When To Test.... High Road Question

Just a quick example of what I mean by don't focus on the pay. I drive for .20 cpm. And my brother gets the same. We get paid all the miles the truck turns. That may might not sound like a lot if you look at it at face value on paper.

But at 6200 miles a week I get paid ALL those miles and so does my brother. Basically it equals out to being .40 cpm for 3100 miles per driver. It's not about what looks good up front. It's about the end game.

I like saying I drive for .20 cpm and watch people freak out. Cause you know what? I make as much as a solo driver does in the end. PLUS I have help with the truck whenever I need it. Weather it's backing or simply with the paperwork while I deal with the truck loading and unloading or just for trip planning. Works out great for me.

Ken, I just wanted to jump in here and ask a few questions. Not that I know anything but... You live up by 16 from what you wrote, good DMV up there not so busy as most. I am done here in Chester. Anyway, you said you were goning to get your permit, or thinking about it. If you go to "school" I was told that you test at school. Not that you shouldn't be prepared. I am going to go down here in Chester right on #9 exit 65 they have a school. I have talked with them and believe thats the way Im going to go. I suggest if you are thinking of school check them out. I am retiring from the AF in May and going straight there. If you decide to go to a school house I would check before you got your permit.

I have a freind who drive for Knight. He complains about everything, just the way he is. He has no complaints about them at all. So that tells me they must be ok. He went through the company for training, again no complaints, except he had to have some dude in his truck for a month :) I have been lurking and checking everything out on this site, which is outstanding! I will have tested out enough by the time I go to school enough not to have anything to worry about, test wise.

Gosh I cant wait! I even have my Hawian shirts, shorts and flip flops ready so Guy can take my pic at the first truck stop he sees me at. Good Luck bro!

Guy Thanks for the reply I enjoy reading your posts and hear what you're saying.. Also it makes sense that it's going to take some time before I get a good handle on Driving Professionally and I'll have to build up the Trust required to get more miles, plus I know it won't happen right off the bat.

I'm keeping an open mind about this Industry and know it's going to be a lot of hard work in the beginning and I'm up for that. I know what you were saying that if Temp or Tanker paid the best then everybody would want to be doing it. I'm just trying to think about what might be the best fit for me and who knows that could end up being a Flatbed or a Pump Truck in West Texas but I won't know until I'm sitting in the drivers seat..

Ken

Hey Chris...Yeah I can either go to School on my own or through a Company...I've looked at the Schools in Charlotte, the Community Colleges plus there's lots of Out of State Schools..I'm taking time to go through the High Road Training Program and finish up with some things around the house and then I'll be ready to commit and make my choice. I have a Buddy in Ft Mill that drives for a Steel Company and he said TDI was a good school.

I like about 5 of these Company-Sponsored Training programs but also like a couple of other Company's which don't offer Company-Sponsored Training so I'll have to already have my CDL-A before I apply to them

You will have your CDL - A learner's permit? Or, will you have a full CDL - A license? You get the learner's with the written test. You have to do the driving test to get the license. Many of the company sponsored schools do not require you to have your learner's permit. If you do have it, it gives you a leg up. You will be able to be out driving the course faster if you have it before arrival. More time on the course and actually learning hands on is far better than sitting at a desk learning the book for a written test. By having your learner's before you get there gives you more real driving time.

You will have your CDL - A learner's permit? Or, will you have a full CDL - A license? You get the learner's with the written test. You have to do the driving test to get the license. Many of the company sponsored schools do not require you to have your learner's permit. If you do have it, it gives you a leg up. You will be able to be out driving the course faster if you have it before arrival. More time on the course and actually learning hands on is far better than sitting at a desk learning the book for a written test. By having your learner's before you get there gives you more real driving time.

I'm going to get the permit either way I decide to go.. Company-Sponsored Training or Private Truck Driving Schools just because I want to eliminate any of the possible variables that I can in the beginning plus a couple of the Company Training programs I've looked at say they want you to have it. I'd hate to get away to school and find out there is a problem or have something happen which caused me a delay so I'd rather have my permit in hand from day 1.

Averitt Express was another of the Trucking Companies that had a contract with my last employer and they looked tight. Drivers seemed happy, they have nice terminals, company uniforms and have nice looking equipment but I would need to already have my CDL-A or be a fresh grad to enter their training program so that's why I'm thinking about going to a private school, Simple fact it just opens up some other doors at other places.

Ken

Well, I decided to give it a shot. I am now the proud owner of a CDL - A Learner Permit with tanker, twin, and passenger endorsements. I have paid my money for the HME background check and will be getting the fingerprints done tomorrow I hope. The ice weather is supposed to move in tomorrow so I may have to wait. If all goes well, I will be able to test out hazmat in a week or two and then off to school.

As for test, it was a breeze. Thank you High Road CDL training. Thank you Brett! Thank you everybody for all the encouragement, support and advice I have received. I would not have passed these as easy without any of you!

The two officers at DMV looked at me strange when I walked and said I wanted to test for my CDL - A learners and every endorsement I could. She said "Well, lets see if you get through the CDL - A first." I said "OK" because I was confident. She said that I had a lot of test and it was going to take a long time. So I sat down at the computer screen around 1215. By 1325, I was done! Both of the officers were surprised I passed them all and only had 4 wrong answers in roughly 150 questions. They said they had never seen someone walk in and pass them all at the same time. As I was taking my picture, she stated, "I will be glad to take you out for the driving part." I thanked her.

Then I told them about truckingtruth.com. They asked me to write down the website so they could tell others about it.

I rocked those test and in a couple of weeks I will rock the hazmat too. Thanks High Road CDL Training!

Congrats! Im getting geared up to test this week as well...wish me luck!

Good luck.... you will do fine if you used the High Road training!