Comments By Kip Brown (aka Six)

I currently hold my CDL in Ohio and plan to move soon to Mokena, Illinois. Most states let you transfer your CDL with a fee, of course. In order to transfer your CDL from another state to Illinois you have to re-test the whole thing. My question is if I keep my address in Ohio, how would they know I really moved to Illinois? Couldn't I just keep up my Ohio CDL and be "sleeping" in Illinois, if you catch my drift?

Six

Minimum is Ohio is 130 hours of school 10 hours on the road driving time.

Six

Great job!

I think besides endorsements getting your TWIC is a good idea. I paid $136.00 for it. It will give you security clearance to enter all US Ports and make you more marketable. I also think getting your passport card is a good idea.

Six

Brett, I like the idea of having a communication option: phone call or email. And I've noticed you avoid phone calls since you never call me! Haha!

Interested in other folks' ideas!

I pick Daniel. I'd love to have a someone to call while starting out solo when I get in a tight situation.

Six

Hey, that's awesome Six! Congrats!!!!

No matter how confident you are that you'll pass the exams and get that CDL it's still a massive relief when you actually do it. Because all that time you're studying and learning how to drive you have it in the back of your mind that your career will be done before it even gets started without that CDL. When you get it, it's like, "Oh Thank God!!!!"

I actually had to re-take the driving test. The first time they told me to change from right to left lane. I looked and there was a vehicle in the left lane but I had plenty of room. I turned on my signal and started the lane change. The guy in the four wheeler gunned it and when the examiner looked in my mirror she said I didn't yield. I don't know what I could of done if this a hole floored it to try to get around me and closed the gap. That is an auto fail. Live and learn I guess. The second time I did great, the examiner said he would hire me..lol My only gripe is he dinged me for driving under the speed limit. I was doing 45 in a 55. I did this on purpose because of a lot of snow and ice. I thought driving for the road conditions was the smart option. I felt that empty trailer slide a few times and I wasn't a fan of that. I can't wait to get to work though.

Six

Congrats Kip. Glad to have met you at school. I passed my test last Friday and I know what you mean about the ice and snow. During the emergency pull off, the trailer started to slide sideways on the ice. I heard the examiner didn't have anybody else do the pull off that day because of the icy conditions. Hope to be on the road soon.

It was nice to meet you too. Keep in touch!

PS. Nice pink truck Daniel. :P

I have a pre-hire from Roehl but just got offered a job with US Express. US Express offered a 3,000 signing bonus as well as tuition re-imbursement. The other thought is the Springfield terminal is only a 2 hour drive from my house and my home terminal for Roehl is in Gary IN. Roehl started off 4 cents more a mile though too.

Tough decision but I haven't heard much negative from U.S. Express. I do NOT like the idea of having an automatic though. I have a few weeks to think it over.

Six

45 minimum speed in a 55mph zone should have been point free but it's not worth worrying about a couple points .

Which skills manuevers were required in your state before the road test ? I'm testing in NH Feb 22nd .... straight back and either offset left or offset right is a guarenteed. Third manuever is between parallel left or right and 90 degree alley back. Parallel in NH is the entire tractor in the box with the trailer . Other states I've heard that test parallel only require the trailer in the box.

It's the same in Ohio for the maneuvers. They still do the parallel park here. You do the straight line back, reverse lane change and either the ally dock or parallel park.. whichever the examiner decides to make you do.

Hey, that's awesome Six! Congrats!!!!

No matter how confident you are that you'll pass the exams and get that CDL it's still a massive relief when you actually do it. Because all that time you're studying and learning how to drive you have it in the back of your mind that your career will be done before it even gets started without that CDL. When you get it, it's like, "Oh Thank God!!!!"

I actually had to re-take the driving test. The first time they told me to change from right to left lane. I looked and there was a vehicle in the left lane but I had plenty of room. I turned on my signal and started the lane change. The guy in the four wheeler gunned it and when the examiner looked in my mirror she said I didn't yield. I don't know what I could of done if this a hole floored it to try to get around me and closed the gap. That is an auto fail. Live and learn I guess. The second time I did great, the examiner said he would hire me..lol My only gripe is he dinged me for driving under the speed limit. I was doing 45 in a 55. I did this on purpose because of a lot of snow and ice. I thought driving for the road conditions was the smart option. I felt that empty trailer slide a few times and I wasn't a fan of that. I can't wait to get to work though.

Six

Finally finished school and got my CDL today! I hope to start with Roehl Transport in the next few weeks. Now the real work begins.. I'm up for the challenge.

Thanks to this site and the valuable resources made available, as well as the forum where questions were answered honestly.

Kip (Six)