The World Of Trucking. I Need Some Advice.
Topic 6701 | Page 1
I was hired right out of private CDL school by an LTL company for a linehaul position. I didn't go OTR. I'm home every morning (I currently run nights) and off two days a week. Your options will depend on your location. That's the key. Location often trumps experience. If you have local opportunities available, and can afford to pay for CDL school, then that's your ticket.
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.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
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.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Welcome Jeremy!
Both types of schooling will get your career off to a great start. It's really a matter of finances and personal preferences. Since you have the money to attend a Private Truck Driving School that's normally the better way to go. You'll be a paying customer and hopefully treated as such, they'll be more patient when it comes to training you, and you'll have a nice choice of companies upon graduating and getting your CDL. For people who can't afford private schooling up front the Company-Sponsored Training Programs are the best way to go.
Read through our Truck Driver's Career Guide from beginning to end and follow all of the links you come across. That will help you understand your options and make better choices for yourself.
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.
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So I am contemplating trucking as a future career. I am not interested in OTR , but more of a closed loop route or home nightly. I've looked into several jobs just to see whats out there. It seems feasible to get my CDL and attend a trucking school. I am currently Active Duty Military and have my G.I. Bill to help me with schooling. I've driven tanks, up armored vehicles and the such. I love to drive. Should I consider more of a company training to hire route or just a truck driving school. I see there are lots of options out there to choose from. Curious on everyone's opinions and just general advice on the matter. Anything helps. Thanks.
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.
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.