Where Is A Greenhorn To Go First?

Hello everyone!

I’m a brand new CDL holder looking for a place to land. My girl and I have plans to team OTR when she completes CDL school this summer. Our life is changing a bit and we want to try something new.

Trucking! Always wanted to do this since I was a kitty kid and now is the perfect chance. My girl is all on and I think it’ll be really fun to learn this business as a team. We’re used to being together 24-7 so no issues there. 🤣

We’ve been operating a pretty successful, and very stressful business for years and are pretty burned out… the last two years have solidified the fact we’re not going to continue. We’ll be transitioning out soon, as the business is now for sale. 🙌

Preliminary inquires: My original thought was to find a carrier that would train me, and then allow me to train her some months later after she completed their ‘in-house’ CDL program. Well, our state doesn’t recognize out of state training programs. So, she’ll be going to school here first like I did. Such is life.

She’s absolutely willing to be trained by some random dude for weeks (months) on end… and I don’t blame her.

Wilson sounded interested until they found out that I wouldn’t be coming within a 30 day window of completing ‘CDL School’. I asked if I could take a refresher to prove that I can actually operate the vehicle before their training… the answer was no; and suggested Swift… 🧐

Same household teams are in demand.. but sounds like we need a couple of years before we can write our own ticket, which is totally understandable. We’re willing to suck it up for a bit until that time comes.

Any of you guys have a suggestion as to where we could go? We’re based out of western Washington.

Thanks!

Hello everyone!

I’m a brand new CDL holder looking for a place to land. My girl and I have plans to team OTR when she completes CDL school this summer. Our life is changing a bit and we want to try something new.

Trucking! Always wanted to do this since I was a kitty kid and now is the perfect chance. My girl is all on and I think it’ll be really fun to learn this business as a team. We’re used to being together 24-7 so no issues there. 🤣

We’ve been operating a pretty successful, and very stressful business for years and are pretty burned out… the last two years have solidified the fact we’re not going to continue. We’ll be transitioning out soon, as the business is now for sale. 🙌

Preliminary inquires: My original thought was to find a carrier that would train me, and then allow me to train her some months later after she completed their ‘in-house’ CDL program. Well, our state doesn’t recognize out of state training programs. So, she’ll be going to school here first like I did. Such is life.

She’s absolutely willing to be trained by some random dude for weeks (months) on end… and I don’t blame her.

Wilson sounded interested until they found out that I wouldn’t be coming within a 30 day window of completing ‘CDL School’. I asked if I could take a refresher to prove that I can actually operate the vehicle before their training… the answer was no; and suggested Swift… 🧐

Same household teams are in demand.. but sounds like we need a couple of years before we can write our own ticket, which is totally understandable. We’re willing to suck it up for a bit until that time comes.

Any of you guys have a suggestion as to where we could go? We’re based out of western Washington.

Thanks!

Howdy, GarthFader, and welcome to Trucking Truth!!

Man, we've heard, that Washington (state) is one of the 'messiest' places obtaining out of state CDL's, as well as Alaska, and Illinois has some oddities, as well.

Do y'all know about this 'new' ... referendum, coming up? Don't know if it would help or hurt you, but ... read:

Entry Level Driver Training . . . mandates.

DANG ... that sucks about Wilson. HAVE YOU CHECKED INTO PRIME? Did you use our quick apply? Apply For Paid CDL Training

TFI (nka/fka) CFI ... might be an olive branch, as well. I'll see if I can't get Big Scott to reply, probably tomorrow.

Man, I see your conundrum. (And I raise it 50 ... LoL .. I'm going to be up against similar, myself...read my profile!)

Another 'possible...' CRE??? CR England is 'not' everyone's golden egg; but they SURE LOVE team entrants. As does, CRST. WA state is an interesting ideology with the obtaining of a CDL; I get that.

There's a 'few' ... possibilities, good sir. Other than that; move to Ohio (?!?!?) ! J/K ... !

Best wishes;

~ Anne & Tom ~

Definitely check with Prime or any other companies you might be interested in.

When I was with Prime they were allowing a student in their training phase to begin with a trainer for a specified amount of miles and finish their training as a team driver with whomever they chose. A student of mine had a mother who began training a month after him. She switched over to his truck to finish training once she achieved enough miles to do so. My info might be outdated. So check with a recruiter to see if that is still an option. Best of luck wherever you choose to go.

Hello. The Washington CDL school requirements shouldn't be an issue in a few weeks. In February the requirements for CDL Instructors will be changing.

Instructors will be required to have 2 years of experience. Once this goes into effect Washington is supposed to be allowing out of state schooling for CDLs.

As a CDL instructor/team trainer at Prime, I know the plan could be to have her do the schooling portion with an instructor then you become her trainer. It happens all the time. Prime will tell you that you will need X number of months solo first though. I am now doing CDL Instruction at the terminal with multiple students. They stay in a hotel and any load we do is short enough to be back the same day. So her not having to go on a strangers truck is a possibility if you do come first.

I would just keep asking companies.

...our state doesn’t recognize out of state training programs.

