Going To Trucking From Driving A Bus (California)
Topic 17466 | Page 1
Additionally, not sure if it's relevant in trucking, but I'll have been with my current company probably seven maybe eight months when I leave. I have heard many people outside transportation try to tell me to stick it out for at least a year, or two years, or what, but I feel like staying would be more detrimental to me than leaving on good terms while I can. How much does this affect my chances with companies? Are they going to look negatively upon this?
Be aware that CRST is a Team Company. I don't think that Teaming will be your cup of tea so to speak. This Forum has tons of information that will answer many of your questions. Make sure to utilize the High Road Training module for your written test prep. It is Free and you won't need to crack open the DMV Manual.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Thanks, yeah. That's good to know. Swift runs solo drivers after training?
I'm not too worried about the written tests— after all I already have a commercial license and the general knowledge is the same from class a and class b. So far I've found the training modules to be a really useful reviewer though. After all, it's been a while since I took the written dmv tests.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Yes, I drive for SWIFT. 3 weeks of classroom, 200 hrs. with a Mentor, (4-5 weeks), then Solo.
Jim Palmer Trucking has a good program and unlike Swift and CRST, the trucks are set up for driver comfort with Tripac APU and hookups for computer, flatscreen Direct TV, refrigerator, etc. Also look at Celadon. CRST you'll run teams for minimum 10 months.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Seadragon wrote:
Jim Palmer Trucking has a good program and unlike Swift and CRST, the trucks are set up for driver comfort with Tripac APU and hookups for computer, flatscreen Direct TV, refrigerator, etc. Also look at Celadon. CRST you'll run teams for minimum 10 months.
I agree Jim Palmer has a really good program, there are several successful drivers in this forum working for them. However I can tell you first hand with zero doubt, Swift also has a very good program. The primary reason I chose Swift over 4 years ago was because of their Company-Sponsored Training Program and the myriad of driving opportunities available once you prove yourself. I still work for them running Walmart in the NorthEast, very happy, earning excellent money, with zero complaints. Granted, the first year was difficult (as with any trucking job), but Swift Driver Management & Terminal Management at the WM DC were totally supportive to myself and other rookies. Incredible bunch of professionals, in part why I still work there.
As far as the other things you mentioned? APU's are an option, not a requirement, and they do breakdown. I do not think having one or not is a valid reason to choose one company over another. I never had an APU and haven't lacked for comfort in summer or winter. In fact when I was assigned to a condo-sleeper the only hook-up it did not have was Direct TV. The Cascadia also had a factory installed refrigerator (that worked) and an integral TV nook.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
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.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APU's:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Swift has a training facility in fontana. That would help fit into your time frame and location. Good luck with your transition.
Thank you all for your replies and thoughts.
I'll be talking to recruiters more this coming week on my days off. I'm also hoping that my experience driving a bus (including 60' articulated buses) is not wholly to waste and will give me some skills to have a heads up with the new directed.
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So, hi there.
I'm currently a class b bus driver at a major metropolitan transit agency, but one of the things that I've discovered while I have driven a bus is that I love driving— and I'm a little bit (might be an understatement of the year) antisocial. Driving a bus full of people every day is starting to wear on me, and I'm looking into moving over to get my class a and hopefully go over the road in the new year. I want to drive and I hope that not having all the people will mean I'm less short with my family when I do get home, and such things.
My hope is to do company sponsored CDL training and have this all arranged for before I leave my current company. I'm aiming for an end date at the beginning of March, followed by a week or two of my own to get my belongings in order enough to leave and do cdl training and over the road without feeling like I'm leaving a mess behind.
Mostly I want to hear opinions and experiences with company sponsored training in southern California. At the moment the only options that I know of are CRST and Swift. I'm also willing to go to central California if there's a better option there. Additionally anything you think I should know before going into this would be welcome.
I have a clean driving record, a good record with my current company, and a clean background check, so I'm not worried about those things getting in my way.
Thank you all in advance for your time and such. I look forward to getting some perspective.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
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.