Not A Trucker......
Topic 32124 | Page 1
I would like to keep Firefighting on the side but also I would be okay with doing just trucking. I do a lot of traveling and know I can drive for 8hrs straight and enjoy the travel. I have gone from Nashville to Tampa a few times and do Nashville to Charleston south Carolina often to visit family. So I think I would be okay with adapting to the life style.
Welcome Mark
Thank you for your service as a first responder!!
We are a very inviting group. We exist so people looking for straight honest information about getting into trucking can get answers. There is a ton of information already and feel free to ask questions.
I am a retired LEO and taught driver training for first responders for 20 plus years. The fire truck in my opinion is harder to drive than my semi. You probably already have a non commercial class B license with air brakes endorsement. You also have alot of knowledge already about inspections.
Getting started your best bet is too go over the road full time and get some experience under your belt for at least a year or two. Then living in Nashville there should be a ton of more local and regional work. This is one of if not the most diverse industries we have in the country.
I started out going through a company sponsored school, drove OTR for several years, have done a mix of regional and OTR, and now my slowdown is working on average 3-4 days a week, the weeks I want to work. You just have to put in the time to get experience and find your niche.
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.
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.
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yep got the class B with the air break endorsement. Do you know of any good paid CDL class A training jobs? Any you would recommend?
Welcome Mark
Thank you for your service as a first responder!!
We are a very inviting group. We exist so people looking for straight honest information about getting into trucking can get answers. There is a ton of information already and feel free to ask questions.
I am a retired LEO and taught driver training for first responders for 20 plus years. The fire truck in my opinion is harder to drive than my semi. You probably already have a non commercial class B license with air brakes endorsement. You also have alot of knowledge already about inspections.
Getting started your best bet is too go over the road full time and get some experience under your belt for at least a year or two. Then living in Nashville there should be a ton of more local and regional work. This is one of if not the most diverse industries we have in the country.
I started out going through a company sponsored school, drove OTR for several years, have done a mix of regional and OTR, and now my slowdown is working on average 3-4 days a week, the weeks I want to work. You just have to put in the time to get experience and find your niche.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yep got the class B with the air break endorsement. Do you know of any good paid CDL class A training jobs? Any you would recommend?
Welcome Mark
Thank you for your service as a first responder!!
We are a very inviting group. We exist so people looking for straight honest information about getting into trucking can get answers. There is a ton of information already and feel free to ask questions.
I am a retired LEO and taught driver training for first responders for 20 plus years. The fire truck in my opinion is harder to drive than my semi. You probably already have a non commercial class B license with air brakes endorsement. You also have alot of knowledge already about inspections.
Getting started your best bet is too go over the road full time and get some experience under your belt for at least a year or two. Then living in Nashville there should be a ton of more local and regional work. This is one of if not the most diverse industries we have in the country.
I started out going through a company sponsored school, drove OTR for several years, have done a mix of regional and OTR, and now my slowdown is working on average 3-4 days a week, the weeks I want to work. You just have to put in the time to get experience and find your niche.
Mark, do you mean training schools? Many trucking companies provide paid training based on a short commitment, usually one year. This is the best was to go. Paid CDL Training Programs
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yep got the class B with the air break endorsement. Do you know of any good paid CDL class A training jobs? Any you would recommend?
Welcome Mark
Thank you for your service as a first responder!!
We are a very inviting group. We exist so people looking for straight honest information about getting into trucking can get answers. There is a ton of information already and feel free to ask questions.
I am a retired LEO and taught driver training for first responders for 20 plus years. The fire truck in my opinion is harder to drive than my semi. You probably already have a non commercial class B license with air brakes endorsement. You also have alot of knowledge already about inspections.
Getting started your best bet is too go over the road full time and get some experience under your belt for at least a year or two. Then living in Nashville there should be a ton of more local and regional work. This is one of if not the most diverse industries we have in the country.
I started out going through a company sponsored school, drove OTR for several years, have done a mix of regional and OTR, and now my slowdown is working on average 3-4 days a week, the weeks I want to work. You just have to put in the time to get experience and find your niche.
Welcome from me also, Mark!
Definitely follow the link that BK sent you, in regards to good company paid schooling.
Here's some great 'starter' reads for you, as well:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
And for more info on BK's link, to expound: Paid CDL Training Programs
Best wishes, and thanks from us, too!
~ Anne ~
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.
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.
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.
I got my start at FedEx freight, being home everyday. I work with a guy that's a volunteer firefighter.
FedEx has their days setup to be no longer than 12 hours. Most p/d guys work 10 hrs a day and linehaul days/nights vary in length.
I went into FedEx freight with a permit and they trained me, scheduled and paid for my CDL road test.
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.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Mark, just on a side note, your being a “driver engineer” made me chuckle. If you go to the great thread about funny pictures here on Trucking Truth, someone posted a picture of a tee shirt with the slogan: “Freight Relocation Engineer”. So, you have the opportunity to go from Driver Engineer to Freight Relocation Engineer.
lol
Mark, just on a side note, your being a “driver engineer” made me chuckle. If you go to the great thread about funny pictures here on Trucking Truth, someone posted a picture of a tee shirt with the slogan: “Freight Relocation Engineer”. So, you have the opportunity to go from Driver Engineer to Freight Relocation Engineer.
yep and thanks for the link
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yep got the class B with the air break endorsement. Do you know of any good paid CDL class A training jobs? Any you would recommend?
Welcome Mark
Thank you for your service as a first responder!!
We are a very inviting group. We exist so people looking for straight honest information about getting into trucking can get answers. There is a ton of information already and feel free to ask questions.
I am a retired LEO and taught driver training for first responders for 20 plus years. The fire truck in my opinion is harder to drive than my semi. You probably already have a non commercial class B license with air brakes endorsement. You also have alot of knowledge already about inspections.
Getting started your best bet is too go over the road full time and get some experience under your belt for at least a year or two. Then living in Nashville there should be a ton of more local and regional work. This is one of if not the most diverse industries we have in the country.
I started out going through a company sponsored school, drove OTR for several years, have done a mix of regional and OTR, and now my slowdown is working on average 3-4 days a week, the weeks I want to work. You just have to put in the time to get experience and find your niche.
Mark, do you mean training schools? Many trucking companies provide paid training based on a short commitment, usually one year. This is the best was to go. Paid CDL Training Programs
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.
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.
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.
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Hi, I want to start by saying I am mark and am not a trucker. I am a driver engineer with a fire department and I have a completion certification after completing my EVOC emergency vehicle operator course. I am doing that full time for now but I hope to get into trucking. Not like a sleeper out on the roads all the time but like a day cab doing a full time job and Firefighting on the side. A few questions: A) am I allowed to be on this forum not being a trucker since I am hoping to get into trucking? B) does a 5 day a week 12 hours a day job exist in trucking?
I currently operate a pierce fire engine and am driving a truck weighing between 38 and 60 thousand pounds. Most the time 58,000 with tanks almost full. So I am hoping it won't be to difficult to adjust.
Day Cab:
A tractor which does not have a sleeper berth attached to it. Normally used for local routes where drivers go home every night.