Newish Driver , Questions/opinions
Topic 31191 | Page 1
Hello Missouri777, first, if you've been driving a year you are not new. What you've mentioned are not red flags they are huge red banners, totally unmissable signs that you are at the wrong kind of company. I'm guessing they have all been extremely small companies. You need to look toward the larger companies. I haven't seen a company yet that would allow much less encourage any of that to happen, especially the safety violations. Run hard and fast away from that type of company before you end up losing your CDL or kill someone or get killed yourself. Thats insane.
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.
I agree those issues are far more than red flags. I think your in the st louis area, correct?? Send me an email I may have an option for you in that area. My email is in my profile. You need to get into a reputable company before you end up messing up your career before it gets off the ground good.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.EPU:
Electric Auxiliary Power Units
Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices
I see you're in KC, MO. We have a terminal there and I will probably be there late this afternoon, unless they change things up on me. CFI has OTR and regional positions. Our headquarters are in Joplin. You may want to give them a try. A year of OTR will open many doors for. With CFI if you have a problem with your seat, it would be fixed or replaced quickly.
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.
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.
If you must stay local, have you tried companies like ODFL, and all the other big names in your area?
I looked into Od and I’d have to get Doubles/Triples and Hazmat from the looks of it, I’m not opposed to that , I do know hazmat can be timely, so I’ll look in to that. I just spoke with Cfi, the lady sent me applink , looks like they have a home daily for Advance auto and Carequest or something along those lines outta Shawnee, do y’all have referalls, if so I can put ur info down if you’d like.
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
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Thanks. My truck number is 52738. CFI will reimburse you for the hazmat background check as well as the hazmat and tanker endorsements.
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
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Hello, so I decided to make a career change summer of 2020, my previous background was warehouse/manufacturing and mostly dead end. So I’ve had my Class A for a year, and it seems like the jobs I have worked seem great over the phone and pre hire and then I start…. And every time (3 to be exact) red flags start popping up and usually progresses. I’m curious what’s acceptable and not acceptable. Am I being to picky? 1. The condition of the truck. From no headlight/bad wiring, no seatbelt, water pouring they the roof when it started raining. Being sent to a distribution center with bubbled trailer tires and some not even reading any pressure and being told that I need to stop somewhere asap or I won’t even make it 30 miles. Being told not to stop at weigh stations that I’ll be fine. Having shrapnel sticking though my seat and cutting my leg and ripping my jeans every time I get outta the truck, and the list goes on. This has been my luck so far. Sometimes I feel like I should just suck it up and be grateful I have a job and sometimes I just wanna throw my cdl in the trash and forget about it. I want to be local and it’s hard to get anyone to give me a chance and if they do they want to pay McDonalds wages and offer insurance for 800 a month and it’s shot insurance. Does it get better or am I just looking in the wrong places. I often feel like it’s because I’m new and am a target for some of these **** companies. Any advice on how someone interviews and what things you say and look for. Thanks and sorry for the vent.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
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.