Trucking (Training Questions)
Topic 32696 | Page 1
Key words from the recruiter, "Up to $$$XXX". I see the same thing on trailer doors most days. "More days off", "Respect our drivers", "we pay more", etc.
We always recommend company sponsored training which usually equates to a guaranteed job placement and training. I would search for other companies that do not team short or long term. Many companies also start with a much better pay, too.
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.
Were you able to get the BP under control? Passing that physical is required to advance to passing CLP exams.
CLP:
Commercial Learner's Permit
Before getting their CDL, commercial drivers will receive their commercial learner's permit (CLP) upon passing the written portion of the CDL exam. They will not have to retake the written exam to get their CDL.
Thank you PACKRAT and cool name…. Lol Your right (UP TO). Keywords … I understand also it’s performance based plus I’m learning a lot.. G-Town how are ya sir.. yes on my bp I’m doing much better I’ve gotten it down to acceptable levels. Below the 140/90 so I’m ver happy been exercising more. Feeling better next I had my stomach hernia fixed had surgery 11-2-22 when he got in there he found 3 rips… so now my hernia is fixed with mesh they actually fixed it with a robot. So I was down for 2 weeks … so im getting my ducks in a row… I Want to be a Truck Driver…. I was talking to driver solutions feeling out paper work… well this morning at 8 am I get a call from PAM she told me that driver solutions is a 3rd party tats why there trading is 5995 and after 1 year they will for give 4000. Dollars and I pay only 2000. So 45.00 dollars a week would come out of my paycheck. Pam recruiter stated PAM would not charge me as long as I complete 1 year. Plus I would go solo.
Approach team driving with caution - especially with a stranger. You are trusting that driver WITH YOUR LIFE! You may crawl into the sleeper berth after the end of a long day and wake up in the hospital or not at all. My first driving partner hit a parked truck on I40 in Texas - wrecked the truck, totaled the trailer.
You are trusting that driver with your income. If they get sick, go on home time, quit or get fired you'll be idle until they are ready to drive again or you find a new driving partner. If your driving partner quits or gets fired you usually get a much lower cpm rate until you find a new driving partner. You won't be able to start looking for a new driving partner until you get routed back to a terminal and that may be weeks or even months later. Your company's hiring standards will generally be lower for a company that uses teams because it's more difficult to find a driver willing to team. How low? I've met a driver who was just released from prison for murder (plead down to manslaughter), a driver who refused to drive nights, a driver who could only sleep while the truck was parked, a driver who had to stop to eat at least once a day at a restaurant with silverware and a tablecloth......etc - while I was looking for a new driving partner.
There are several other inconveniences to sharing a truck. You only get half the space. Most of the time you will be sleeping in a moving truck. Will the other driver drive as hard as you do or take 90 minutes to fuel the truck? Who gets the loyalty points when you fuel the truck?
Team driving makes sense if you go in with someone you know and shares your work ethic. It's kind of a longshot to find some random stranger and have it work out. I went through TEN driving partners my first year. They all quit or got fired. I gave up trying to find a partner and became a trainer so I wouldn't have to deal with it.
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.
Sleeper Berth:
The portion of the tractor behind the seats which acts as the "living space" for the driver. It generally contains a bed (or bunk beds), cabinets, lights, temperature control knobs, and 12 volt plugs for power.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
What other companies did you apply with? Don't put all the eggs in one basket by jumping at the first place that shows an interest.
I applied to Pam when I was looking to get started. That was 2017. I was out when the recruiter told me I'd have to team with another rookie for 6 months. I'm not trusting my life, safety and livelihood to someone I don't know with no experience.
Apply everywhere.
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.
Glad to hear of your improved health.
I do agree with PackRat, apply to more than one company. Lots of great options:
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.
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Hello, I have couple questions to ask… been talking to a recruiter with Pam Transportation with (Driver solutions). Does anyone know anything about driver solutions trucking schools? Would it be better for me to go thru a company sponsored cdl program? I understand that driver solutions and Pam trucking work together. Will I get good training thru truck driver school.? Does pam transport run more teams. I would like to run solo when I get done with training . I see they talk more about team pay ect. She stated I could make up to $75,000 my first year with Pam transport. And up to $80,000 for driving teams. I’ve looked at other web sites with Pam and it states as a solo driver make up to 50,000 and 60,000 as a team driver. Also saw that I would have to drive team for 6 months before switching over to solo. Recruiter would like to start running my back ground check dot physical and drug test, she states I could start school 12/27/22.. I’m excited that my trucking career could be starting very soon. Any comments by you Pam truck drivers and other experienced truck drivers… there web site states $ .30cents a mile, when I see say wil-trans trucking it’s $.40 cents a mile. Ty for an input… Freebird…..
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Wil-Trans:
Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.
Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.