Getting Your CDL - School Or No School?
Topic 6758 | Page 1
A lot of companies will not hire you without at least 160 hours of documented training in operating a tractor trailer
Understanding that you have experience with heavy equipment it should prove beneficial to you when have hands on training, Unfortunately your backround most likely will not help you avoid CDL school or Company Sponsored Training. The issue is most companies won't hire new CDL A drivers without at least 160 hours of qualified instruction. Sure you will be able to get your license, but that doesn't mean your employable.
It's not because these companies are trying to hold people back or make them pay for schooling. The fact is their is a 300,000 driver shortage expected in the next 2 years, its also expected to rise to 1000000 by 2024. These companies need drivers and are willing to train almost anyone that has a clean driving and criminal record. The problem occurs mostly at the insurance level. Insurance Companies do not take chances on drivers that haven't had proper training.
Remember you don't have to pay for schooling if your records are clean. Their are quite a few companies that will train you with a 6 months to a year commitment. Some even pay you while 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.
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.
Robert, the responses you got are correct. In today's climate the insurance carriers will not insure a driver who has not gone through a 160 hour training course. That training certificate is almost more important than the CDL as far as getting a first time driver's job goes. You can still get the training for free at many of the large carriers though. Take a look at this link on Company-Sponsored Training programs, it will provide you with quite a few companies that will train you for free. They will provide you a way to get to their school, they will house you and feed you, most of them will even pay you while you are training, and then guarantee you a job upon successful completion of your training. There is one slight catch - you will need to sign a contract to work for them for a certain time period - usually about one year.
The beauty of this plan is that once you get assigned a truck and are ready to start working then you could have your wife join you as a team driver. I would recommend you try to plan the timing of this so that your wife has time to get in about six months experience under her before the two of you start trying to team together. Best of luck you ya!
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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Becoming A Truck Driver Choosing A Trucking Company Company Sponsored CDL Training Getting Your CDL
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I have a question guys and gals. My wife will be getting her CDL tomorrow after she passes her driving test. I currently work on a farm and I am used to big tractors and stuff but not Big Rigs. I have learned a lot just by helping my wife study. My question is should I go thru the school or just get my CDL on my own? And another is does a person have a better chance of getting hired if they go thru a school? I think with a lil more studying I could get my CDL without spending $4000.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: