No Contract Or Contract Training
Topic 19718 | Page 1
Why are you working with an independent recruiter?
Why haven't you driven in 8 years?
Do you realize you'll probably have to go back to school because you need a recent 160 he training certificate?
Yes I do realize I will have to go back through school. I have been around long enough to know that. To answer your question, family illness.
Go to a reputable company sponsored program. Big deal if you sign a contract...you should stay at the first company a full year anyway. You just said yourself "I don't want anything to do with two of his three companies and the third is not freight for a rookie".
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.
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
My company doesn't require a contract, but they also don't have their own school. We do take inexperienced drivers who go through a 30 day company training. Also no tuition reimbursement. Their training program is relatively new as they used to only hire experienced drivers. 6 months verifiable OTR and no training required, 4-5 months usually 2 weeks training.. depends entirely on the new drivers initial road test.
Not sure of their current hiring area.. I know we've had drivers who lived in the Carolinas.. it really depends on the company's needs. Most drivers live in the Midwest.
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.
If you have kept up your CDL and can verify your expierence, you may find a company that will only requier a refresher course. Otherwise either do company sponsored training or pay for your own training and hire on with a company that will reimburse you for it. CFI offers both otions. Now of course I'm 100% biased towards CFI. 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.
Tarheel59, you may want to read Brett's Book. It explains the differences between private schools and company sponsored programs.
Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School
- Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Truck Driving School"
Forgive me if those links dont work. I am trying to figure out how to post them so I can help you out here. If this is wrong, Brett, feel free to correct this for me please. This should cover everything. If I missed something, please let me know.
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.
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.
Looks good to me. I think I am finally getting the hang of this. LOL
Forgot to post that. That will help you select a company after if you go back through a private school.
I'm in the same boat - did a 320 hour course, 8 years ago. Never went OTR.
I would have NO ISSUES doing the whole course over again - even if it meant signing a contract for a year.
We DO RECOMMEND that anyone that's new to the industry (even if you've held your CDL for awhile), stay with their first company for a year ANYWAY.
Your CDL Training is STALE. You are going to require some kind or training/refresher, in order to be considered for a hire at pretty much ANY COMPANY.
And that's not a bad thing.
Depending on your skill level, you may not have to go through the same training as someone with no CDL - but you will still be out with a trainer for a specific period of time.
The companies I spoke with, told me if I passed a road test, that I would "onboard" for 40K miles with a trainer. Another company told me I would have to downgrade my CDL to a regular license, and go through the entire Permit/CDL licensing procedure all over again - which I am loathe to do, because I also hold a Passenger Endorsement that would be a PITA to get back again.
Personally - I would just rent a truck for a day or 3, and re-sharpen my skills before going into a company that required a road test before training - or just bite the bullet and commit to a full course of training (keeping my current CDL of course). Which again - I would have no issues doing.
Don't let a contract commitment keep you from going with a company - you're going to want to stick out that first year ANYWAY - at which point, many more doors will open for you.
Rick
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.
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Hi everyone, I have some several companies. that will accept me, a couple with no contract training and the rest sign a contract. My recruiter keeps telling me that I need to do no contract training and not sign a contract. I have a valid Class A CDL but, absolutely no experience. And went to truck driving school 8 years ago. The 3 companies he works with, 2 of them I don't want anything to do with. The other hauls freight that a rookie should not start out pulling. I could use some input and opinions. Not sure which way to go. I know you should stay at your first company at least a year.The other companies he works with have contracts. Thanks for listening.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: