Best Companies For A New Driver With Passport And TWIC To Go With?
Topic 11644 | Page 1
Just wondering out loud where I should focus on the job search. I'm a student located in NC. CDL-A should be in hand first week in January. I have HAZMAT , doubles/trips, and tankers. When I go get fingerprinted for the HAZMAT, I'm going to apply for the TWIC.
Any suggestions on where I can go to get the most money with the endorsements, passport, and TWIC? Or are first year drivers pretty much all in the same boat with the big companies?
Of course I want to be home often but realistically, I am prepared to go over the road for the first six months or more with limited home time. I figure the sacrifice now will pay off in spades later provided no accidents, tickets, etc.
Where did you go to school?
Most first year drivers are all in the same boat as you put it, slight differences in CPM and home time, but overall consider your first year a paid apprenticeship.
Assuming you are attending a reputable school, here a couple of links that should help you make an informed decision:
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.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Over The Road:
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
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.
EPU:
Electric Auxiliary Power Units
Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices
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Just wondering out loud where I should focus on the job search. I'm a student located in NC. CDL-A should be in hand first week in January. I have HAZMAT , doubles/trips, and tankers. When I go get fingerprinted for the HAZMAT, I'm going to apply for the TWIC.
Any suggestions on where I can go to get the most money with the endorsements, passport, and TWIC? Or are first year drivers pretty much all in the same boat with the big companies?
Of course I want to be home often but realistically, I am prepared to go over the road for the first six months or more with limited home time. I figure the sacrifice now will pay off in spades later provided no accidents, tickets, etc.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Over The Road:
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.