Have A Class B With P&S Airbrakes...
Topic 2262 | Page 1
Hi Annie...and WELCOME TO TT !!! we are glad you found us !! To answer your questions...Your class B license will have little to no effect on getting your class A CDL...you will still need to go thru a school of your choice, and then road training. Your age shouldn't be a factor, if you are reasonably healthy, and can pass the DOT physical. You can go to a private school, a school thru a community college if theres one close, or thru a trucking company school. We have alot of links you can use likeHow To Choose A School for schools....and then you will need to "get on the High Road" here High Road Training Program to help study for your permits, endorsements, and your cdl school !! Here at TT, we have everything to help you become the best trucker you can be. AND theres always the great people on the forum, to answer any question you may have....So you have some research to do, and some decisions to make. If you need any help, we are right here !!
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
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.
Thanks Star for the nice welcome. So the DOT Med Card/First Aide, etc wont help? lol... guess you get these question more than you like.. much like the questions I use to get in the national parks on when we let the wildlife out.
I am in good health, no meds - planning on getting endorsements for Hazmat and tanker in the next two weeks... will that help? do I have to have my Class A permit before going to school or is this something the company will help with?
I appreciate all of your help.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Welcome aboard Texasannie!
Ok, so having the class B isn't going to amount to much as Starcar mentioned. As far as the physical, by Federal Law you need a new physical every time you start a new job. And a lot of truck driving schools also require a physical and drug test so you'll probably have more than one in the process.
As far as getting the permit and endorsements - in your case I'm not sure. Because you have the class A you might be able to take your endorsement tests before your permit test but I'm not sure. These laws vary from state to state. I know some states require you to actually obtain your CDL before you can get your Hazmat endorsement. So you'll have to speak with your local Motor Vehicle Department to see what they require.
As far as getting your permit before school, that also depends. It usually helps quite a bit to get your permit before starting school. Take our High Road Training Program as Starcar mentioned and you'll be prepared for your permit, all of your endorsements, and even beyond that with the Logbook and Weight & Balance sections we've put together.
Because the permit has a limited life span, which of course varies from state to state, you'll want to wait until just before you begin your schooling to get your permit.
Also, read through our Trucker's Career Guide. It's loaded with information on about every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your Class A and getting into trucking.
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.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Welcome Texasannie!
I am from East Texas also, and just want to clarify a few things Brett brought up. In Texas you can go ahead and take your endorsements before you get your Class A. I took my endorsements along with my permit test and then when I did get my class A they just all magically appeared on it. The only one that you have to wait on is the Hazmat , but they will let you do that immediately following if you are prepared for it.
I wasn't sure from your post if you are looking for a private school or Company sponsored training , but just wanted to mention Lufkin Truck Driving Academy to you as a possibility. This is a Woman owned truck driving school with a female class room instructor and a really fine gentleman teaching the driving portion of the school. The lady who owns the school and the lady who teaches the classroom portion are both ex truck drivers with loads of experience and great stories to tell. Lufkin is not too terribly far from you and you can do a search on the internet with their name to find their website and get some contact information. I think you can also find them in this listing of Truck Driving Schools. Best of luck to you, and don't be shy. We will be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions.
And don't forget to check out the Ladies Of Trucking Forum.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Thanks Brett and Old School (good to know there are Texans out there)... I will look up the school but was looking to find a sponsored company school due to financial concerns. Funny thing is, a recruiter for JB Hunt told me that I should look at Schnieder. One of the company sponsored driving schools listed is not accepting applicants at this time. I did take the time out today to apply to four of them though - Stevens is the closet to where I live. Guess time will tell. Thanks again...
If you are going to go the company sponsored route I wouldn't concern myself with the location of the school. They will all pay your way to get there, and most of them will put you up in a hotel and even pay for your meals. I do recommend that you have your permit in hand before going though. If you end up going to an out of state school it may not be as important to have your permit.
Just remember that these company sponsored schools are really just an extended lengthy job interview. They are going to push you to your limits to get everything done in a timely manner. The whole process is fast and furious and only the strong survive. I have no doubts that you can handle yourself in this type environment I just want you to be prepared mentally for what lies ahead. In my opinion it is a great way to get started because it costs so very little. Keep us posted on how things are developing for you. Stevens is a great place to get started.
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So since I already have a Class B, how does that affect training for a Class A? Is it a pro Len for someone as old as as I (61) am to start a truck driving career? Live near Houston, so which truck driving school should I consider? Thanks y'all. Looking forwArd to your answers.