New Here, Making A Career Change.

Topic 26585 | Page 2

Page 2 of 2 Previous Page Go To Page:
TheRolexTrucker's Comment
member avatar

Hahaha Thanks PackRat. I feel I still have many good years ahead. I'm just going to keep reading and learning as much as possible before I actually start the school. Get a jump start on the real youngsters!

Southern Dad's Comment
member avatar

I'm 53-years-old and moving from the executive offices to the cab of a truck. I can attest to how easy it is to use this site to find a job in the truck driving industry. Things moved along more quickly than I anticipated, after I clicked Apply For Paid CDL Training. The process got underway very quickly. Nine companies contacted me. Two of them, I declined almost immediately as not the right fit for me. That left seven to give serious consideration.

There are a lot of factors to consider. You can do a lot of the research, right here. Read those diaries from students. I have a school start date of 10/21.

As for Swift, a few things to keep in mind. Look at how many trucks are on the road. Of course, they are more likely to be seen in accidents. That doesn't mean the driver was at fault. Their trucks with that big logo just makes them stand out more. Talk to Swift drivers that are currently employed, not drivers who were terminated or left disgruntled. I think you will find that you may have judged a book by its cover.

Swift made the top three in my decision making process, along with Millis and TMC. It wasn't an easy decision.

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.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Peter M.'s Comment
member avatar

"I'm at the age where I'm tired of chasing deals and chasing clients"

Having spent the last 30 years in Corp. IT Sales, man can i identify!!

TheRolexTrucker's Comment
member avatar

I'm 53-years-old and moving from the executive offices to the cab of a truck. I can attest to how easy it is to use this site to find a job in the truck driving industry. Things moved along more quickly than I anticipated, after I clicked Apply For Paid CDL Training. The process got underway very quickly. Nine companies contacted me. Two of them, I declined almost immediately as not the right fit for me. That left seven to give serious consideration.

There are a lot of factors to consider. You can do a lot of the research, right here. Read those diaries from students. I have a school start date of 10/21.

As for Swift, a few things to keep in mind. Look at how many trucks are on the road. Of course, they are more likely to be seen in accidents. That doesn't mean the driver was at fault. Their trucks with that big logo just makes them stand out more. Talk to Swift drivers that are currently employed, not drivers who were terminated or left disgruntled. I think you will find that you may have judged a book by its cover.

Swift made the top three in my decision making process, along with Millis and TMC. It wasn't an easy decision.

Thanks Southern Dad. I agree, Swift really seems like a great place to start. The recruiter I talked to is very nice. I'm supposed to hear from them today or tomorrow to see if I'm accepted. I really can't get started until the first of the year though but I was upfront and told them that.

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.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
TheRolexTrucker's Comment
member avatar

"I'm at the age where I'm tired of chasing deals and chasing clients"

Having spent the last 30 years in Corp. IT Sales, man can i identify!!

Sales is a crazy job. You can make a lot of money, but at what price? It just doesn't seem worth it anymore.

Southern Dad's Comment
member avatar

My plan was for the first of the year, too. However, once I got started, it went much faster than I anticipated. Not just the recruiting. That went very quickly. Getting my DOT physical, passing the CDL Permit, those were very quick. Choosing a company took a bit longer. There are so many factors involved in that, what is good for one person most likely wouldn't be good for another. A lot depends upon where you live in the country, what your priorities are, etc. Read those diaries on here. They are real good pictures of what to expect.

I though the transition out of my role in the corporation was going to take a lot longer, but to be honest, I've built a good team behind me. When you think about your choice for CDL School, consider where you will be... It is cold in January in certain parts of this country.

double-quotes-start.png

I'm 53-years-old and moving from the executive offices to the cab of a truck. I can attest to how easy it is to use this site to find a job in the truck driving industry. Things moved along more quickly than I anticipated, after I clicked Apply For Paid CDL Training. The process got underway very quickly. Nine companies contacted me. Two of them, I declined almost immediately as not the right fit for me. That left seven to give serious consideration.

There are a lot of factors to consider. You can do a lot of the research, right here. Read those diaries from students. I have a school start date of 10/21.

As for Swift, a few things to keep in mind. Look at how many trucks are on the road. Of course, they are more likely to be seen in accidents. That doesn't mean the driver was at fault. Their trucks with that big logo just makes them stand out more. Talk to Swift drivers that are currently employed, not drivers who were terminated or left disgruntled. I think you will find that you may have judged a book by its cover.

Swift made the top three in my decision making process, along with Millis and TMC. It wasn't an easy decision.

double-quotes-end.png

Thanks Southern Dad. I agree, Swift really seems like a great place to start. The recruiter I talked to is very nice. I'm supposed to hear from them today or tomorrow to see if I'm accepted. I really can't get started until the first of the year though but I was upfront and told them that.

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.

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.

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.

Chief Brody's Comment
member avatar
When you think about your choice for CDL School, consider where you will be... It is cold in January in certain parts of this country.

I don't know about other CDL schools, but with Prime's PSD , you can be any where in the lower 48 within a matter of days from when you arrive at orientation.

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.

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.
Page 2 of 2 Previous Page Go To Page:

New Reply:

New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features

Bold
Italic
Underline
Quote
Photo
Link
Smiley
Links On TruckingTruth


example: TruckingTruth Homepage



example: https://www.truckingtruth.com
Submit
Cancel
Upload New Photo
Please enter a caption of one sentence or less:

Click on any of the buttons below to insert a link to that section of TruckingTruth:

Getting Started In Trucking High Road Training Program Company-Sponsored Training Programs Apply For Company-Sponsored Training Truck Driver's Career Guide Choosing A School Choosing A Company Truck Driving Schools Truck Driving Jobs Apply For Truck Driving Jobs DOT Physical Drug Testing Items To Pack Pre-Hire Letters CDL Practice Tests Trucking Company Reviews Brett's Book Leasing A Truck Pre-Trip Inspection Learn The Logbook Rules Sleep Apnea
Done
Done

0 characters so far - 5,500 maximum allowed.
Submit Preview

Preview:

Submit
Cancel

This topic has the following tags:

Prime Inc Swift Transport Changing Careers Choosing A Trucking Company
Click on any of the buttons above to view topics with that tag, or you can view a list of all forum tags here.

Why Join Trucking Truth?

We have an awesome set of tools that will help you understand the trucking industry and prepare for a great start to your trucking career. Not only that, but everything we offer here at TruckingTruth is 100% free - no strings attached! Sign up now and get instant access to our member's section:
High Road Training Program Logo
  • The High Road Training Program
  • The High Road Article Series
  • The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
  • Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted

Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth

Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:

Apply For Paid CDL Training