Community College As A Means Of Getting My Cdl?
Topic 26566 | Page 3
Joel, here's another angle on going with a company school.
A private CDL school's business is getting you a CDL. Nothing more. Sure, recruiters come by with a pitch for their version of The Open Road. But you still have to go through the hiring process. And you've bought the school CDL program, job or no job.
On the other hand, a company will FIRST see if you are a good fit before committing to put you into CDL school. This is a long winded way to say you are all but hired when that company accepts you into their school - that's a headache you avoid.
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.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
Parrothead66 so the college is Austin Community College and I believe McElroy have a contract with them after I complete schooling and then I can get tuition reimbursement from them. Is that correct? Only thing is I might have to pay for the schooling cost upfront to begin with.
Joel, I'm thinking you're confused on this, but I can't be sure. Please verify this with your recruiter. I'm pretty sure McElroy will pay your tuition, and you sign a contract to work for them for one year. Ask your recruiter if that's how it works.
I agree with Old School. I went to Prime and paid NOTHiNG at all. I signed a 1 year contract and paid nothing. Big Scott went dry van at CFI and paid NOTHING thw same way. Most companies do it that way.
My concern is your assumption you can get an LTL job straight out of school. Local and "home more" jobs are highly desirable and gobbled up by experienced drivers. That is why a lot of people go OTR to gain the experience which makes them marketable for coveted jobs.
Local jobs have tighter backing and narrower roads which are difficult for newbies to manuever.
You and your wife may need to set your expectations differently.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
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.
If they’re contracted with Mcelroy then the company pays for the school. You sign a contract to work for them for the agreed amount of time. There’s no reimbursement because you’re not out any cash.
Parrothead66 so the college is Austin Community College and I believe McElroy have a contract with them after I complete schooling and then I can get tuition reimbursement from them. Is that correct? Only thing is I might have to pay for the schooling cost upfront to begin with.
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McElroy Attending Truck Driving School Becoming A Truck Driver CDL Pre-Hire Choosing A Truck Driving School First Truck Driving Job Flatbed Getting Your CDL Recruiter Issues Truck Driving Orientation
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Some really great advice. Thanks for sharing.