No Go @ Prime, Any Thoughts On Knight?
Topic 18339 | Page 1
Prime doesn't require Hazmat. I got hired on without Hazmat perfectly fine.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Tony, I drive for Knight.
I was thinking you were trying to go through a Company-Sponsored Training Program. I am afraid Knight has cut way back on their training school. You pretty much need to live in Phoenix or maybe one other terminal (I'm sorry, I can't remember which one) to participate in their Squire Training Program.
Knight is a great company, and I highly recommend them, but not so much for company sponsored training. They determined that the money they were spending on training new drivers was not getting them what they wanted, and they have gone back to concentrating their efforts on hiring experienced drivers. They still are doing some training of new drivers, but they have cut the program considerably.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Don't let the Hazmat thing stop you. I took the endorsement test, but haven't yet followed up on the background check. I was still hired. My trainer hasn't had Hazmat in the nine years he's worked for prime.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
I should have made it clear that they will hire new drivers who have already obtained their CDL through a private school.
Also, as you can see there are plenty of folks who are getting hired at Prime without a HazMat endorsement. You don't have to share it with us, but does the problem lie more in the fact that you have a felony in your background? Usually that would be the reason why you can't obtain a HazMat. You can still pursue this career choice, but you will have more hurdles to clear if that is the case. Have you seen our List of Trucking Companies That Hire with Felonies?
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Where did you find out that Prime REQUIRES a HM?
Never heard from anyone here that it was MANDATORY. Though whatever your CHARGE WAS might hold you back from Prime.
I would APPLY FOR THE TWIC CARD - and if DENIED - do the WAIVER PROCESS.
http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/2015/03/OverviewofTWICWaiver.pdf <-- Describes the TWIC Waiver Process.
https://www.tsa.gov/disqualifying-offenses-factors <-- List of TWIC Permanent and Temporary Disqualifying Offenses.
The TWIC background/qualifications are the SAME AS HM. If you get a TWIC, you can get a HM - and having a TWIC first actually makes the HM come back faster (and some places give you a discount on the BGI charges if you did your TWIC recently).
If the offense occurred when you were a juvenile, the record is typically sealed - and if you weren't too much of a bad boy (only one offense) you can probably get it expunged.
Keep in mind - if the offense is keeping you from a HM - then it will likely PREVENT YOUR ENTRY INTO CANADA. You might want to look into that. EVEN WITH A PASSPORT - if you have an entry-disqualifying-offense Canada will NOT LET YOU IN. And I've seen people turned around at the border.
Rick
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
I drive for Prime and don't have a hazmat endorsement. It is not required. What IS required is a tanker endorsement, TWIC card and Passport.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Yes unfortunately, it happened when I was a minor, I completed my probation & had my record sealed, so a civilian background check cannot find it but in the federal level background checks it will still show up.
I should have made it clear that they will hire new drivers who have already obtained their CDL through a private school.
Also, as you can see there are plenty of folks who are getting hired at Prime without a HazMat endorsement. You don't have to share it with us, but does the problem lie more in the fact that you have a felony in your background? Usually that would be the reason why you can't obtain a HazMat. You can still pursue this career choice, but you will have more hurdles to clear if that is the case. Have you seen our List of Trucking Companies That Hire with Felonies?
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
I've been with Prime for a year now. Yes I have my Hazmat , but I was hired without it, and was never pressured to get it.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
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So after I found out prime requires you to be able to get a hazmat endorsement I called the TSA & spoke to a .... Less than enthusiastic lady who informed me I cannot get my hazmat (or TWIC) until November 2019. Without going into too much detail, I got into some trouble when I was a teenager which has unfortunately put me on the 7 year no go list. So I started looking around and spoke to a recruiter at knight and found out I do not need a hazmat (forgot to ask about the TWIC). Just wondering if anybody has any experience with knight and what they think of them. Thank you in advance.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.