Prospective New Driver...plz Help!
Topic 28714 | Page 2
TMC or Melton would be my first choice for flatbed. Both excellent companies. TMC does company sponsored training in Iowa and columbia South Carolina
So...if I was really interested in driving flatbed y'all's first choice would be...Western Express? Knight, maybe? For the record, I am planning on going company paid CDL training, as I do not currently have a license. I really like Prime, but from what I've heard, they have a very small flatbed fleet. I'll start wherever, but I like the challenge of securing loads. I think of you can do that, you could probably do anything.
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.
I was going to suggest tmc or others for flatbed but I see prime flatbed everywhere too. With a not to be taken lightly APU very nice thing I am sure others with them are big fans. Reefer is a different beast weird hours and crazy tight hard to get into receiving locations. We sometimes pull into the smallest truck stops and says at least I have room to 90 this in. Not back 30ft down an alley 45 degrees for 20 feet into a 90 with a wall less than a ft from my bumper.
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
No matter what you haul you will wind up in congested areas. It’s just part of it. When I started I wish I would have done a Walmart account with Schneider like I was advised haha. I started with dollar general and never had an accident but go in some tight situations