School Or Screwed?
Topic 17692 | Page 1
Wouldn't necessarily "hurt you" per se' - but if you decided to go OTR with a company - and had no documented over the road driving experience, you would likely have to go for a company training as a newbie (even though you already hold a CDL) or do some sort of "refresher course" and get onboard with a company as a "recent grad".
Never hurts to get and hold a CDL - but keep in mind that keeping it current costs more than a regular drivers license (for the CDL renewals and endorsements - plus the DOT medical card that has to be kept current).
So it wouldn't "hurt you", and in some ways might make it easier once you get onboard. You wouldn't have to take the written or road tests - since you already hold a CDL.
Rick
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.
Over The Road:
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.
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.
Matt...a CDL class A license is a money maker for life. I'd jump at the opportunity. As Rick said...you'll need a refresher course to go OTR...at Roehl we had a CDL holder in our class. He did everything we did...except take the road rest. So yes...I'd go ahead and take advantage of the offer. In general..any time someone offers additional training...take advantage of it.
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.
Thank you for the responses I am going to take them up on it have to get all the details worked out first. I was hoping a company wouldn't look at it as bad training if it wasn't from an actual certified school. Even if they do require additional training at least I will have my cdl already.
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.
A CDL with no documented OTR experience, puts you in the same category (insurance-risk-wise) as someone that has never driven a Class-A CMV. You're just easier to train, because you have driven one before (even if it was a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away).
Your question was "would it hurt me".,
In one case - I had contacted Jim Palmer - and they told me I would have to downgrade my CDL, and get a permit/take the test in Montana. A few months later, they told me they would road test me when I got there to see where I was at - and if I passed the road test, they would just onboard me for 30K miles (equivalent to Primes TNT).
I personally - would have no issues doing the entire training again. I drive a friends truck once in awhile, just to keep from getting too rusty (or rent a Penske/Ryder for a day) - but I would rather take on the commitment of doing the entire course and sticking around for a year anyway.
Much as I know (and think I know) - can't hurt...
Rick
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.
CMV:
Commercial Motor Vehicle
A CMV is a vehicle that is used as part of a business, is involved in interstate commerce, and may fit any of these descriptions:
- Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
- Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation
- Is designed or used to transport 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation
- Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14ยข per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
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So I have an opportunity with my company a widely known heavy duty diesel truck repair and sale company. For them to provide the training to get my class A cdl if I wanted to drive as a career later on would this type of training hurt me in the hiring process?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: