New To This...trying To Figure Out How To Get Started
Topic 26246 | Page 1
Hello
I believe the Experienced drivers are going to need a bit more information. Does your boyfriend do OTR driving, or line haul etc? What company does he work for? To me, it sounds a bit rushed, and not sure I completely understand how they train. 8 weekends, and then 6 months of OTR training? I don't think its a good idea to be trained by a significant other, but hey, I don't drive, I am still a lurker.
Best of luck Chris
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.
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.
So my best friend is a truck driver, I've been telling him I am interested in the industry. At first he was being a jerk about it...then this weekend he asked me to meet him at his truck ( that was a first) anyways he told me he had been talking to his boss about training me, I was a bit shocked and he said I needed to attend 8 weekends worth of classes and asked if I could deal with him 1 on 1 for 6 months...ive been trying to figure out what steps I need to follow to get started...I know I need to get my CDL permit that's not a big deal...the issue is if I'm being trained don't I need to be an employee of the company he works for? He just kind of left me hanging here...he will have expected me to have figured this all out prior to his return on Thursday ( I know how his brain works) but I've no clue except how to get my medical certification and permit. I also haven't figured out about the 8 weekends of classes...i don't want to sound dumb here...im just a bit lost and I need to figure this out..please and thank you for any info...
Why don't you reach out to his boss? A lot of things get lost in translation or just left out. If you don't know, we have no idea. Why wait till Thursday? Call him or text him.
As for the 8 weekends of training, who's paying for that? Is a company program or a private school?
There's a lot of unknown information here. If you want to take this career path, there's a million beaten paths already laid out, why not try one? Company sponsored training is the way to go, but weekend classes are tough because there isn't enough muscle memory there. Good luck.
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.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
I don’t have an answer for the training part, but I’m with Army about the significant other part. I was in law enforcement before heading to Wilson, and was a firearms instructor. I’ve trained hundreds of LEOs, but when my wife told me she wanted to get her concealed weapon permit I called a buddy of mine. In my case I wasn’t worried about being too easy on her, it was the opposite. I was hard on students because it’s life or death with a firearm. The same goes for a class 8 truck. I thought it was more conducive for a happy marriage if I just stayed away. I didn’t even go to the range with them. Now I won’t tell another grown person what to do, but it’s worth considering.
I expect him to be hard on me...i want to do this right...and yes I have alot of the same questions y'all mentioned. Since he is my best friend not boy friend then I don't think it should be to much of an issue. He initially told me that I made him board talking about the industry...he works for Pegasus which is owned by CRST...some of what he was saying didn't make much sense to me. I've already been studying to take the permit test...and I've actually considered applying with a company sponsored training program but it wasn't until he said he thought I could do this that I really believed I could...i called him earlier today but he didn't clarify any info.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
I'm seeing some red flags here. Obviously I'm going off the limited information and this is my opinion so take it for what it's worth.
From a pure logistical standpoint eight months is a long time to get your training. Most companies that train will have you from no license to being in your own truck in less than three months. That includes school and time with a trainer.
Nowhere on Pegasus's site do they mention training in any capacity. Everything in their site seems to be geared towards experienced drivers.
More concerning to me is the attitude. You said he was a jerk about it at first. He said you bored him with your talk about the industry. Yet he wants to train you?
Most trainers train because they enjoy teaching and like the industry. You aren't going to bore a trainer because our job is to teach about this industry. If he gets bored during those six months how well do you think the training is going to go?
What will happen if you don't get it as quickly as he wants you to learn? How is he going to respond when you have 100 questions about everything?
My "power trip trainer" radar is screaming right now. Hopefully I'm misreading the situation but take a long hard look at it.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
My first suggestion is to not let your friend dictate when you should or should not begin this career.
At first, he wasn't interested. But now you suddenly have his blessing, and you think that gives you the green light? No, that's a red flag, and no way to start this career. Not only that, you now feel pressured to make a decision
he will have expected me to have figured this all out prior to his return on Thursday
Rushing into this industry is a recipe for disaster. I assure you, if his boss needs new drivers, he will wait until you are ready. Don't let your friend rush you into something, ruining your career before it even starts. Take some time and do your research. Ask questions. Get the answers you need so that you'll be better informed. This forum is the best place for that. Good luck!
You can start by checking out these links:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
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.
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So my best friend is a truck driver, I've been telling him I am interested in the industry. At first he was being a jerk about it...then this weekend he asked me to meet him at his truck ( that was a first) anyways he told me he had been talking to his boss about training me, I was a bit shocked and he said I needed to attend 8 weekends worth of classes and asked if I could deal with him 1 on 1 for 6 months...ive been trying to figure out what steps I need to follow to get started...I know I need to get my CDL permit that's not a big deal...the issue is if I'm being trained don't I need to be an employee of the company he works for? He just kind of left me hanging here...he will have expected me to have figured this all out prior to his return on Thursday ( I know how his brain works) but I've no clue except how to get my medical certification and permit. I also haven't figured out about the 8 weekends of classes...i don't want to sound dumb here...im just a bit lost and I need to figure this out..please and thank you for any info...
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: