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More questions come to mind now, after reading this forum here and there; being in Massachusetts, what are the requirements to obtain a CDL? Asides from training/schooling and passing exams/road tests, do you have to perform OTR for a certain amount of time, and so many hours/days a week, in order to be able to obtain a local job that would allow me to work M-F and be home every nights and weekends?
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.
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.
Welcome to the site... I will give you some links and just read everything you can and if you still have questions then just ask someone will answer them...
1..Truck Driver's Career Guide 2.. Company-Sponsored Training 3..High Road Training Program 4..Truck Driving Schools 5..How To Choose A School 6..How To Choose A Company 7..Understanding Pre-Hires 8..Brett's Book
I'd read all those and should answer a lot of your questions..
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.
Pre-hire:
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.
Pre-hires:
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.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Welcome RebelliousVamp.
Definitely go through our Truck Driver's Career Guide from beginning to end and follow all of the links you come across. That will teach you a lot about what it takes to get your career off to a great start, including the requirements for getting a CDL , your options for truck driving schools, how to choose a school, how to choose a company, and all kinds of stuff.
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.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
For messaging, you just click on the person's name and send a message, it winds up in their email. As for everything else, just use the links already provided on here and study study study. My understanding is that Massachusetts is one of the more difficult states to earn your cdl in but it's not impossible by any means.
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.
Thanks everyone. I have already read through a lot of that info. My question was more specific about requirements in Massachusetts. I heard someone say that you have to do OTR for the first two years, 6 days a week. Which I'm not interested in doing, as I do need my weekends. I still have a teenage daughter at home, therefor I wouldn't want to do long distance trips. I'm looking to get into this career and be able to be home at night.
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.
Get a physical, take the test, get a PERMIT. Practice (1-3 weeks), take the DOT skills test, you have a CDL license!
But few companies you take you on with a fresh license and your training certificate. That's where you get a Recent Grads job. "Recent Grads" is the code word. That company will hire you and get you trained and experienced in maybe a month or three. Paid!
Then you can live happily ever after.
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.
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.
Thanks everyone. I have already read through a lot of that info. My question was more specific about requirements in Massachusetts. I heard someone say that you have to do OTR for the first two years, 6 days a week. Which I'm not interested in doing, as I do need my weekends. I still have a teenage daughter at home, therefor I wouldn't want to do long distance trips. I'm looking to get into this career and be able to be home at night.
Welcome to Trucking Truth.
Not sure where you heard that...not true. Most companies require an entry level driver to perform their initial road-training, OTR or sometimes local for approximately 6-8 weeks. That has nothing to do with Massachusetts and everything to do with an individual company policy. Considering your home time requirements, a local or dedicated gig may be your only option. My suggestions is start researching local/regional opportunities now, understand what your options are before you go to the trouble of going through school and getting your CDL , only to find out that there aren't any jobs that fit your home-time requirements.
Best of luck to you.
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.
I have a friend who's been working for the same company for 10 years or so, he does "local", meaning he travels all day, 10-12 hours a day, in and out of state, but he's home every night and weekends. He said if I can do the job, his company would surely hire me. Should I actually visit his company's office to make sure? lol
I have a friend who's been working for the same company for 10 years or so, he does "local", meaning he travels all day, 10-12 hours a day, in and out of state, but he's home every night and weekends. He said if I can do the job, his company would surely hire me. Should I actually visit his company's office to make sure? lol
At the very least I'd visit their website if they have one. And yes, a visit to their office is probably a good idea. I believe in being your own advocate and not relying on someone else to "make it happen".
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Good evening all, how do we access private messaging on here? lol (not that I have anyone to private message to). I'm pondering taking the CDL class and welcome any info. I am located in Western MA! :)
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: