About To Finish CDL-A Academy. Swift Accounts With The Best Job Security?
Topic 32282 | Page 2
Epic football program there. I've heard that trucking school in Calhoun is not too good. Just FYI.
Which part of Louisiana? I live in the about 30 minutes from Shreveport
Thanks everyone for the input. I live in Louisiana. I was planning on just doing OTR dryvan for a while, and then trying to get a home weekly account in Florida if the opportunity presents itself.
Thanks everyone for the input. I live in Louisiana. I was planning on just doing OTR dryvan for a while, and then trying to get a home weekly account in Florida if the opportunity presents itself.
I live near West Monroe
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.
Dryvan:
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.
I've heard that trucking school in Calhoun is not too good. Just FYI.
Which part of Louisiana? I live in the about 30 minutes from Shreveport
Thanks everyone for the input. I live in Louisiana. I was planning on just doing OTR dryvan for a while, and then trying to get a home weekly account in Florida if the opportunity presents itself.
Thanks everyone for the input. I live in Louisiana. I was planning on just doing OTR dryvan for a while, and then trying to get a home weekly account in Florida if the opportunity presents itself.
I live near West Monroe
I heard the same. I'm at Swift's academy in Memphis right now, hopefully will pass the test to get my full cdl-a within the next week.
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.
Dryvan:
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.
How long is the academy?
How long is the academy?
You need 160 hours of instruction and a certain amount of drive time to take the exam. The first 40 hour week can be done over zoom. Then you have to physically go to the academy for the next 40 hr week of classroom instruction. Then you are on the range backing, driving and practicing pretrip for 80 hrs/2 weeks. After that, they will schedule your exam. How soon it will be depends on the examiners, how many people are in your class, and how many people from the last classes failed and need to re test. In the meantime you can continue to go the academy to practice. You have 3 chances to test to pass the pretrip and backing. If you do but fail the driving, they will give you a 4th chance to pass it. Once you pass, it takes 1 business day for them to have you fill out paperwork etc before you can go back home. So It could be anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks
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I had to laugh when Old School said there is a lot of “turnover” in trucking. I went by a truck today that was “turned over” I hope the driver wasn’t injured, but he may be out of a job. Depending on the circumstances.