Just Obtained My Class A CDL. Looking For Good Starter Company.
Topic 32580 | Page 1
We’re in the same situation Pete, I just posted the same inquiry. I’ll keep an eye on reply’s from your post.
Yiu would have been better off going through company-sponsored training , but you went out on your own. Basically the companies willing to train you to get your CDL will be the same companies willing to hire you with a CDL and no experience. There are a handful of companies that will require a CDL but not experience.
Here is a list of companies that hire out of Philadelphia, in no particular order:
Roehl
Swift
CFI
Prime
Dutch Maid Logistics
TransAm
PAM Transport
ABF
SAIA
Knight
Sysco
PFG
Butler Transport
Old Dominion
Continental Express
Western Express
Werner
JB Hunt
Schneider
I am sure that there are at least a company or two that I am forgetting.
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.
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.
Welcome Pete.
I just recently got My Class A CDL with my Hazmat Endorsement. Now I'm looking to get some good practical experience. I know most Local companies wont hire me because I have no Experience. Does anyone know of some good starter companies to do Regional , OTR , Dedicated routes even Local Routes that'll give me a chance so I can get some more training, experience, etc. I know a lot of these companies want you to sign a contract to obtain your CDL would those companies still make you sign a contract even though you already have your CDL but your a recent graduate. Any advice anyone could give me or give me some companies to check out I'd greatly appreciate it.
I drove for Swift 8+ years on a NE Regional Walmart account based out of the Pottsville Grocery Distribution Center. I ran Eastern half of PA, DE, NJ, MD, CT and occasionally MA, delivering to Walmarts and Sam's Club, with frequent vendor backhauls. I was home every week for either 1 or 2 days depending on demand. Many of the drivers on that account, including me, lived in the Philadelphia area.
They may want you to sign a contract for 1 year to cover their cost of training you, not sure on that. Even though you have a CDL, that does not make you a truck driver. Just means you can legally drive one. I suggest looking into this. Might fit what you are looking for.
Happy to answer any further questions you may have. Good luck.
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.
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
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I Started out of CDL school with Doug Andrus Distributing. I would absolutely recommend. They are a medium size company (200-300) trucks out of Idaho Falls ID. The owners are good honest mormon people. I drove regionally hauling flatbed in the northwest mostly while I was there. I made around 60k a year my first year, although ive heard from some guys I know that are still there that they've increased pay since then with inflation going crazy. Not sure where you are located but if your willing to be based out of Idaho you really cant go wrong with this company.
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.
The OP, Pete is located in Philadelphia. That information can be found in his profile.
I Started out of CDL school with Doug Andrus Distributing. I would absolutely recommend. They are a medium size company (200-300) trucks out of Idaho Falls ID. The owners are good honest mormon people. I drove regionally hauling flatbed in the northwest mostly while I was there. I made around 60k a year my first year, although ive heard from some guys I know that are still there that they've increased pay since then with inflation going crazy. Not sure where you are located but if your willing to be based out of Idaho you really cant go wrong with this company.
I Started out of CDL school with Doug Andrus Distributing. I would absolutely recommend. They are a medium size company (200-300) trucks out of Idaho Falls ID. The owners are good honest mormon people. I drove regionally hauling flatbed in the northwest mostly while I was there. I made around 60k a year my first year, although ive heard from some guys I know that are still there that they've increased pay since then with inflation going crazy. Not sure where you are located but if your willing to be based out of Idaho you really cant go wrong with this company.
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.
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I just recently got My Class A CDL with my Hazmat Endorsement. Now I'm looking to get some good practical experience. I know most Local companies wont hire me because I have no Experience. Does anyone know of some good starter companies to do Regional , OTR , Dedicated routes even Local Routes that'll give me a chance so I can get some more training, experience, etc. I know a lot of these companies want you to sign a contract to obtain your CDL would those companies still make you sign a contract even though you already have your CDL but your a recent graduate. Any advice anyone could give me or give me some companies to check out I'd greatly appreciate it.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.