Started CDL Career Yesterday And I Am Going To...
Topic 4764 | Page 2
I just discovered that KLLM have their own Academy/CDL Program as well. Will check that out. Many companies who did not offer training are now starting their own CDL Programs. I hope Averitt and Heartland will do the same in the future.
Ok so KLLM does everything together? I also wonder which is the best company to go with if you're coming right out as far as OTR , or dedicated runs etc. I don't wanna travel to another state for a trucking school. Also how do you figure out of the company you're starting with will offer drop and hook jobs or where you have to actually do manual labor?
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.
Dedicated Run:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
Check the Benefits of each employer on their website. They also give the information how many percent of the loads are drop and hook or non-touch freight. Long Haul Companies have usually drop and hook, but medium haul companies such as Knight might have more. Reefer is usually non-touch freight. LTL is usually touch freight, because as an LTL driver you are also hired as a dock worker. Check each company.
Drop and Hook/no-touch freight:
FFE: 70% (the other 30% are either non-touch freight. You might need to alley dock at the dock and wait until the trailer gets unloaded and loaded. In some cases, you have to help unloading yourself. If you are dedicated and the account is Family Dollar you should exprect to help unloading. Other account may require no unloading at all.) Knight: 70% Stevens: 60% Central Refrigerated: 70% CRST: 99% non-touch freight and 80% drop and hook. Swift: 85% drop and hook CREngland: 65% drop and hook Averitt Express: 90% no touch freight
The best way would be to go to a truck driving school that is approved by Averitt Express which offers 240 hours of instruction and the start your career with Averitt Express. If you don't mind to wear a uniform and be clean shaven, this would be a good choice. If you can't finance that then choose one of the schools in Dallas area. There are so many company-sponsored schools in the Dallas area. Dallas seems to be a major hub.
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
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
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.
Check the Benefits of each employer on their website. They also give the information how many percent of the loads are drop and hook or non-touch freight. Long Haul Companies have usually drop and hook, but medium haul companies such as Knight might have more. Reefer is usually non-touch freight. LTL is usually touch freight, because as an LTL driver you are also hired as a dock worker. Check each company.
Drop and Hook/no-touch freight:
FFE: 70% (the other 30% are either non-touch freight. You might need to alley dock at the dock and wait until the trailer gets unloaded and loaded. In some cases, you have to help unloading yourself. If you are dedicated and the account is Family Dollar you should exprect to help unloading. Other account may require no unloading at all.) Knight: 70% Stevens: 60% Central Refrigerated: 70% CRST: 99% non-touch freight and 80% drop and hook. Swift: 85% drop and hook CREngland: 65% drop and hook Averitt Express: 90% no touch freight
The best way would be to go to a truck driving school that is approved by Averitt Express which offers 240 hours of instruction and the start your career with Averitt Express. If you don't mind to wear a uniform and be clean shaven, this would be a good choice. If you can't finance that then choose one of the schools in Dallas area. There are so many company-sponsored schools in the Dallas area. Dallas seems to be a major hub.
It's such a BLESSING that GOD put people like you on this earth That don't mind helping others when you haven't even made it all the way yourself. I really appreciate you. I so new to this and have a few fears but I do k kw I'm a go getter and catch on very fast. Again thanks and ill work on this info tonight. Please keepe posted on any and ALL info at your earliest convenience. You can also private message me anything if that's another rought. I'm sure this post will help someone else as well all over or in DFW area. Have a blessed day
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
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
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.
I originally wanted to go to El Paso Community College which partners with Mesilla Valley Training Institute. However, I discovered that Averitt Express, at least right now, does not hire from El Paso, Tx anymore. Averitt requires to live not more than 150 miles away from the hiring location. If you want to get hired in Grand Prairie, TX, you need to live not more than 150 miles away.
Averitt have a good starting pay. During their Student Driver Programs you already receive a flat rate of 600 per week.
The Stevens Driving Academy is in Mesquite, Tx. They have a great program, but accelerated. You do your licence in 17 days. The on-the-job training is very good and it take at least 5 weeks. You can extend the training until you feel comfortable to drive your own truck. Stevens make sure that you drive all the different area of the United States. In the training, you are required to drive North East, South East/Florida, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest, and California. They will make you drive through the Rocky Mountains and through major cities as part of the training. During the training you are the one who does the trip planning. The trainer will help you, but at the end of the training you should be able to plan your trip and using the Electronic On-Board Logs. During training you make 400 per week.
Also consider International Schools. They are good and they partner with Werner Enterprises. It is one of the schools approved by Werner Enterprises. The closest facility from your place is in Dallas. You don't need to take the Greyhound to get to their place. Werner reimburses the tuition up to $6000.
Check their student program: http://www.werner.com/content/drivers/driver_opportunities/student_driver_program.cfm
Here you can search for schools that they approve in your area: https://drivers.werner.com/Recruiting/Prospect/New
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
I originally wanted to go to El Paso Community College which partners with Mesilla Valley Training Institute. However, I discovered that Averitt Express, at least right now, does not hire from El Paso, Tx anymore. Averitt requires to live not more than 150 miles away from the hiring location. If you want to get hired in Grand Prairie, TX, you need to live not more than 150 miles away.
Averitt have a good starting pay. During their Student Driver Programs you already receive a flat rate of 600 per week.
The Stevens Driving Academy is in Mesquite, Tx. They have a great program, but accelerated. You do your licence in 17 days. The on-the-job training is very good and it take at least 5 weeks. You can extend the training until you feel comfortable to drive your own truck. Stevens make sure that you drive all the different area of the United States. In the training, you are required to drive North East, South East/Florida, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest, and California. They will make you drive through the Rocky Mountains and through major cities as part of the training. During the training you are the one who does the trip planning. The trainer will help you, but at the end of the training you should be able to plan your trip and using the Electronic On-Board Logs. During training you make 400 per week.
Also consider International Schools. They are good and they partner with Werner Enterprises. It is one of the schools approved by Werner Enterprises. The closest facility from your place is in Dallas. You don't need to take the Greyhound to get to their place. Werner reimburses the tuition up to $6000.
Check their student program: http://www.werner.com/content/drivers/driver_opportunities/student_driver_program.cfm
Here you can search for schools that they approve in your area: https://drivers.werner.com/Recruiting/Prospect/New
Hey thanks. You've given me some very helpful information to look into. I'll keep you posted on my journey. Thank again
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
My diary continues here: https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/Topic-4770/Page-1/my-trucking-training-diary-from-the-beginning-to-the-end
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I just discovered that KLLM have their own Academy/CDL Program as well. Will check that out. Many companies who did not offer training are now starting their own CDL Programs. I hope Averitt and Heartland will do the same in the future.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: