Career Change, Looking To Go Local

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702FiveOh's Comment
member avatar

If my name hasn’t given it away already, I’m in law enforcement and looking to leave. I have been looking at getting my CDL. I was wondering if there are any companies that provide paid training here in Vegas for local routes. I’m unable to be away from home for extended periods so OTR is kind of out of the question for me right now. If there aren’t any companies that provide paid training for local routes, what companies will hire new grads for local routes? I’m willing to put myself through a CDL school if necessary.

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.

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.

Bobcat_Bob's Comment
member avatar

Check with LTL companies in your area, I am not sure if any are hiring right now or if they still offer the dock to driver program. OD will hire right out of CDL school if it is one of their approved schools but that maybe on hold due to Covid. Other LTL companies hire right out of school as well it just depends on their needs at this time and unfortunately with a bunch of unemployed drivers they might not be.

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.

LTL:

Less Than Truckload

Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.

LTL carriers include:

  • FedEx Freight
  • Con-way
  • YRC Freight
  • UPS
  • Old Dominion
  • Estes
  • Yellow-Roadway
  • ABF Freight
  • R+L Carrier
Big Scott's Comment
member avatar

Also, check with food suppliers and beverage suppliers. Sometimes those companies have training programs. Keep in mind those are the hardest to get because of the competition for those positions. Good luck.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

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

Companies that I know of that provide training are Pepsi, Reinhart food service and McLane food service. OTR companies may have dedicated accounts in your area that get you home more often. Go up to a local distribution center (Walmart, target, Lowe's, home depot etc) and see what trucks are going in and out. Chances are a lot of those drivers get home multiple times a week. Then reach out to those companies see if they offer training and if they have any openings on those accounts.

I got my CDL through FedEx Freight's driver apprentice program. I wrote a diary about my experiences and you can read about it here

FedEx has opened the program back up in a few markets, but your problem will be location. Vegas is one of those areas that doesn't have trouble keeping their ranks filled. If a spot opens up ,it's going to an employee in good standing based on seniority and employees all over the country are going for that spot. Same with any terminal in Florida.

I wish you the best of luck and keep us posted.

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.

Terminal:

A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.

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.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

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

Keep in mind that local jobs are very tough on new drivers. They are often in tight roads, residential areas, tight backing, heavy traffic areas. Many also require you to unload yourself. As stated, many local drivers were laid off with cover because they deliver to restaurants, hotels, schools, bars, etc. All the places that closed to COVID.

Here is a video I made that contains a few tough backing situations you would face most days

Local Trucking Jobs Can Be Tough on Rookies

Yuuyo Y.'s Comment
member avatar

Also, check with food suppliers and beverage suppliers. Sometimes those companies have training programs. Keep in mind those are the hardest to get because of the competition for those positions. Good luck.

You just have to find the right one that's understaffed like mine was at the time

HOS:

Hours Of Service

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

If my name hasn’t given it away already, I’m in law enforcement and looking to leave. I have been looking at getting my CDL. I was wondering if there are any companies that provide paid training here in Vegas for local routes. I’m unable to be away from home for extended periods so OTR is kind of out of the question for me right now. If there aren’t any companies that provide paid training for local routes, what companies will hire new grads for local routes? I’m willing to put myself through a CDL school if necessary.

Check for CDL B jobs. I paid my way through school, and thought that you had to go over the road. I drive a cement mixer and will make somewhere north of 50k This year and I didn’t start till the 2nd week of February. There’s lots of options out there. I think a lot of folks steer clear of the CDL B jobs because they start between 18-20 an hour. But almost all have overtime and that’s where you make your money at.

I agree with what they preach here though I wouldn’t want to be trying to deliver pulling a 53 ft trailer to some of these business That’s a recipe for disaster.

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.

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.

Over The Road:

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.

702FiveOh's Comment
member avatar

I’ve heard that about OD a few times. Do you work for them currently? How do you like it?

Check with LTL companies in your area, I am not sure if any are hiring right now or if they still offer the dock to driver program. OD will hire right out of CDL school if it is one of their approved schools but that maybe on hold due to Covid. Other LTL companies hire right out of school as well it just depends on their needs at this time and unfortunately with a bunch of unemployed drivers they might not be.

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.

LTL:

Less Than Truckload

Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.

LTL carriers include:

  • FedEx Freight
  • Con-way
  • YRC Freight
  • UPS
  • Old Dominion
  • Estes
  • Yellow-Roadway
  • ABF Freight
  • R+L Carrier
Yuuyo Y.'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

If my name hasn’t given it away already, I’m in law enforcement and looking to leave. I have been looking at getting my CDL. I was wondering if there are any companies that provide paid training here in Vegas for local routes. I’m unable to be away from home for extended periods so OTR is kind of out of the question for me right now. If there aren’t any companies that provide paid training for local routes, what companies will hire new grads for local routes? I’m willing to put myself through a CDL school if necessary.

double-quotes-end.png

Check for CDL B jobs. I paid my way through school, and thought that you had to go over the road. I drive a cement mixer and will make somewhere north of 50k This year and I didn’t start till the 2nd week of February. There’s lots of options out there. I think a lot of folks steer clear of the CDL B jobs because they start between 18-20 an hour. But almost all have overtime and that’s where you make your money at.

I agree with what they preach here though I wouldn’t want to be trying to deliver pulling a 53 ft trailer to some of these business That’s a recipe for disaster.

From working at Sysco, the OT pay doubles your pay. Since 6 hours * 1.5 = 9 and you look at 8 hours regular vs 6 hours OT on a 14.

I've had some weeks with all near 14 and some with all 8-9 and it's massive.

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.

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.

Over The Road:

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.

Doubles:

Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.

702FiveOh's Comment
member avatar

Does anyone in here work for Republic Services?

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

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