Want To Drive A Truck
Topic 1211 | Page 1
At the top of the page are 2 headings .... MAIN and BECOMING A TRUCK DRIVER. They cover all kinds of questions like this.
Start here: Private or company sponsored school
Then try: How To Choose A School
then: Company-Sponsored Training
and this one: How To Choose A Company
and 1 more: Truck Driving Schools
good luck
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.
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.
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.
Christopher, welcome to the forum!
Schneider is a great operation with lots of opportunities in many different driving divisions. I don't think they offer schooling anymore, so most people who get hired there go through a private school. If you think you're interested in Schneider then I would recommend that you first contact them and ask what schools they hire from, then get a relationship started with a recruiter there so they can go ahead and get you a pre-hire letter or some kind of a commitment that shows that you would be accepted by them once your schooling is complete. Read the information in Understanding Pre-Hires and that will help you understand what I'm talking about. I kind of remember something about Schneider doing this pre-hire process a little bit different than most companies, but a recruiter can help you out on this.
Schneider has a great training program, but I don't think it is geared toward obtaining your CDL , it is more set up for newly licensed drivers who get their first job with Schneider. Remember the main thrust of the private driving schools is to help you get that CDL. You don't really come out of truck driving school being a truck driver, but you do get enough training so that you can land a job where they will begin to help finish you out a little until they feel somewhat comfortable letting you loose out on the highway commanding some of their very expensive equipment and trusting you to take care of their very valuable customers freight.
It will take you some time as a solo driver before you start feeling like you are getting your stride, but it will come as you are exposed to the many valuable lessons that every new driver experiences in his own way and time as he's moving freight down the road. The road tends to teach it's own lessons to each of us in it's own time. Experience behind the wheel can be the most valuable tutor a new driver ever comes across, but it can also be a harsh master for the unwary. Being a new driver can be a very intense experience, mentally exhausting at times. We've a great many resources for new drivers here at this site and I hope you'll avail yourself of them as best you can.
If you're serious about this then please don't skip over the valuable training you can find in the High Road Training Program. By utilizing this unique training program many successful newbies have found themselves way ahead of the curve when they attended a private school.
I wish you the best with your training and hope you'll keep us posted on how you decide to pursue your 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.
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.
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.
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Not sure if I should pay for school I can afford it or let a company pay for it I was looking at Schneider trucking? Wat y'all think?