Comments By Matthew W.

Thank you everyone. So even though I live in NC, I should get my permit before I leave? Will I have to get a Missouri permit when I get there or just test for the Missouri CDL? Also, I am assuming that you have to pay for the High Road Training Program on here?

I live in NC also Martin, and it wasn't hard to get the permit, I tested for my permit in Huntersville NC and passed it first try. It is 100 questions for the class A and it is computerized, the computer reads the questions off to you also. There is a skip function so you can skip questions you aren't 100% sure on and the test will complete as soon as you meet the passing requirement. For example General Knowledge is 50 questions and if you pass 41 of 50 questions the section will auto complete. So you may not even make it back to the skipped questions. I studied High Road for like 2 weeks just read through basically, and then took like a 2 week hiatus and came back to it and finished combo vehicles and went and sat for the permit. I was prepared to fail the first time just to see what it was like, because in NC you get three attempts for the $30 fee. Then there is an additional $15 for the actual permit card. Study up on road signs because NC will give you a sign test and you can't miss any at all. There are 12 signs that they show you, and you will have to pass a color test, and eye test, along with a peripheral vision test. Also all you need is your Driver's License, I took my birth certificate and a bunch of other crap that I thought I needed after reading the NC DMV website. Good luck, and if you are worried just go take the test once and see where you stand. Like I said you don't lose anything but like 30 mins. You have to pay the 30.00 any ways and you get 3 attempts with that application fee. You may pass it and not have to sweat it any longer. BTW I am going to prime on Jan 5th also, so we are on the same path.

Just to shout out that I have been accepted to Prime Inc for the January 5th Orientation. Thanks everyone for their guidance so far I will be taking my permit test down in Florida on the 15th and test on the General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination, Passenger, Tanker, and Doubles and Triples.

I have been studying the High Road Trucking Course like a mad man for the past 2 weeks. I can complete the units I need for the Permit with a 97 to 99% proficiency ( I always make a few stupid mistakes and it kills me). Now that I'm accepted I will also be adding the Pre-trip Inspection section. Between Daniels Prime pre-trip inspection and High Road test modules and flashcards I hope I can become proficient enough to pass on the first try. I have lofty goals. Brian

Ha cool man, congrats! I will be there on Jan 5th also. My bus leaves Charlotte NC on Jan 3rd. I got my permit a week ago, but didn't get the Tanker, will need to go back and take that test. High Road is awesome, all I did was study that, I missed 4 on General Knowledge, 1 on air brakes, and none in Combination. When Brad tells you to memorize something you better memorize it because it will probably turn up on the test. I had several braking distance questions, several questions about emergency triangles and placement. Good luck on it and see ya in Springfield MO!

If my car wasn't the only sole mode of transportation for my family then I would have considered driving.

Im in the same boat man, so I have a 23 hr bus ride from Charlotte NC...Kills me they are going to Atlanta then Chattanooga, then to Indiana I think then down to MO. Oh well can't complain since it is paid for.

As far as the training though Ken or someone that has been through it with Prime, if you live somewhere that is a good distance away from a Prime Terminal do you go back to Springfield to get your truck after the 30,000 miles or how does that generally work? Just curious.

Actually I was going to say that I thought Ken and I were from the same neck of the woods we are actually next door neighbors, lol, I am in Mt Holly NC. So how did that work for you Ken.

If my car wasn't the only sole mode of transportation for my family then I would have considered driving.

Im in the same boat man, so I have a 23 hr bus ride from Charlotte NC...Kills me they are going to Atlanta then Chattanooga, then to Indiana I think then down to MO. Oh well can't complain since it is paid for.

As far as the training though Ken or someone that has been through it with Prime, if you live somewhere that is a good distance away from a Prime Terminal do you go back to Springfield to get your truck after the 30,000 miles or how does that generally work? Just curious.

So I was running hard towards Knight Transportation after reading through this website and doing some research online. I completed my CDL Permit this past Monday thanks to the study guide on this site, solely. I called Kristy my recruiter at Knight on Monday after getting my paper copy of my permit here in NC, and left her a message. Called back Tues a couple times, and left messages, and then called today and finally got her. Apparently she can't assist me any longer because Knight has Blacklisted NC and 5 other states for CDL trainees. She would not give any more information than that, and just said sorry can't help you any longer. I called Prime and filled an app out with them, and they were like a Blackout for NC, what is wrong with NC? So I was wondering if you guys have experienced this before and what is usually the cause of these Blackouts. I live like 20 mins from the Knight Terminal here in Charlotte, so I find it kind of crazy.

