Old Timer Thinking About Coming Back To OTR Trucking.
Topic 2964 | Page 1
I need a little more info.
Exactly how many years has it been since you were a driver?
2007 full time. I did a little part time for about 60 days 2 years ago.
I need a little more info.
Exactly how many years has it been since you were a driver?
So 7 years ago. Not bad at all. I was 16 years old in 2007.
Your 60 days really wont make a difference.
Unfortunately, its been a while since then and you're most likely going to have to go through training as if you have no experience. In other words, you'll have to go through the same training that a rookie has to go through, you likely won't be getting any shortcuts.
The only way to truly find out is to apply to companies and see what they say about your past experience.
If you would like to get back to hauling fuel, then I highly recommend Schneider National. They provide training as well.
Welcome aboard Phil!
Daniel is right...companies are going to want you to do some sort of training again, hopefully just a short refresher course.
The two best options you have are:
1) Go through one of the Company-Sponsored Training Programs. They'll get you in there as quickly as possible and have you out on the road as quickly as possible. You'll probably have to go out with a trainer for at least a short time, which really stinks I know, but it shouldn't be for long. This way would require almost no money out of pocket but they'll require you to pay back some amount of money for the schooling. How much will depend on the company and what kind of deal you can work out with them.
2) Apply For Truck Driving Jobs and see if you can get some pre-hires. If companies are willing to hire you they'll tell you what their requirements will be for a refresher course at a private school and they'll even tell you which schools they accept training from. You'll take a quick refresher course (usually 40 hours) and they'll send you a bus ticket to come to orientation upon completion. This route may or may not get you out of having to go on the road with a trainer. That will depend on the company and their policies. This way will almost certainly require you to cover the cost of the refresher course up front. You may or may not be able to get the cost reimbursed by the company that hires you. Again, that will depend on the company's policies and any deals you can work out with them.
And of course anytime you make a deal with a school or a company get everything in writing. If they won't put it in writing, assume they never said 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.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
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 am a little similar, i have not driven in 20yrs. I driven for jb for a year then, bought my own truck with mayflower and moved house hold. That was a lot of work with house hold and, paper work. I decided the pay was not worth the 24/7 homelessness of a truck driver and, not enough work during the winters. So, i joined the navy and, just got out and, been looking for a job for 3 yrs now. Thought my b.s. Degree from UMUC Would help but , it has not. Thinking about being an independent driver again , OTR. Thought about leasing, finding my own loads and, driving for the season only- April thru October. Can you give me any advice?
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.
Thought about leasing, finding my own loads and, driving for the season only- April thru October. Can you give me any advice?
It's nearly impossible to turn a worthwhile profit owning or leasing a truck and running team all year round. But to buy or lease a truck, run solo, and for only part of the season? I can't see any way in the world that could be possible. You'll have truck payments all year round. You have to keep those wheels turning. I don't see that as feasible.
If you want to work seasonal I would suggest speaking with logging companies or local farms. They'll generally work you to death some of the year and then you're done until the next time they need you. I don't know where you live so the logging thing could be seasonal or could be year round.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
You have a cdl...A mrs with an income..and your retired. Sounds like a good candidate for Reohl . They have great home time options.... and a shorter training time a lot of other companies .
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.
Thanks for all the info and advice, I am leaning towards going to one of the companies here on TT for training. I have spoken to one of their recruiters and they said I would have to go thru training with them. The only advantage I would have could be that the on the road training may be shortened. I went through a company training in 2000, that didn't give much training at all. Eleven days classroom and pad training and two weeks with an on the road trainer. I had other choices and chose this company because the others were about 6 weeks of training and I thought I didn't need that much training. (Big Ego) At my age now, and knowing what I know now I should have taken the longer training. I have stories about how the lack of early experience and training almost had horrible endings. (Only by the grace of God.) I became an on the road trainer for that same company and saw only a small portion of my students that I recommended to go forward. Scary.
You have a cdl...A mrs with an income..and your retired. Sounds like a good candidate for Reohl . They have great home time options.... and a shorter training time a lot of other companies .
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.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Oh yeah the photo I posted was when I was 19 and the QB for the U of MD.
I have been retired for a number of years, and still have my CDL class A. I have 2 years OTR and 2 years driving a transport tanker. I am bored and have been thinking about driving again for 2-3 years until my girlfriend retires. I am 69 and in pretty good physical shape. I liked the dedicated over the road driving I did, but hated the hauling gasoline in the Washington DC area. The companies were great, hated the traffic. I am fishing for comments, Two years ago, I was hired as a part time short haul driver, but I had some issues with the system and never went to work. I know there is a lot of advice in this forum, thanks ahead of time.
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.
Over The Road:
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.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
This topic has the following tags:
Choosing A Trucking Company
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
I have been retired for a number of years, and still have my CDL class A. I have 2 years OTR and 2 years driving a transport tanker. I am bored and have been thinking about driving again for 2-3 years until my girlfriend retires. I am 69 and in pretty good physical shape. I liked the dedicated over the road driving I did, but hated the hauling gasoline in the Washington DC area. The companies were great, hated the traffic. I am fishing for comments, Two years ago, I was hired as a part time short haul driver, but I had some issues with the system and never went to work. I know there is a lot of advice in this forum, thanks ahead of time.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
Over The Road:
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.