Brand New To Trucking
Topic 34282 | Page 1
Hello Kiersten. Your goal is not at all realistic. Right now, and for some time to come, the trucking industry is over capacity with companies, trucks and drivers. It is waaaay short of enough freight to keep everyone busy. And no, you would not be able to broker loads for yourself. Legitimate brokers will not even talk to anyone without a solid track record and financial stability. Insurance companies would charge you premiums you could not afford.
What you need to do is to apply to companies that do their own training in-house and pay you while you train, get your CDL and then fulfill whatever the contract length is and then get several years or more experience as a company driver. What you are thinking of doing is not only unrealistic, but it would be financial suicide. You just need to do a lot more research and reading to understand what is possible and what is not. Please check out the following 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
High Road CDL Training ProgramPaid CDL Training ProgramsApply For Paid CDL TrainingTruck Driver's Career GuideBecoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Kiersten, how about sharing with us why you want to go into trucking. It sounds like you don't have any sort of history with the industry, and it makes me wonder why you would make such a choice. It seems odd you aren't interested in a one year contract, and yet you are willing to jump in with both feet into a much more considerable commitment. I don't get it.
The answer to your CDL. These days you must attend a 160 hr course and get the completion cert. You can do that through a private school and they all operate differently. A comm college would probably offer a schedule closest to what your looking for.
Buying a truck and starting a trucking business is very risky these days and the forecast is not real bright.
As far as getting authority as a broker, that is pretty simple and cost is about 3k and whatever a bond costs.
Trucking companies and brokers are going out of business monthly due to the uncertanity within the industry.
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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Hi there, I am wanted to start a trucking business. I’d like to purchase a truck and get my CDL license. I currently work a full time job Monday - Friday. I live in Florida. I have a few questions about getting started:
- can I get my CDL while working full time? (Can I use the weekend to get my license)? - How long does it take to get a CDL? - Can I get a CDL without going to school? - If I have to go to school, is there a school where I do NOT have to sign a contract to work for that particular company? - Being that I’d like to be independent, can I also be my own broker?
Please share any advice you have about starting out from the beginning and starting a trucking business.
Thank you so much in advance.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: