Class B Truckers - No Experience

I have a couple of questions:

1. Has anybody in this forum gotten hired for a Class B driver position right after getting your CDL with no experience?

2. If a company is requiring a Class B driver to to have 6 months of experience driving a 26' commercial truck, do you think they would take into consideration the fact that you have 5 to 6 years experience driving a 26' motorhome? I know that's not a straight truck, but you do have to know how to back up, use your mirrors, handle a vehicle that size, etc.

3. If two people are applying for a Class B driver position, and one candidate has a Class B certification, and the other has a Class A & B, would the one with the Class A most likely get hired over the other one - even though it's FOR a Class B position?

Question one. I didn't get hired for a class B job right out of the gate but I did get hired class A right out of school and I drive both combinations and straight trucks.

Question two. When it comes to experience the key term that most of not all companies use is "verifiable" experience. They want to be able to call a previous employer and get the low down on how you drove. You are correct about the motor home analogy but again, it's not verifiable.

Question three. Not necessarily. If the company runs any combination vehicles then maybe because that driver will have some versatility of they are ever in a pinch. If however both drivers are shown to have the same amount of experience and the company only has B trucks then I can't see one being favored over the other. My question would be why a class A driver of applying for a B job in the first place.

Hope this helps.

Question one. I didn't get hired for a class B job right out of the gate but I did get hired class A right out of school and I drive both combinations and straight trucks.

Question two. When it comes to experience the key term that most of not all companies use is "verifiable" experience. They want to be able to call a previous employer and get the low down on how you drove. You are correct about the motor home analogy but again, it's not verifiable.

Question three. Not necessarily. If the company runs any combination vehicles then maybe because that driver will have some versatility of they are ever in a pinch. If however both drivers are shown to have the same amount of experience and the company only has B trucks then I can't see one being favored over the other. My question would be why a class A driver of applying for a B job in the first place.

Hope this helps.

Yes, Heavy C. That DOES help. Thanks! By the way, the reason a Class A driver might be applying for a B job (which would be my case) is because I want the benefit of having the Class A CDL , but I'm not the least bit interested in doing anything non-local. If there is a Class A job that is local, I'd jump on it. Just figured there may be more local Class B jobs than A -- especially for someone with no experience.

I have a couple of questions:

1. Has anybody in this forum gotten hired for a Class B driver position right after getting your CDL with no experience?

2. If a company is requiring a Class B driver to to have 6 months of experience driving a 26' commercial truck, do you think they would take into consideration the fact that you have 5 to 6 years experience driving a 26' motorhome? I know that's not a straight truck, but you do have to know how to back up, use your mirrors, handle a vehicle that size, etc.

3. If two people are applying for a Class B driver position, and one candidate has a Class B certification, and the other has a Class A & B, would the one with the Class A most likely get hired over the other one - even though it's FOR a Class B position?

1> I got hired right out of CDL school driving a hazmat B fuel truck and class A water tanker for a local big construction company. Getting some experience and making money but doing a lot more grunt work.

2> RV does not require a CDL so it is not CDL experience.

3>In my case yes, plus having all the endorsements, especially hazmat. Mostly I drive the class B fuel/service truck, then when that's done I sometimes drive a class A water tanker, bobtail dump, tandem dump, belly dump, lowboy, landoll, end dump, whatever they need. So its always good to have a little more to offer a company I think. And in my case, a class A driver applied for whats mostly a Class B position, because that will keep me local for now and get me some experience for potential later OTR.

Phil

1> I got hired right out of CDL school driving a hazmat B fuel truck and class A water tanker for a local big construction company. Getting some experience and making money but doing a lot more grunt work.

2> RV does not require a CDL so it is not CDL experience.

3>In my case yes, plus having all the endorsements, especially hazmat. Mostly I drive the class B fuel/service truck, then when that's done I sometimes drive a class A water tanker, bobtail dump, tandem dump, belly dump, lowboy, landoll, end dump, whatever they need. So its always good to have a little more to offer a company I think. And in my case, a class A driver applied for whats mostly a Class B position, because that will keep me local for now and get me some experience for potential later OTR.

Phil

Makes sense, Phil. When you finished CDL school, was your certificate for at least 160 hours of training?

I think my class was more like 220 hours but yes.

I have a couple of questions:

1. Has anybody in this forum gotten hired for a Class B driver position right after getting your CDL with no experience?

2. If a company is requiring a Class B driver to to have 6 months of experience driving a 26' commercial truck, do you think they would take into consideration the fact that you have 5 to 6 years experience driving a 26' motorhome? I know that's not a straight truck, but you do have to know how to back up, use your mirrors, handle a vehicle that size, etc.

3. If two people are applying for a Class B driver position, and one candidate has a Class B certification, and the other has a Class A & B, would the one with the Class A most likely get hired over the other one - even though it's FOR a Class B position?

1> I got hired right out of CDL school driving a hazmat B fuel truck and class A water tanker for a local big construction company. Getting some experience and making money but doing a lot more grunt work.

2> RV does not require a CDL so it is not CDL experience.

3>In my case yes, plus having all the endorsements, especially hazmat. Mostly I drive the class B fuel/service truck, then when that's done I sometimes drive a class A water tanker, bobtail dump, tandem dump, belly dump, lowboy, landoll, end dump, whatever they need. So its always good to have a little more to offer a company I think. And in my case, a class A driver applied for whats mostly a Class B position, because that will keep me local for now and get me some experience for potential later OTR.

Phil

Hey All :), I'm just getting prepared for school but honestly it is good to read stuff like this.(I did a search to find posts like this) .I too am gonna get my A but interested in B driving cuz I need to stay local for now..but also need experience...I do not mind doin the dirty work as long as I get paid!! - KaSandra