There's a school locally I can go to to get a CDL I'm seriously considering. Now I know a lot of trucking jobs in general have you on the road throughout the country for long periods of time etc. But wouldn't getting a CDL open other driving jobs as well? Something that isn't nessiarily a tractor trailer OTR job? Like driving for coca - cola or something. Or at least getting the CDL would give me the options of tractor trailer companies because I didn't go to THEIR specific company trainning....
I ask because I'd like to at least stay in the same state I live in (Texas) for a job. My barber told me about her friend who got a job driving for Goodwill because he just came out of CDL school here.
Let me be pre precise I mean like driving big vehicles in general. Like for furniture companies, or grocery companies etc. Not just the general big tractor trailer companies. Wouldn't various companies see my CDL license as a plus and want me to drive for them?
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
Driving While Intoxicated
There's a school locally I can go to to get a CDL I'm seriously considering. Now I know a lot of trucking jobs in general have you on the road throughout the country for long periods of time etc. But wouldn't getting a CDL open other driving jobs as well? Something that isn't nessiarily a tractor trailer OTR job? Like driving for coca - cola or something. Or at least getting the CDL would give me the options of tractor trailer companies because I didn't go to THEIR specific company trainning....
I ask because I'd like to at least stay in the same state I live in (Texas) for a job. My barber told me about her friend who got a job driving for Goodwill because he just came out of CDL school here.
Let me be pre precise I mean like driving big vehicles in general. Like for furniture companies, or grocery companies etc. Not just the general big tractor trailer companies. Wouldn't various companies see my CDL license as a plus and want me to drive for them?
Yes but often those local jobs want some experience, but they are out there. Farm/dairy, construction, P&D , local distribution, lumber, etc.
Phil
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
Local drivers that stay around their area, usually within 100 mile radius of a terminal, picking up and delivering loads.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers for instance will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Driving While Intoxicated
Miqote, Yes, getting your CDL-A will open doors for trucking jobs. But driving round town in a $200,000 truck, and not hitting other cars, lamp posts and such, really does require road experience.
So-called "starter" trucking companies do get you the training, using over the road trainers, and you are committed to several thousand miles, or many driving hours to learn the finer points of driving, backing and shifting, not to speak of those federal rules for driving "big vehicles".
As usual, there are different ways to get this experience, but asking for a job at the local Pepsi or grocery distributor, they don't want to train you in driving. Truly, the most common way is to hire on to a trucking company and drive for a year. In searching, the "code words" you need to look for are student, trainee and recent grad.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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 see! Thanks for the insight!
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
There's a school locally I can go to to get a CDL I'm seriously considering. Now I know a lot of trucking jobs in general have you on the road throughout the country for long periods of time etc. But wouldn't getting a CDL open other driving jobs as well? Something that isn't nessiarily a tractor trailer OTR job? Like driving for coca - cola or something. Or at least getting the CDL would give me the options of tractor trailer companies because I didn't go to THEIR specific company trainning....
I ask because I'd like to at least stay in the same state I live in (Texas) for a job. My barber told me about her friend who got a job driving for Goodwill because he just came out of CDL school here.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
DWI:
Driving While Intoxicated