It sounds like something has been lost in translation.

I live in King County. I went to a company school in Colorado. When i got my CDL I exchanged my Washington license for a temporary, paper Colorado CDL. After a few weeks OTR with my trainer our truck was routed back to Washington. I picked up my laminated, "real" Colorado CDL in my mailbox and went to the Washington DOL. A smile, my Colorado CDL, a brief explanation of how I only, "moved" to Colorado for training purposes and $212 got me a shiny, NEW Washington CDL.

Most company schools just have you exchange your license for a CDL in the state where their school is and then you swap it back when you get home. Washington will exchange any valid CDL from any state for a Washington CDL. The smile is optional, the $212 is not (but most companies will reimburse this).

As far as the spouse training question:

Family Plan & Buddy Plan Training: Covenant can train husband and wife teams together, and our Buddy Plan allows friends and/or other family members to train together. A qualified spouse may train the other while running team freight.

Hello everyone!

I’m a brand new CDL holder looking for a place to land. My girl and I have plans to team OTR when she completes CDL school this summer. Our life is changing a bit and we want to try something new.

Trucking! Always wanted to do this since I was a kitty kid and now is the perfect chance. My girl is all on and I think it’ll be really fun to learn this business as a team. We’re used to being together 24-7 so no issues there. 🤣

We’ve been operating a pretty successful, and very stressful business for years and are pretty burned out… the last two years have solidified the fact we’re not going to continue. We’ll be transitioning out soon, as the business is now for sale. 🙌

Preliminary inquires: My original thought was to find a carrier that would train me, and then allow me to train her some months later after she completed their ‘in-house’ CDL program. Well, our state doesn’t recognize out of state training programs. So, she’ll be going to school here first like I did. Such is life.

She’s absolutely willing to be trained by some random dude for weeks (months) on end… and I don’t blame her.

Wilson sounded interested until they found out that I wouldn’t be coming within a 30 day window of completing ‘CDL School’. I asked if I could take a refresher to prove that I can actually operate the vehicle before their training… the answer was no; and suggested Swift… 🧐

Same household teams are in demand.. but sounds like we need a couple of years before we can write our own ticket, which is totally understandable. We’re willing to suck it up for a bit until that time comes.

Any of you guys have a suggestion as to where we could go? We’re based out of western Washington.

Thanks!

Howdy, GarthFader, and welcome to Trucking Truth!!

Man, we've heard, that Washington (state) is one of the 'messiest' places obtaining out of state CDL's, as well as Alaska, and Illinois has some oddities, as well.

Do y'all know about this 'new' ... referendum, coming up? Don't know if it would help or hurt you, but ... read:

Entry Level Driver Training . . . mandates.

DANG ... that sucks about Wilson. HAVE YOU CHECKED INTO PRIME? Did you use our quick apply? Apply For Paid CDL Training

TFI (nka/fka) CFI ... might be an olive branch, as well. I'll see if I can't get Big Scott to reply, probably tomorrow.

Man, I see your conundrum. (And I raise it 50 ... LoL .. I'm going to be up against similar, myself...read my profile!)

Another 'possible...' CRE??? CR England is 'not' everyone's golden egg; but they SURE LOVE team entrants. As does, CRST. WA state is an interesting ideology with the obtaining of a CDL; I get that.

There's a 'few' ... possibilities, good sir. Other than that; move to Ohio (?!?!?) ! J/K ... !

Best wishes;

~ Anne & Tom ~

Apparently Washington’s CDL standards already adhere to the FEDs 2022 ELDT rules!?

But, now I see Kearsey saying that my state should be accepting out of state certificates after the new ELDT is in place. Blast! That was our plan from the get go but we were foiled by bad information?

Grrrr! We’ve already paid for school for her here… oh well, she’ll have fun in those old beater Volvo’s with barely functional clutch brakes!. 🤣 Her preference would have been to be pad trained in an auto for sure, Kearsey. Bummer.

Looks like I need to get back in the phone with a recruiter @ Prime.

Thanks for all the insight, guys! I’ll let you know what happens.

The latest, as we are in the exact same situation. Per WA DOL (on the phone), things are so chaotic with the changing rules they are not even keeping up anymore. Gave me a number to call the FMCSA , which routes back to a DOL answering machine.

It will get worked out, but will take awhile. How long? Who knows. Per WA DOL CDL division, at present they DO NOT KNOW how the CDL rules will shake out. They are getting information on the daily.

They WILL continue to use their list though, and go above and beyond the FMCSA register. What they are doing is updating their list. Many more schools are on it now, and if you that are reading this are still pondering things, keep checking back.

A few people in here got theirs in another state, based on the reciprocity. The laws changed in 2015, and again in 2017. They no longer have to recognize them. HOWEVER--I suspect all of this will soon be out the window anyway, with the new Federal rules.

So--if you can hang back for a few months to a year, you should have options.

SWIFT IS approved on their list right now, as the only carrier as far as I could tell.

Per the Prime recruiter I spoke with (last week I think), management still says no WA students in their school. (W/O a CDL).

Been a month and a half, did you land somewhere Garth?