Have CDL, No Experience
Topic 6107 | Page 1
You would more than likely go through a refresher course since you have your cdl but you would still have to go through the entire training time just like someone fresh out of school would have 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.
I know id have to do the one on one with a trainer, I just wasn't sure if I would have to start from the bottom again.
Yep pretty much. The insurance companies says who can drive or not drive. A few things have changed since 2012. Now a refresher course may only last a week or it can be two weeks. Depends on the school/company.
Right now I am looking at Swift/Central as their terminals are only about a 4 hour drive for me. I put in a application tonight with Central so hopefully they contact me soon. I have had my license and letting it go to waste. Getting out there and driving was my reason for getting my CDL a couple years ago.
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.
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.
James, I would check out the Company-Sponsored Training Programs. That might be the quickest and least expensive way of getting out there. Of course you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs with any company and get some pre-hires. Once a company has given you a pre-hire they'll tell you what they require as far as refresher training. They might let you go through a private school for a week before being hired and going out with one of their trainers. Just don't take a refresher course until you know what the companies will require. You want to make sure you're taking an approved course that's going to get you in the door.
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.
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
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.
I just talked to a recruiter from Central, he told me that I would come in and take a basic road test. If I pass that then they will send me out with a trainer for the 28 days/2000 miles. I am going to be looking at after the first of the year for going out. So lets get me pepped up and ready, so I don't back down at the last minute again Brett.
You would more than likely go through a refresher course since you have your cdl but you would still have to go through the entire training time just like someone fresh out of school would have to do.
What if you have a cdl but not been out yet for 3 months?
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.
So lets get me pepped up and ready, so I don't back down at the last minute again Brett.
Go get em James! Heck, you can always walk away from trucking anytime. It's not like you're stuck there for years and years. So go for it! Get back out there rolling again and take it a day at a time.
What if you have a cdl but not been out yet for 3 months?
You're on the border of what companies like to see. Most companies have a limit of 90-180 days in between the time you get your CDL and start driving for them. So you'll want to get rolling or you might have to do a refresher of some sort before most companies will hire you on.
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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Hi All,
So after some time getting some personal matters corrected, I am finally ready to hit the road. Only problem is, I haven't been out on the road yet. I graduated from Sage in 2012 with my Class A CDL. I am wanting to finally get out on the road. I don't know if I would need to go through a full course again, since I still have my license? Do any companies offer a quick refresher course? If anyone has answers I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
James Rhoades
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: