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Topic 4107 | Page 1

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Anthony D.'s Comment
member avatar

I am enrolling in truck driving school that is if I pass the physical they want me to take first. I am 59 years old but I had a heart attack back in 2009 that was fixed with 2 stents and then another blockage occured in 2012 which was also fixed with a stent. Iam working out every day and I ride my bike 10 or more miles 3 times a week another words I am doing good now thank God ! There are no restrictions I see a cardiolgists on a regular basis to keep in check. My question is with this history of heart disease will I be able to get a job in the trucking industry ? The people at the school said there shouldn't be a problem being placed after graduating and obtaining my cdl because I am seeing a docter regularly.like I said I feel great now but $5300.00 for tuition is a lot of money and I want to be sure I will be able to get a job so please your advice would greatly be appreaciated . Thank you Tony

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.
Jopa's Comment
member avatar

I am enrolling in truck driving school that is if I pass the physical they want me to take first. I am 59 years old but I had a heart attack back in 2009 that was fixed with 2 stents and then another blockage occured in 2012 which was also fixed with a stent. Iam working out every day and I ride my bike 10 or more miles 3 times a week another words I am doing good now thank God ! There are no restrictions I see a cardiolgists on a regular basis to keep in check. My question is with this history of heart disease will I be able to get a job in the trucking industry ? The people at the school said there shouldn't be a problem being placed after graduating and obtaining my cdl because I am seeing a docter regularly.like I said I feel great now but $5300.00 for tuition is a lot of money and I want to be sure I will be able to get a job so please your advice would greatly be appreaciated . Thank you Tony

Anthony,

Check out the Company-Sponsored CDL Training section. I recommend you go that route and apply to a few of the better ones (that fit your plans) as you can discuss all of this with recruiters over the phone before you commit. The usual arrangement is to either pay weekly through a payroll deduction once you start driving or in the case of Prime, stay employed for one year and they call it square. All of the companies want the first year as part of the agreement and this fits with TT's recommendation that you stay with your first employer at least a year before considering moving on. The recruiters are real good at clarifying the requirements and most are pretty honest. I've heard a few stories of over-promising but have not experienced that myself. Good luck.

Jopa

smile.gif

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.
Joe S. (a.k.a. The Blue 's Comment
member avatar

Jopa, congrats that you have not run into the "over promising" done by recruiters.

Since I have only been with one company I can't say it is industry wide. In my case and other people I was at Celadon with, over promising was done on a regular basis and done wide spread.

I will relay a comment from an Ops manager I had a meeting with when I mentioned promises made to me.

"Well, they are recruiters, it is their job to recruited drivers and sometimes the truth gets stretched a bit.".

I have seen fellow students get to school and get started then the physical comes along and they are on meds not allowed by DOT. The recruiters knew the meds right up front and still scheduled them for school.

A perfect example. My roommate. He had just turned 17. Had his driver's license for a month. He was told he would not have any problems driving OTR.

He is not old enough and they would have known that.

So yeah. Things you hear from a recruiter might not always be right.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S.

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.

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.

guyjax(Guy Hodges)'s Comment
member avatar

Jopa, congrats that you have not run into the "over promising" done by recruiters.

Since I have only been with one company I can't say it is industry wide. In my case and other people I was at Celadon with, over promising was done on a regular basis and done wide spread.

I will relay a comment from an Ops manager I had a meeting with when I mentioned promises made to me.

"Well, they are recruiters, it is their job to recruited drivers and sometimes the truth gets stretched a bit.".

I have seen fellow students get to school and get started then the physical comes along and they are on meds not allowed by DOT. The recruiters knew the meds right up front and still scheduled them for school.

A perfect example. My roommate. He had just turned 17. Had his driver's license for a month. He was told he would not have any problems driving OTR.

He is not old enough and they would have known that.

So yeah. Things you hear from a recruiter might not always be right.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S.

Which is why we tell people to do their research. I have a really hard time believe any recruiter would allow a 17 year old any where near a trucking company. If he was truly 17 then he lied to get in. Not even recruiters are that bad.

So far as the wrong mess..... Only doctors would know which ones are allowed. As much info as we have here at TT we can't even find a listing of approved drugs that drivers are allowed to take while driving. Believe me we have looked high and low. Recruiters hear that someone is taking a doctors prescribed med they assume it good and if that's the only detail and everything else looks good then they will let the dot physical weed the non approved drugs out.

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.

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.

Joe S. (a.k.a. The Blue 's Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

Jopa, congrats that you have not run into the "over promising" done by recruiters.

Since I have only been with one company I can't say it is industry wide. In my case and other people I was at Celadon with, over promising was done on a regular basis and done wide spread.

I will relay a comment from an Ops manager I had a meeting with when I mentioned promises made to me.

"Well, they are recruiters, it is their job to recruited drivers and sometimes the truth gets stretched a bit.".

