CDL's In South Florida
Topic 1941 | Page 1
First of all, your options will indeed be limited in Florida.
Now some companies want your license to be in the state you consider your home state, but most companies don't care that much as long as your license is in a state they hire from. You can have your license in one state and still take your home time in a different state with most companies, but that will vary from company to company.
You can also apply for pre-hires before committing to Sage in Florida. We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process for anyone not familiar with it. That would be one way to insure you'll find work after graduating.
I think the concern over wanting to be a free agent and have all of your options open is kind of a waste of time if you're going to be living in Florida anyhow. You won't have many choices. And quite honestly that's way overrated for a rookie. Honestly, what do you know about trucking when you're brand new? Nothing. So how do you know what companies you'll be happy with? Do you want to haul dry van? Refrigerated? Do you want to run regional? OTR? How would you know? So not only would you not have very many choices being in Florida anyhow, but it's not like you've been driving for 10 years, you know exactly what you want in a company, and they're all going to be bidding on you like a prize steer at an auction. So personally I wouldn't avoid the company-sponsored programs simply because you want a choice of companies coming out of school. Many of the best companies in the nation to work for have company-sponsored programs in my opinion so you'd do well to land a job with one of them anyhow.
But going to Sage in Florida is a fine choice if that's what you prefer. There's certainly nothing wrong with that. I would just make sure you get some pre-hires before signing up.
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.
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.
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.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.
Pre-hires:
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.
I never considered living in Florida being an issue.....why does it matter what state you get CDL in? So companies will only hire you if you have a CDL in the state they hire from? Confusing....
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.
Debbie...you really should have your CDL in the state that you claim residence in. So if you do that, and its FL...most companies don't have freight going in..but more often, getting freight OUT of FL..its just not there...If oyu could get your CDL in FL, then transfer it to your GA address, that would get you out of your hiring situation. BUT....If they hire you with a GA address, don't expect to get to FL to see your yard...cuz it probably won't happen....
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 want to thank you guys for this valuable information, I had no idea. Just when you think you have it all figured out......guess my next step is looking into company based schools. I understand about not getting to come back to Florida often, I have a roommate who will take care of the place, will just use my GA home as my home address. I just want to get the best training I can......
There is a guy in my class here in Indiana that lives in Florida. I believe it was the Werner recruiter that explained their new program for Florida truckers. They have a bus, painted up and looking cool, that they use for the program. Basically when it's time to go out they load the drivers on their bus and take them to Georgia. The drivers do their time OTR then return to the yard. The bus then takes them back to Florida for home time.
I'm 99% sure it was Werner but I have had so much info thrown at me in the last week I could be wrong 
Woody
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.
There is a guy in my class here in Indiana that lives in Florida. I believe it was the Werner recruiter that explained their new program for Florida truckers. They have a bus, painted up and looking cool, that they use for the program. Basically when it's time to go out they load the drivers on their bus and take them to Georgia. The drivers do their time OTR then return to the yard. The bus then takes them back to Florida for home time.
I'm 99% sure it was Werner but I have had so much info thrown at me in the last week I could be wrong
Woody
That is Werner. I am due to start orientation with them in Lakeland this coming Wed. With my 9 months experience at CRST, they offered me an otr position with a 5000 dollar sign on paid out over 2 years. Knight will hire out of any city in Florida, as will SRT. I have talked with both of them. CRST is offering sign on bonuses for drivers too out of Florida and if you already have your CDL , they will stick you on a Cat dedicated run with home time every 2 weeks. yesterday, when hanging out at the airport in Cedar Rapids, waiting for my flight home, I et a guy who is an exe with a small trucking company out of IA. We started talking and I told him my experience, and that I was wanting to get into flatbedding, but none of the big companies hire out of my area. He gave me the info for a friend of his, with a small flat bed company that does runs from Florida to California. and promised me he would call the guy to let him know I would inquire. I am calling Monday. There are trucking jobs out of here in Florida. You just have to hunt for them. With CRST, we delivered in Tampa, Lakeland and Miami, and occasionally Jacksonville. A lot of people do not realize it, but Florida is one of the top 4 cattle ranching states in the US, and there are lots of trucks carrying cattle out of here. A old and good friend I did surveying with drives cattle trucks out of Florida. All the major ports here in Florida, have been widening their channels to accommodate the bigger ships that will be coming through the new canal in Panama, so that should also increase freight out of here. There are plans for some huge shipping warehouses in places in south Florida as a clearing house to handle the expected on coming freight. Seriously, you can find a job out of here. You may have to make some allowances. The job with Werner I am pre hired into will work out of Atlanta, and they have that bus to bring me home. It will be slip seating, but I dont care since my biggest desire is to go solo. If they give me the miles, I will do alright. If they dont, I have other choices. Knight wanted me pretty badly as did SRT.
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.
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.
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.
There is a guy in my class here in Indiana that lives in Florida. I believe it was the Werner recruiter that explained their new program for Florida truckers. They have a bus, painted up and looking cool, that they use for the program. Basically when it's time to go out they load the drivers on their bus and take them to Georgia. The drivers do their time OTR then return to the yard. The bus then takes them back to Florida for home time.
I'm 99% sure it was Werner but I have had so much info thrown at me in the last week I could be wrong
Woody
That is Werner. I am due to start orientation with them in Lakeland this coming Wed. With my 9 months experience at CRST, they offered me an otr position with a 5000 dollar sign on paid out over 2 years. Knight will hire out of any city in Florida, as will SRT. I have talked with both of them. CRST is offering sign on bonuses for drivers too out of Florida and if you already have your CDL , they will stick you on a Cat dedicated run with home time every 2 weeks. yesterday, when hanging out at the airport in Cedar Rapids, waiting for my flight home, I et a guy who is an exe with a small trucking company out of IA. We started talking and I told him my experience, and that I was wanting to get into flatbedding, but none of the big companies hire out of my area. He gave me the info for a friend of his, with a small flat bed company that does runs from Florida to California. and promised me he would call the guy to let him know I would inquire. I am calling Monday. There are trucking jobs out of here in Florida. You just have to hunt for them. With CRST, we delivered in Tampa, Lakeland and Miami, and occasionally Jacksonville. A lot of people do not realize it, but Florida is one of the top 4 cattle ranching states in the US, and there are lots of trucks carrying cattle out of here. A old and good friend I did surveying with drives cattle trucks out of Florida. All the major ports here in Florida, have been widening their channels to accommodate the bigger ships that will be coming through the new canal in Panama, so that should also increase freight out of here. There are plans for some huge shipping warehouses in places in south Florida as a clearing house to handle the expected on coming freight. Seriously, you can find a job out of here. You may have to make some allowances. The job with Werner I am pre hired into will work out of Atlanta, and they have that bus to bring me home. It will be slip seating, but I dont care since my biggest desire is to go solo. If they give me the miles, I will do alright. If they dont, I have other choices. Knight wanted me pretty badly as did SRT.
Wow , that is good to know! I will contact Werner and get some information. I have a 2nd home 60 miles NW of Atlanta so that shouldn't be a problem, I could leave my car there and drive back to FL if I so incline. There has got to be a way!!
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.
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.
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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After almost a year of researching and networking, I have decided to go to Sage Driving School here in South Florida. I have been told by a independent recruiter that companies won't even consider me for a job if I get my CDL in Florida. I do have a 2nd home in Georgia and was going to use that as my "home base" but was told most companies want you licensed in the state you home from. It is not feasable at this time to move to Georgia just to get my CDL. I chose Sage because it is a good school and I don't want to be indebted to a company for my training. I want to be a "free agent" and have all driving opportunities open to me. Any advice or comments?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.