Tag Archives: getting your CDL

When Will I Know If Trucking Was The Right Career Choice?

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Brett Aquila

Truck driving is one of the most unique jobs and lifestyles you’ll find anywhere. It’s also one of the most demanding, and trucking certainly isn’t for everyone. Everyone faces tough challenges and almost everyone questions whether or not becoming a truck driver was the right thing to do. How do you know when you’ve seen enough? When do you throw in the towel and say “Wow, this isn’t for me!” Read on and we’ll help you understand what you’re facing and when enough is enough.
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Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, First Solo Months On The Road, On The Road In Training, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Intro To Big Trucks And Truck Driving School Part III – The CDL Exam

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Brian Laine

After exploring the operation of a big rig and taking a drive, it’s time to take the CDL exam and wrap up this series with some thoughts about the process of getting your CDL. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Intro To Trucking, Passing The CDL Test, Truck Driving School Day-By-Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Intro To Big Trucks And Truck Driving School Part II

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Brian Laine

In Part I of my intro to big trucks and truck driving school I talked about signing up for truck driving school at North Cross Commercial Driving School and covered a bit about the anatomy of a typical big rig. Now in part 2 I’ll talk a little bit more about the mechanical aspects of big rigs and we’ll take one for a drive! Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Intro To Trucking | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Questions and Answers for a Truck Driver

Posted on April 8, 2010 by TruckerMike

Recently, I was contacted by an individual who is interested in becoming a truck driver. He asked me several questions about the trucking industry and about my job. I thought they were excellent questions and decided it would be great to share on my blog for any of you interested in becoming a truck driver. I hope this helps answer some of the questions you might have! Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

An Intro To Big Trucks And Truck Driving School Part I

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Brian Laine

If driving a truck has ever crossed your mind, or you just like the looks of that Kenworth, Freightliner, or Peterbilt going by, maybe you would enjoy reading a little more about the trucks and driver training experience, so here goes… Continue reading →

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Truck Driving School Part IV – Taking The CDL Exam

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Rick Huffman

Finally, the time to take the road test arrived. We would go, in small groups, to the testing facility in Hartselle, Alabama over the next five days. I would test on the second day, and Alan would test on the fourth. Everyone was nervous, and most of us failed the first attempt. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, Passing The CDL Test, Week 3 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trucking School Part III – Boot Camp

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Rick Huffman

Almost everyone is abysmal at 45° angle backing to start with, and I was no exception. However, I was not the only one having difficulty. Alan even resorted to mathematical solutions to crack this puzzle, but it didn’t seem to help either of us. But a couple of great instructors stepped in and helped get us going in the right direction. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, Week 2 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Attending Truck Driving School Part II – First Day On The Yard

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Rick Huffman

Alan and I were both nervous, yet excited about the new challenge before us. We’d be spending the first couple of days in the yard, learning straight-line backing and 45° angle backing. Here we go – my first attempt at backing up a truck. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, Truck Driving School Day-By-Day, Week 1 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Attending Truck Driving School Part I

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Rick Huffman

Priceville, Alabama was where my trucking adventure began. A Super 8 motel room would be my home for the next three weeks while I attended CDL school. I did not know what to expect on the first day, but I met a wide range of personalities in the other students. It was incredible to see the diversity. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories, Truck Driving School Day-By-Day, Week 1 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Becoming An American Trucker

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Rick Huffman

I was probably one of the most unlikely candidates to become a truck driver that the world has ever seen. I had spent the past 20 years of my life working in television broadcasting in various roles. While it had been exciting and challenging at first, the years had eroded my role into a thankless and suffocating rut. I seriously needed a change…a new experience. This is the beginning of my story – the life of an American Trucker. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Great Stories | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Our Trucking Adventure Begins

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Cathy Rubens

Hello readers. My name is Cathy Rubens. My husband Steve and I started our trucking adventure in October of 2008. These writing will be done in the form of flashbacks, with some things from the past and some things from the present. Steve and I will be writing about the events and happening from our respective points of view. The flashbacks will be stories of happenings and musings from events as remembered by us. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Cathy and Steve's Story, Choosing A Truck Driving School, Great Stories | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Which CDL Endorsements Should I Get?

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Brett Aquila

When you attend truck driving school, even a company sponsored CDL school, you’ll have to decide which endorsements to get when taking your CDL test. We’ll talk about which CDL endorsements are available, how you get these endorsements, what it takes to keep them, and why they are important. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Passing The CDL Test | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Comparing Career Paths: Truck Driving Versus A College Degree

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Carl Smith

I decided to hypothetically put two people seeking professional careers, one a prospective college student, the other a truck driving school candidate, up against each other in a comparison of job training, annual salary, debt accumulation, and investment capability throughout their careers. The results are quite interesting. Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Randy’s Home Time During Training – Part 1

Posted on January 26, 2010 by rbradyjohnsen

I LOVE “normal” life.  We got lots of errands done, I sold some stuff on Craigslist and Randy had a little pinstriping job – we made more money today than his last paycheck.  ;)   He keeps saying how nice it is to be home, and I keep telling him how nice it is to have him here.  Home will soon be somewhere else, and we’re going to start moving tomorrow. Continue reading →

Posted in Great Stories, On The Road In Training, Rhonda & Randy's Story, truck driving lifestyle | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Truck Driving Career Seen As Strong For Next Decade

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Brett Aquila

Truck driving has always been a great career for those of us who were cut out for the lifestyle. If you’re not the right person for the job, you’re really not going to like it much and you’re not going to last long. But if you feel like truck driving might be the right career for you, the outlook for the industry looks to be very solid for many years to come. Continue reading →

Posted in Advice and Opinions, Becoming A Truck Driver, Career Help, Tips, Advice, Current State of the Trucking Industry, The Economy and Politics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment