New To All This

Topic 10771 | Page 1

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Boss Mare's Comment
member avatar

New to all of this. I love big rigs and driving and the open road since I was very little as grew up around trucks/trucking life. Due to "life situations" I've decided that I'm tired of working job and ready to take step to better future career and make my dream a reality. I've been doing ALOT of research to find the "right" school. Lots of info out there so any advice is appreciated. Before signing the dotted line, I've been doing a lot of studying and just trying absorb as much information as I can. I'm excited and nervous and just ready to make it all happen. TT been the absolute BEST sight I've come across to gather real information. Also glad to see location where the ladies can talk "real talk" about trucking life. Any advice, tips, knowledge, support is VERY much appreciated. Thanks and stay safe and STRONG. All The Best

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

Susan D. 's Comment
member avatar

Welcome Boss Mare. I grew up around trucks too and after spending 20 years in healthcare, with my youngest kid almost grown, and being single, I'm finally doing something for ME.

I LOVE being on a truck. I love driving. I'm extremely independent. I'm in school now, have my prehires lined up and so anxious to get rolling. I'm one of those restless spirits who loves a challenge and embraces change, so I think I will do quite well.

Prehire:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

Prehires:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Boss Mare's Comment
member avatar

I call that I free spirit. I spent most of my life in SW VA near Bristol. Last year I had to move to Madison, AL to help an ailing family member. I have two younger kids with me still (ages 11 and 9) while the other 3 over 18 and out on their own. This is one of the reasons I've delayed a bit in stating my CDL school. I've had several offers thru company sponsored training but time away from home from kids bit struggle to figure out. OTR for year starting out not what I can do at this moment. So I've been looking at private schools, getting my training, and trying to do Regional , Local stuff to start with. Any suggestions re Schools...private/company sponsored??? I can get the $ for private which way I believe I want to go. Plus everything I've read/heard its better as you paying for it so they not trying to weed you out or just number like company school. I have been studying hard to be ready to start school...(thanks TT online training program and reading the AL CDL manual) I'm just ready to do all this but still have planning, scheduling to figure out. Again...I'm new to all this...I'm always open to suggestions, advice. Knowledge is power... Keep on keepin on and stay safe! All The Best

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.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

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.

Lynette O.'s Comment
member avatar

Welcome to the TT.

It sounds like you prefer local but that is a tough job to get into without any experience. Not to mention that it is mainly labor intensive with doing your own loading/unloading. There are some companies that could maybe get you regional work after about 6 months of OTR. Hopefully, you will find something that will meet your needs. I had to wait till my kids were grown before finally starting to achieve my goal to be a trucker. I started out as a bus driver for city transit to kind of take care of the driving bug till kids were gone.

Good luck with making your decision.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Boss Mare's Comment
member avatar

Thanks... appreciate...just lots of decisions to make before signing the dotted line. Hope school going well for everyone. Not that I mind going OTR but would prefer Regional runs as most people probably would. lol. The load/unload part doesn't bother me... I have worked shipping/receiving, dock work and understand how to do all of that. Is what it is...part of the job... just figuring out how to manage time with kids is important to me but staying home not end all be all...just what prefer

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

Susan D. 's Comment
member avatar

Regional is easy to find as a brand new cdl holder, at least where I am anyways. I've got several regional prehires. Just. Need. To. Finish. School. Lol I'll be home every weekend after completing company training.

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.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

Prehire:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

Prehires:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

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