Not Sure What's Next...

Topic 20053 | Page 1

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Matthew K.'s Comment
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I've just passed my drug screening through Workforce to secure a grant for private schooling. Assuming no further delays, I should be starting in a week or two with classes, and graduating about a month after that.

My question is... What do I do after that? My dad (who never drove trucks, and doesn't know anyone who did) is insistent that I get a minimum of 6 months OTR with a large company before attempting to find a local route. I'm not sure how fond I am of that idea, but it definitely makes sense. How would I go about choosing a company? Most job boards are plastered with multiple posts by a few of the bigger companies (Swift certainly likes to spam job listings.) I'm currently talking to Knight, mainly because the closest terminal is 3 hours away in Columbus. (I live in northern West Virginia, about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh.)

Is it possible to avoid doing OTR straight out of schooling? As I'm sure many of you know, oil and gas is still booming here in WV, and it seems reasonable that I could drive water or cement trucks starting out.

I'd like to point out that I'm not actively trying to avoid OTR. If anything, I think I'd enjoy driving it. I just want to explore my options and try to stay near home. (I'm single, with no kids and soon to be no immediate family living nearby, but if possible I'd still much prefer to be home on the weekends.)

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.

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.

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.

Minnis B.'s Comment
member avatar

Hello from the southern coalfields of WV. While starting local is possible directly out of school, most companies in the state (including oil, gas and coal) require a minimum of 2 years experience. As a general rule you want to get AT LEAST one year of safe OTR driving under your belt and that will open a lot of doors. We also recommend staying with your first company a minimum of one year as well which looks very good on the resume. As far as companies, check with TMC. Their general rule is to get you home on weekends and you still make good money if you run the right way. They are 100% flatbed though so there's some physical work involved in it such as strapping/chaining loads and throwing tarps. Not sure if you'd enjoy that or not though. You definitely picked the right place to begin your research. There is a TON of knowledge available here including the High Road training program. Start doing it now and by test time you'll be 110% ready.

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Matthew K.'s Comment
member avatar

Minnis, if I'm doing OTR I wanna be driving dry van with as high a percentage of drop and hook as humanly possible.

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.

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

Drop And Hook:

Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.

In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.

Old School's Comment
member avatar

Welcome Matthew!

Take some time and look into these links...

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.
Minnis B.'s Comment
member avatar

I understand completely. That's the route I'm taking as well. For some the increased home time is worth the extra work.

G-Town's Comment
member avatar

Minnis, if I'm doing OTR I wanna be driving dry van with as high a percentage of drop and hook as humanly possible.

Welcome Matthew I concur with Old School, please read the information he included in his reply.

Also realize that the companies willing to hire you directly from CDL school will require you to successfully complete finish training or road training. CDL schools teach just enough to pass the CDL tests. Basics, nothing more. Duration of road training varies by company; 3 weeks up to 3 months. And yes, this is OTR driving.

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.

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

Drop And Hook:

Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.

In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.

Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

G-Town explains:

Also realize that the companies willing to hire you directly from CDL school will require you to successfully complete finish training or road training. CDL schools teach just enough to pass the CDL tests. Basics, nothing more. Duration of road training varies by company; 3 weeks up to 3 months. And yes, this is OTR driving.

Just to clarify, CDL school is most often done on your dime - you're in school, not an employee. Once a company invites you to orientation (3 days) you are in line to get paid. In your "finish training" or "road training" you will be earning paychecks. (Not full trucker pay, but smaller trainee pay will be coming.)

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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