Starting School The 13th Of This Month, Need Advice
Topic 32444 | Page 1
This needs to be put in the General catagory and not being a moderator, I don't know how to do that.
The guys will have more suggestions and those from Alabama will also.
We do recommend that beginners start OTR with the larger companies because they are self insured and can weather accidents that WILL happen. Local jobs that take on beginners are insured by insurance companies and they have little tolerance for fender benders even.
In your bio, put the general area in Alabama where you are from so that those answering can see and give more specific answers.
Laura
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
IDMtnGal, I will try to put this in General category. Sorry about that, wasn't aware it should be in there and I will put it in my Bio.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
IDMtnGal, I will try to put this in General category. Sorry about that, wasn't aware it should be in there and I will put it in my Bio.
That's all right. It's just that there's not too many of us females on this site. Just makes it easier to get answers in the General Catagory. I come into this group only once or twice a week. I'm in a man's world, and at 71, don't have any "women's situations", so it's easier to get my info in that group.
Laura
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
IDMtnGal, I will try to put this in General category. Sorry about that, wasn't aware it should be in there and I will put it in my Bio.
Howdy, M H !!!
Welcome to Trucking Truth! No need to move the post, you're good.
I've been off the grid for a few days, with MY trucker... LoL !! You're fine here; I'll take care of it, Ms. Laura !~ (she's my buddy, MH!)
Some good reading for starters:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
The above (ALL OF IT...) will give you a taste, and allow you to see if you even WANT to embrace or even attempt the flavor, at all !
I see your conundrum; since you've already paid for school, I'd just go for it. There's a good chance YOU MAY be able to get in with a local, when you do, in fact, have that hot & fresh CDL in hand. It may be something simpler, like Home Depot or Lowes, ie: Class B but maybe flatbed (?) that would be hands on, perhaps; yet pay for the CDL still and of itself.
Your life sounds SO similar to mine; however my youngest is 18 ~ Tom was OTR when he was born, tho...
Watch some of Kearsey's videos: Truckin' Along w/Kearsey!
Stop back; I will also. Email in my profile; as are many of ours,
See ya here soon, then; hang in!
~ 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.
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.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.New Reply:
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Hello!
I start trucking school October 13th. I already have my Commercial Learners Permit. The course is 8 weeks (or less, depending on me - I was told this). I'm from the southern Alabama region. My husband has been a trucker for over 21 years. Recently he went back OTR (he found someone else who pays more). We have a 6-year-old daughter. Before I signed up for classes, he was working local, home every night. Originally, I was going to be the one to go OTR (One of us needs to make sure we are home enough for our child and to look over our home - We have animals to care for too) and he was going to be the one who was home nearly every day. Things have changed. I paid for my schooling about two months ago, then my husband got another job that was no longer local, but OTR. Now I'm at a loss, because it will have to be me that will need to be local or at least local as possible (I don't mind being out for a few short days, but like I said, I need to have my child closer to me. Since husband isn't home) The school said they will have recruiters available, and I had planned on looking at their options. If they don't have a recruiter who is local (or somewhat local) for me, can someone point me in the right direction? I thought maybe driving a dump truck or cement truck, but most that I have seen have min. exp. of 1 year (or more). I have thought about school bus, but (please don't hate me) I hate dealing with other people's kids - other than my own.
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.