Deciding Wether Or Not To Become A Truck Driver
Topic 487 | Page 1
I will be starting with Central Refrigerated and I live in Kentucky...I will have to train in Salt Lake City, and then dispatch out of Conley GA. but I can still live here. I can bring the tractor home if I choose on my days off. I don't know how it would work for you though. Use the links on this site to help you and call and talk with companies to see what options you have....Good Luck and read read read on here, nothing but helpful...
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.
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.
My understanding is that most companies will bus you into their training locations. There you do your training and all of that. Once you are out on the road and get set up for home time they will try to work a load near your home and you take the truck home for your time then pick up your next load and hit the road again. There are probably more ins and outs then that but that's my understanding of how it works in general. You shouldn't have to relocate at all. Brett or one of the more experienced people probably have more detailed info. Searching the site will also give you some more general ideas. You can also call the companies and find out their specifics.
In your search for a company to train with, you may want to ask the recruiter, or look on their website, to see if you are living near one of their "freight lanes". If you are, then you will get home time with little to no problem.David, I don't know where you live in Oregon,(I'm a Webfoot too, born and raised in the Salem/Lebanon area,now live in Eastern area, right across the river from Hermiston OR)but looking at companies like May, Interstate ,Gordon, Haney...they all run the western corridor up and down I5, and some I84 east. But if you go with Swift, Covenant, US Express, Werner,Roehl, Stevens, Central Refridg.,FFE...they all get to Oregon regularly. Now you may pick a different company to go with for your training, and you will have to pick a company, and stick with them for a year. But after that year, you can apply and go to work for ANY of the I5 corridor companies, and you will get home as often as you like. If you can't stand running 55 mph 24/7,365..then you seriously don't want to run the Western Rim...you will go slowly insane.
. Depending where you live, you probably have alot of options open to you. So sit back, get into the High Road Training, pick your training company, and get your adventure started. We will be glad to help you, and answer any questions you have....and WELCOME to TT !!!
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
I live in Oregon and am considering becoming a truck driver. I was just wondering if I go to a company sponsored school will I have to relocate my family or can they place me in my home state? May seem like a stupid question but any feedback will be appreciated.