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By: Brett Aquila
Monthly Archives: March 2009
Trucking Company Orientation – Day Two
Today was a much better day than yesterday. Instead of just paperwork, we had some real-world stuff. First I had to take a quick driving test. This is nothing like the CDL road test. It’s just to prove to them that you aren’t completely crazy and know the basics of shifting. These trucks are awesome! Continue reading
Trucking Company Orientation – Day One
Today was a very hectic day. I started orientation with the trucking company I was hired on with. It was far from being “memorable”, but there are a few things you should know…. Continue reading
The DAC Report And Your MVR: How Companies Use Them For Hiring
Right or wrong, things are not as simple as they were a few years ago. There are more regulations to deal with and more are added each year. Your DAC, MVR, and even your credit history will be looked at to see if you will be a worthy employee to work at many jobs, not just CDL driving jobs. Continue reading
Students Searching for Trucking Jobs After CDL Training During a Recession
Wow! Finding a job as a truck driver was much more difficult than I expected. Granted, this is mainly due to the economy as a whole. Normally, trucking jobs are everywhere. But times are tough and things aren’t the way they usually are. While attending truck driving school to obtain my CDL license, I applied to a ton of companies. I ended up receiving about 3 pre-hires from the job applications that I submitted to various trucking companies. So, I thought I was in good shape. Continue reading
CDL Training Week Two – Finding Out Which Of Us Will Make It Through
Ah, week two. The magical week that separates the truck drivers from the…well… not truck drivers? This is the week that we actually get out of the desk and behind the wheel. The week where you probably will be doing all the basics. If you’re like me, you’re probably scared to death, and if you’re not, then your nerves are made of barb wire and I envy you. I was completely horrified of down shifting for some reason, so when it came time to take a tight curve, I kind of tensed up and almost hit a guard rail. So here’s a little advice, calm down. It really comes natural when you get the hang of it. You’re going to probably start off slow. Snail slow. Continue reading
Where Can New Drivers Turn For Hope In This Economy?
Truck driving is looked upon as the last great hope for many Americans who have either lost their jobs, or are afraid they’re about to. Some families have had to send the second parent to work because of cutbacks in pay, cutbacks in hours, or settling for a lesser job by the first parent. If I were looking for work today, where would I turn? Here’s where…. Continue reading
End Of My First Week of CDL School, Start of My First Blog
Well I finally did it! After a whole year of thinking about it, I decided it was time for me to dive head-first into the exciting, rewarding career of over-the-road truck driving. So I grabbed my fingerless work gloves, denim jacket and “Smokey and the Bandit” DVD and realized that I had absolutely no idea how to get into the industry…. Continue reading
CDL School’s Out! Choosing a Trucking Company
Don’t wait until school is out to begin applying for CDL Jobs. You should apply to many different trucking companies as soon as you know the completion date of your school. Trucking companies can, and do, take their time going over your application and giving you a pre-hire. Start your research early. Follow along and I’ll tell you what I did and the insights I gained. Continue reading
CDL Schools: What Is Their Real Purpose and What Do They Really Teach?
I first went to a CDL school back in 1974. I didn’t do anything with my new license, except to keep it. Now, I am wanting to go and become a real driver. Most companies will not accept you as an inexperienced driver unless you are a recent CDL school graduate. So, back to school for me. In my last post I gave a few key pointers in choosing a school. Now I want to let you know what I think the real purpose of the school is. (HINT: it’s not about making you a truck driver!). Continue reading