Mathew, while Old School is trying to be diplomatic about North Carolina and all, he's got it all wrong, as does everyone else taking guesses here. The whole problem is that Prime, Inc took a chance on another native son from North Carolina named Ken C. After a few months they have realized their mistake and it came down from on-high in the Prime, Inc. towers (sounds kinda ominous, yes?) "NO more of those North Carolina types!!" I guess it was so bad that the other companies are following Prime's "Prime" directive, if you get my pun . . .

Jopa

Couldn't help myself, Ken, it was too perfect of a setup!

Haha Jopa.

Matthew, not sure what kind of traveling you want to do trucking, but if you dont mind staying around the mid-Atlantic and NE and dont mind driving an auto shift I can refer you to another company in the Charlotte area.

I got accepted to prime but what is that other company just in case prime doesn't work out

Hey Josh thanks for the post...try to keep it updaTed if you can I am super interested in what goes down...I will be heading to Springfield on Jan 3rd to start my journey with prime. I already have my permit so that will be one less thing I have to worry about. And thanks again Daniel for the link to the pretrip study guide you are full of helpful info.

This is from the article:

From FMCSA: “FMCSA announces that C.R. England, Inc. (C.R. England) has applied for an exemption from the Federal minimum training conditions in 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1) that require a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holder to always be accompanied by a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder with the proper CDL class and endorsements seated in the front seat of the vehicle while the CLP holder performs behind-the-wheel training on public roads or highways. C.R. England requests an exemption to allow CLP holders who have passed the CDL skills test but not yet received the CDL document to drive a commercial motor vehicle without being accompanied by a CDL holder, provided the driver has documentation of passing the skills test. C.R. England believes that the exemption, if granted, would allow such a driver to operate more freely and in a way that benefits the driver, the carrier, and the economy as a whole.” According to the FMCSA’s Federal Register Notice, C.R. England has a partnership with and provides training for Premier Truck Driving Schools in five locations: Burns Harbor, Indiana; Dallas, Texas; Fontana, California; Richmond, Indiana and Salt Lake City, Utah. “C.R. England seeks exemption from 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1) that would allow CDL holders who have successfully passed a CDL skills test, and are thus eligible to receive a CDL, to drive a truck without a CDL holder being present. This would allow a CDL holder to participate in a revenue-producing trip back to his or her domiciled state to obtain the CDL document, as the CDL can only be issued by the state of domicile.” the Federal Register states. In its request, C.R. England cited the growing need for well-trained, and well-qualified drivers to meet today’s shipping demands. “Granting the exemption would allow the CLP holder to drive as part of a team on that trip, resulting in reduced costs and increased productivity,” the Federal Register states. The Federal Register states that C.R. England believes that 49 CFR 383.25(a)(1) hinders its ability to recruit, train and employ new drivers. The exemption would only apply to C.R. England drivers who have passed the CDL skills test and who hold a CLP. “The only difference between a CLP holder who has passed the CDL skills test and a CDL holder is that the latter has waited in line at the DMV and has received the hard copy CDL,” the Federal Register Notice states. The FMCSA is seeking public comment on the request for exemption. Comments must be submitted by December 29, 2014

I am new to this industry, but from the read it appears as CR England is making sure thee driver is capable, they just don't have the actual license. It looks as if the student is expected to pass the skills test and then they drive as a team to get home to get their actual hard copy license. I don't really see anything wrong there. But again I am just a permit holder and not even in the industry yet, just going off the info you provided.

Errol, I just passed my cdl permit testing this past Monday and I only studied the high road...it is awesome...I still need to do my tanker endorsement for prime but I just wanted to say the high road study guide is awesome.

Matthew, occasionally this happens. It isn't so much that there is "something wrong" with North Carolina, but it could just be that for right now they have enough drivers from that area. Sometimes there is a bit of a seasonal trend in certain parts of the country where they might stop hiring for a brief few months or so, This often happens at the end of the year when freight is naturally slowing down a little. More than likely if you were to try them again around mid April you would find that they are all gung-ho again. I know it is disappointing, but really all you can do is just keep plugging away at some other options. Often times the recruiters have no idea when these types of directives will come down to them from some layer of management above them.

It sounds like maybe you were trying to get into their Squire program, and if that is the case you might ask the recruiter if you already had your CDL and one year's experience would they be interested in hiring you. If she says yes then maybe you could find another training program to get your license and then just make it a long term goal to go a different route for that first year and then you would always have the option of switching over to Knight after that time period. Trust me, that first year you will be learning so much that it will fly by like a whirl wind.

Thanks guys for the replies...I got accepted to Primes orientation and will be leaving on Jan 3rd for orientation. Planning on sticking it out at prime for a year or two. Want to send my wife back to school and also save for a down payment on a house.