Which School For My (seemingly) Unique Situation?

Hey Smith D., this is what I was able to find out for your wanting to transfer your CDL to WA:

cdltransfer

Transfer your CDL from another state Requirements

Complete any required testing. 1.Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, see changes to commercial driver licensing. 2.Complete the self-certification. If required, bring the CDL medical documents you’ll need depending on the type of certification. 3.If you surrender your out-of-state CDL and only get a Washington driver license to get a CDL, you’ll be required to meet all CDL requirements. 4.See steps to getting your CDL. 5.Pay the fees. Make sure you verify that your temporary document has been transferred correctly. If you have questions, please ask us.

Testing You don’t need to test or show your training certificate when you transfer a valid CDL except when you want to:

1.Maintain the hazardous materials endorsement (HME): Pay fees and pass the HME knowledge test. 2.Upgrade, add endorsements, or remove restrictions: Pay fees and pass a knowledge and drive test.

Questions? Need help? 1.Email us: CustomerCare@dol.wa.gov 2.Call us: 360.902.3900

In your situation, I would get the ball rolling asap! Since you want to be out of KY by next spring, you'll need to be done with all your training by then. From what I've read, you can get it all done by late spring but that'll depend on your learning curve & determination. Like Big Scott said, his process was about 2 months until he was issued his solo truck . Every company has their way of doing things but generally, most of the diaries I've read have about a 2 - 4 month time frame, give or take. It all depends on the individual's needs & the company they choose. The links that were posted earlier are crucial to getting you as best prepared as possible in order to make it as smooth as possible, give you a better idea of what to expect, but most importantly, great insight on how your attitude will help or hinder your progress. Good luck to you.

As to your 120 vs. 160 hours worry? Once you have the CDL, it doesn't matter. Or at least not according to the info I copy/pasted above from the WA official site. No mention of that. Also, if you go to the link I highlighted, there are more links with detailed info. Be careful with those dmv.org or .com sites. Most are not official. Good luck & all the best to you!

If you are looking to go through training and get started while still living in KY, I recommend Wil-Trans , but then Wilson Logistics, the parent company of Wil-Trans also has Jim Palmer in Montana and they run in the West and Midwest, no further than Ohio I think. So when you decide to move out West, I’d imagine it wouldn’t be too hard to switch to Jim Palmer from Wil-Trans since they’re under the same company.

Wil-Trans:

Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.

Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.

In your situation, I would get the ball rolling asap! Since you want to be out of KY by next spring, you'll need to be done with all your training by then

How is he going to manage to move his household from Kentucky to Washington once he has a job and he's out on the road? Think about the logistics involved and the time involved in that endeavor, not to mention the stress. His company isn't going to give him a ton of time off. He isn't going to be home to pack and unless he has many thousands of dollars for hiring movers to do it all then someone will have to drive the truck out there.

Personally I would want to get the move out of the way first, then concentrate on getting the CDL. One thing at a time.

How is he going to manage to move his household from Kentucky to Washington once he has a job and he's out on the road? Think about the logistics involved and the time involved in that endeavor, not to mention the stress. His company isn't going to give him a ton of time off. He isn't going to be home to pack and unless he has many thousands of dollars for hiring movers to do it all then someone will have to drive the truck out there.

Personally I would want to get the move out of the way first, then concentrate on getting the CDL. One thing at a time.

Hmmm... didn't consider this very valid point. Personally, I'm moving very few things to my daughter in FL then taking off to whatever company training I sign up with. Never considered moving an entire household. According to google it's a 31 hr drive in a 4 wheeler from Lexington, KY to Spokane, WA, so he's got a big decision to make.

After considering your position, it does makes better sense to get the move out of the way prior to starting training.

After considering your position, it does makes better sense to get the move out of the way prior to starting training.

Yeah, it very well may unless the move is a real simple one. Personally I hate the idea of moving a bunch of stuff. I'm selling my house now and I mostly either threw stuff out or I'm leaving it with the house. It's easier and less expensive to repurchase most stuff than it is to pack it, move it, and unpack it on the other end.

I consider the cost of repurchasing stuff a convenience fee for not having to move it.