Looking To Get Class A CDL But Also Paid During Class Training
Topic 33626 | Page 1
David, welcome. This site specializes in helping people do just what you are trying to accomplish. To get you started, look at these links and I’m sure more info will be coming your way from others.
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
High Road CDL Training ProgramApply For Paid CDL Training
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
- Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
- Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
- Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"
- Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
- Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
- Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"
Apply For Truck Driving JobsTrucking Company ReviewsBecoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck DrivingBecoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck DrivingBecoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving
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.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
David, I included more links than I intended to. Don’t want you to get overwhelmed!
Look at these first:
Paid CDL Training ProgramsApply For Paid CDL Training
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.
I've only heard of a few companies paying you while you go through schooling. Knight comes to mind, as of a couple years ago it was around $500/week.
Why do you want to get your class A? What are you motivations? Does your current salary not provide the lifestyle you want to lead? Looking for something new? Have you considered getting a Class B job somewhere that also has Class A drivers? If you're able to do that often times they're willing to help you get your class A just to have another driver available to operate the bigger equipment even if you drive class B in your daily schedule. Going that route would guarantee a job, paid while learning, and no lapse in insurance or paying for COBRA.
I got started in this career when I was 28. I finally found the courage to jump when I felt the bills piling up. To do so I cashed out around 10k of my 401k from previous my employer to keep us afloat while in school. It isn't necessarily the best decision to make for everyone but it allowed me to take the leap and not worry about bills. I was able to fully focus on learning.
When I trained with Schneider in 2018, I think they paid us $80 per day for training (three weeks) plus 2 meals and motel. The difference was that we all came in there with a CDL A. Since then, Schneider started up their program to train permit holders to obtain their CDL A. This was several years ago, so a call to a recruiter would get David up to date.
Windy Hill also recruited at the school I went through and had a program similar to Schneider’s, but I think they only take CDL A holders. Again, calling the recruiting department is the thing to do.
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.
Knight is no contract, 480 per week while in school. (3 weeks). Top Gun and training were 850 per week but I've heard that was reduced to 650. Unverified.
You cover your own lodging and food while at school. As with most carriers they are being quite selective about hiring right now.
Not selling my company but as a reference, Veriha paid 600/wk for 3 weeks of school, 750/wk for 4 weeks of road training, then started at 900/week guaranteed pay (if no chargeable lates/preventables) upon going solo.
You drive up there, they put you up in their motel, you drive yourself to class, and you cover all meals.
As of October 2022 when I went through.
David, any company that will take you on and meets most of your needs is a great place to start.
As the saying goes " go big or go home ! " Get a Class A or Go home. Also have endorsements to go with that A, Hazmat is a plus, tanker & doubles/triples. Without these you'll just be an OTR *****
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
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
As the saying goes " go big or go home ! " Get a Class A or Go home. Also have endorsements to go with that A, Hazmat is a plus, tanker & doubles/triples. Without these you'll just be an OTR *****
How long have you been driving Mike J.? A couple of your posts make you sound like you have some experience, but most of your comments indicate that you are a blowhard and that to me is a youngster with not much experience but acting big.
Considering the forum automatically put stars for inappropriate words, I can only guess what you said. However, you denigrating OTR drivers is inappropriate. While having all the endorsements makes you more likely to be hired, none of them are mandatory and some of them aren't even necessary for certain types of work. I've never had and never wanted a hazmat endorsement. I have my doubles and triples, which I knew I would never use because that is not what I wanted to do. I do have my tanker but that never enticed me to drive them. However, having my tanker endorsement did allow me to haul totes of citric acid for cheese making and some other liquids for industrial cleaning. There is nothing wrong with being an OTR driver. It depends on what a person wants to do. I have no desire to drive local because in Idaho the pay is not near as good as running over the road.
What type of driving do you do?
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
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
As the saying goes " go big or go home ! " Get a Class A or Go home. Also have endorsements to go with that A, Hazmat is a plus, tanker & doubles/triples. Without these you'll just be an OTR *****
The more you post just makes you look like a sad, miserable person. It's no surprise some of your comments aren't approved. While endorsements are great to have they're not necessary in all situations. I don't have any special endorsements for my LOCAL job yet I'll make about $130k this year. Take your **** poor attitude elsewhere.
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
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.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
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I’ve had my Class B CDL since 2012, and now at the ripe age of 42 I’m wanting to go on and get my Class A. Here’s where I stop myself, cost of paying for it myself, needing to be paid something the entire time in training not just the OTR portion with a trainer, I provide the insurance for my family so I’d have to cover it myself during the training. Please please help with any guidance or insight that you might have especially any good/great starter companies. I’d love to keep from getting auto restricted but I guess more and more companies are going that route. Any and all info is much appreciated.
Thank you taking the time to read this but most importantly thank you for any and all assistance.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.