point, you will return home to transfer your cdl back to your home state, and take the hazmat test then.
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
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
CDL
This is just a screenshot of an email from my recruiter. I was specifically told to wait on hazmat until I got home.
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
Turtle is correct, in that - for most states, you cannot take your HM or do your BG for the HM - until you actually have a full CDL in-hand.
What this does, is give you the opportunity to KEEP STUDYING the HM material on the High Road Training.
Also - for those that ALREADY HAVE HM - keep in mind that you will have to RE-TAKE THE HAZMAT WRITTEN EXAM FOR EVERY RENEWAL. You don't for any other endorsement.
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
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Thank you very much for all the info guys. Happy new year by the way lol. Ill definitely keep hazmat double triples on the back burner for now. Focus on the required to start prime then actually go for all the bells and whistles. Btw you guys mentioned when i go home after training? I thought from the moment i step onto the grayhound i shouldnt expect to be back for at least 4 months
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
What if i choose to not go home after training and i request to start working instantly. Lol i could always ask for a load to the northeast and my fiancee could meet me at the town where ill be at.
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.
What if i choose to not go home after training and i request to start working instantly. Lol i could always ask for a load to the northeast and my fiancee could meet me at the town where ill be at.
That's what I did.
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.
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If i am going prime for reefer , do i need to even look at hazardous materials, double triples, new york coil endorsement, and passenger? I plan on getting hazmat and multi trailers later on in trucking but if theres stuff i can put off to the side then ill do it so i can focus on the stuff for now.
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
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.