Employment History/ Regional?
Topic 26474 | Page 1
Welcome aboard!
The largest obstacle you may encounter is going to be living in central Florida. Not much freight leaving there. It's hard to get out of there to other points because next to nothing is manufactured.
Do you recommend I move out of state before getting my cdl? Are there any companies hiring inexperienced grads out of florida, specifically those with a flatbed division?
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.
Welcome to the forum Aj.
Swift has a terminal in Ocala, and they are the primary transportation partner for the Winterhaven Walmart Grocery DC. Running Walmart Dedicated out of Winterhaven is a regional assignment allowing at least 1 day per week home time.
I suggest you take a good look at your options in this link: Paid CDL Training Programs
Here is some additional reading material we recommend to anyone just starting to research trucking as a career.
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
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.
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Do you recommend I move out of state before getting my cdl? Are there any companies hiring inexperienced grads out of florida, specifically those with a flatbed division?
I'm sure some companies do hire from Florida, just know upfront that many do not. Factoring in your desire to be home weekends, the number will drop further. Don't stop before you begin, though! Contact many companies and see what responses you receive in return.
I would definitely figure out (by actually driving) if this trucking lifestyle is agreeable with your circumstances prior to picking up everything for a relocation.
This isn't a normal "job", but a lifestyle. The fact is most do not make it to the first year anniversary as a driver for a myriad assortment of reasons. This should not be taken as me trying to steer you away, but it's the truth, and that's why we're here. Think long and hard because it takes a lot of commitment. You don't just clock out at the end of your shift each day, get home, and forget about it until the next day. You will have a vested interest in this career, one day at a time. The successful driver is largely in charge of their own paycheck by how much they want it every day. Go hard, be an overachiever and you reap the rewards. Do an average effort and your wallet will suffer, indeed. This is a performance-based career that's not for the timid, the lazy, or the average employee.
Are you up for it?
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.
Are there any companies hiring inexperienced grads out of florida, specifically those with a flatbed division?
it would just be a bonus to be home most weekends. I'm in central Florida of that helps!
You need to contact these guys...
They hire new drivers from your area, offer weekends at home, and I'm pretty sure they have a training program to help you obtain your CDL. They have a strong flatbed division.
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.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
Fm:
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.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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Hey all, hope everyone's having a good day! I am studying for my permit test but I am worried about punditry employment history. I'm 23 years old and I started working when I was 17. The first few years I was stupid and immature and bounced from job to job. This all changed when I had my son; my mentality changed and I became more dedicated and I've been with the same job for two years now. How do I explain my prior spotty backround? Also, as a new grad would otr be my only option or can I go straight to regional? I'm perfectly fine with putting in my time otr , it would just be a bonus to be home most weekends. I'm in central Florida of that helps!
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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.