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Topic 5779 | Page 2
I will also know whether the job I took will be a keeper or not in 2 months as its a sales position and I want to give it a crack as I have the skills needed in that profession
I would keep the ball rolling with the CDL.
You can do sales at any point in your life. The DOT physicals are doing nothing but getting harder and more exclusive.
Excuse my butting in here ... But I'm wondering what you mean about the DOT physical getting more exclusive. I'm turning 48 in a couple of weeks and planning to get my CDL next year.
Are there DOT health benchmarks published somewhere that one might check to see if they're ready for the physical?
Thanks!
Long time lurker, by the way ... Really like this website!
DOT physicals are simply harder to pass each year.
BMI High Blood Pressure Sleep Apnea tests, etc. ...
The list is getting longer and the passable ranges tighter. This is a good thing for public safety... a bad thing for older truckers trying to finish their career driving.
My wife works in a doctors office and failed DOT physicals are becoming the norm. Now ,you can still pass at some point, probably. You will just need to resolve the issue with medication and / or lifestyle change.
Once again, is this a bad thing? ... I think not. :)
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Thanks. I agree.
Been following your thread, too, BTW. Looking forward to finding out which company you decide to go with and why.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Thanks. I agree.
Been following your thread, too, BTW. Looking forward to finding out which company you decide to go with and why.
Thanks. If you're speaking to me, I should know which outfit by Monday.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Thanks. I agree.
Been following your thread, too, BTW. Looking forward to finding out which company you decide to go with and why.
If your talking about me. I right now have 2 companies in mind. Con-way and Werner. Before you ask how did I do this without a cdl , its because in the military we were exempt from the cdl because it was mainly on bases where we didn't go into public territory per say. Now since I have my CDL-A I was also going to try and use my commercial experience as a Firefighter that has over 4 years of driving experience to maybe nab another kind of truck job. I drove firetrucks from crash vehicles, them super long ones you see at the airport, to water tankers that look just like the fuel tankers you see on the street for over 4 years. I don't know if real world companies would accept that or if I have to start over. My class experience was mainly a refresher of what I learned in the AF and my final written score was 97% overall and I passed all my hands-on the first time. I was told I scored the highest in the class for each pre-trip, backing and road but wasn't given my score. The instructors also told me they expect me to have a long successful career in this industry. Thing is I spent the last 3 years away from home most the time and it feels kinda good to be home every night with a semi normal day. But I will only go OTR for experience and will get out of that asap.
For the others I appreciate the advice and not bashing me for this. I am currently taking this seriously and am honestly going back and forth on what to do. I am leaning back towards the truck side after reading the replies.
Since this thread is going can you guys tell me which one to choose since I have been selected to orientation by both Con-way or Werner. I think werner is hyped up and they had a recruiter come to the school and was over the top. People called him the used car salesman lol. That kind of turns me away because there's a reason for the flashy trucks and so forth. Con-way on the other hand I just spoke to over the phone with the recruiter and she didn't seem like she was desperate like the werner guy so I am leaning towards con-way for that.
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.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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.
Be careful not to judge a company based on your experience with a single recruiter. This seems to be the prevailing advice offered on this site. Although it is difficult to get over a negative first impression, it's important to do as much research as possible. This site has at least one or two happy Werner drivers. This is a great link: The Biggest Mistake New Drivers Make When Speaking With Recruiters
" People called him the used car salesman lol. That kind of turns me away because there's a reason for the flashy trucks and so forth. "
See...thats what you'll deal with in sales...lol. And yes...I've spent 6yrs in sales.
" People called him the used car salesman lol. That kind of turns me away because there's a reason for the flashy trucks and so forth. "
See...thats what you'll deal with in sales...lol. And yes...I've spent 6yrs in sales.
Exactly right Jimbo. That quote in itself only backs the point i was trying to make...
As a new driver you will have fewer choices if any waiting for 2 months to get rolling.
Have you done sales before? What type of sales is it and is it full commission or salary plus bonus?
I was in sales most of my life, I'm 45 now. I started trucking coming up on a year ago and I can honestly say I do NOT miss sales in even the slightest bit lol. Everyone is different so you may like it. But I can tell you if you try trucking and don't like it you will be able to get into sales easier than if you go the other way around. Don't get me wrong things are tough and good sales jobs are not without several applicants. But sales is relatively easy to get started in and work your way up.
Woody
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Hey James,
I can give you a little insight into the sales lifestyle as well. For the last 3 years I was the operations manager for a local radio station. Sales, and managing a sales team, were the primary functions of my job. It is like any other career, the only people that well truly excel are those that study hard and put in the work.
I was up at 5am every morning so that I could have an hour or two to read up on my craft, organize my day and be ready to hit the streets before any off my competition. Even though I was better prepared and in many cases more knowledgeable that the other guys, it was still a daily grind to try and make numbers, no different than any other job with the exception of your performance being measured solely on the ability and willingness of other people to spend money with you.
If you are serious, there is a book called "good to great." It should be mandatory reading for any person considering sales. Also try any of the Dale Carnegie books.
Good luck
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.