I have seen fellow students get to school and get started then the physical comes along and they are on meds not allowed by DOT. The recruiters knew the meds right up front and still scheduled them for school.

A perfect example. My roommate. He had just turned 17. Had his driver's license for a month. He was told he would not have any problems driving OTR.

He is not old enough and they would have known that.

So yeah. Things you hear from a recruiter might not always be right.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S.

double-quotes-end.png

Which is why we tell people to do their research. I have a really hard time believe any recruiter would allow a 17 year old any where near a trucking company. If he was truly 17 then he lied to get in. Not even recruiters are that bad.

So far as the wrong mess..... Only doctors would know which ones are allowed. As much info as we have here at TT we can't even find a listing of approved drugs that drivers are allowed to take while driving. Believe me we have looked high and low. Recruiters hear that someone is taking a doctors prescribed med they assume it good and if that's the only detail and everything else looks good then they will let the dot physical weed the non approved drugs out.

How do you lie to get in? The very first day, I had to show them my driver's license. I didn't believe him either, till he showed me his license. And no, they didn't boot him out. He finally finished class about 4 weeks after I did.

As far as only the doctors knowing which meds are allowed. Celadon now has a clinic on site in Indy. There is no doctor around. There are several nurses, several aids, and one PA. When I had my physical, she looked up all my meds on her computer. She knew off hand all but one. They all came up on her computer as allowed meds.

Now, if they have a list that they can look at, there has to be a list out there somewhere. The question is, is it available to general public. I have not seen one, but I have never looked for one. But the list I saw, was not restricted with medical information, it was just a list of accepted meds. It is very possible the clinic had made up their own list thru experience with the ones on the list.

After doing a 30 second search, I found this website. How accurate it is, I have no idea. But it might be a place to start. http://www.truckmed.com/medications.htm

Keep it safe out there, the life you save might be your own. Joe S.

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.

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

guyjax(Guy Hodges)'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

Jopa, congrats that you have not run into the "over promising" done by recruiters.

Since I have only been with one company I can't say it is industry wide. In my case and other people I was at Celadon with, over promising was done on a regular basis and done wide spread.

I will relay a comment from an Ops manager I had a meeting with when I mentioned promises made to me.

"Well, they are recruiters, it is their job to recruited drivers and sometimes the truth gets stretched a bit.".

I have seen fellow students get to school and get started then the physical comes along and they are on meds not allowed by DOT. The recruiters knew the meds right up front and still scheduled them for school.

A perfect example. My roommate. He had just turned 17. Had his driver's license for a month. He was told he would not have any problems driving OTR.

He is not old enough and they would have known that.

So yeah. Things you hear from a recruiter might not always be right.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be your own. Joe S.

double-quotes-end.png

double-quotes-end.png

Which is why we tell people to do their research. I have a really hard time believe any recruiter would allow a 17 year old any where near a trucking company. If he was truly 17 then he lied to get in. Not even recruiters are that bad.

So far as the wrong mess..... Only doctors would know which ones are allowed. As much info as we have here at TT we can't even find a listing of approved drugs that drivers are allowed to take while driving. Believe me we have looked high and low. Recruiters hear that someone is taking a doctors prescribed med they assume it good and if that's the only detail and everything else looks good then they will let the dot physical weed the non approved drugs out.

double-quotes-end.png

How do you lie to get in? The very first day, I had to show them my driver's license. I didn't believe him either, till he showed me his license. And no, they didn't boot him out. He finally finished class about 4 weeks after I did.

As far as only the doctors knowing which meds are allowed. Celadon now has a clinic on site in Indy. There is no doctor around. There are several nurses, several aids, and one PA. When I had my physical, she looked up all my meds on her computer. She knew off hand all but one. They all came up on her computer as allowed meds.

Now, if they have a list that they can look at, there has to be a list out there somewhere. The question is, is it available to general public. I have not seen one, but I have never looked for one. But the list I saw, was not restricted with medical information, it was just a list of accepted meds. It is very possible the clinic had made up their own list thru experience with the ones on the list.

After doing a 30 second search, I found this website. How accurate it is, I have no idea. But it might be a place to start. http://www.truckmed.com/medications.htm

Keep it safe out there, the life you save might be your own. Joe S.

Hmm maybe it's different there. 17 year old with a cdl? That's a new one on me. Thought the absolute minimum age was 18. Maybe they are allow teenagers to drive these trucks now? Don't know.

But anyway..... You found the link to that site in 30 seconds? Truthfully I had never seen it but looks legit. SO if you found it that fast then anyone should be able to so that means there should be little to no excuse of people saying "I didn't know". So it looks like now when someone gets kicked from school we can start blaming them cause they should have known before hand right? Well, I for one, will still give my standard answer of "See a dot certified doctor and they can tell you for sure" cause believe it or not just because it's on the Internet does not mean it's true..... Yes that is right..... You can't trust the Internet, not since Google + came out.... Lol

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.

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

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