Questions About CDL License. Sorry, I'm New To All This.
Topic 8208 | Page 1
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.
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.
So I am looking into becoming a truck driver. Some of you may have seen my other post about my medical situation. Assuming everything is ok'd I would like to go with PRIME. I applied and was left a voicemail saying my app looked good and to get in touch. I live in California with my parents (I am 22). I assume that means they would send me to their Utah training center. Am I correct about that?
Now when I go through all of the training and get my license, will it be a California CDL or a Utah CDL? If it is a Utah CDL, then will I be required to get my California CDL since that is my home state (if, so how difficult is it to transfer the license)? Additionally, I plan on moving to Arizona within the next year (my brother and his family live there). Does that mean I would then need to get an Arizona CDL? How hard is transferring a CDL license to Arizona?
Thanks for the help guys.
"I'm so CONFUSED!!" That was the line by James Dean in "Rebel Without A Cause" - the movie that launched his iconic film career and made him the movie legend he became (but acting next to Natalie Wood must have been its own reward) ... but you're just a kid and you have no idea what I'm talking about ... which is why you're so confused in the first place ... see the logic there, how it just flows?? Anyway, about the CDL and Prime and Utah (and Arizona) ...
First, Prime trains in Springfield, MO (although they have a terminal in SLC, I haven't heard of them starting the training program in Utah yet), but even that statement about "training" in Springfield is a bit misleading ... there is little or no actual "training" in the week you would be at the Prime facilities as your time is taken up in "orientation," getting a new DOT Medical Card and getting your CDL-A driving permit ... the actual "training" takes place IN a truck with a TRAINER and in two separate stages (PSD & TNT) ... take the time to look up various "diaries" others have posted on-site here to get better details (I'm to lazy to give much more info when others have done a much better job of it elsewhere) ... BUT before you go to Prime for the orientation, take the High Road Training Program on this site and get your permit BEFORE you get there - it will save time and make your week much easier ...
Second, once you finish the PSD phase of training, you'll come back to Springfield to test for your CDL LICENSE which will be issued by the State of Missouri ... you will be able to transfer that back to California later if you want but it doesn't matter a whole lot as a CDL is good in all 50 states (and looking like a hick from Missouri to the CHP has its advantages, believe me) ...
Third, moving to Arizona (at least officially) will save you 10% on your overall income tax because the blood suckers in the California Legislature and Bureaucracy want all they can gouge out of you ... and I'm a California boy who loves my native state like no other ... well "boy" is a relative term when you are 64 years old ... you'll see what I mean as you get some miles on you ... Oh, and check out that 50's movie if you get a chance, not so much for James Dean as much as Natalie ... what a beauty!!
Jopa
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.
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.
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
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So I am looking into becoming a truck driver. Some of you may have seen my other post about my medical situation. Assuming everything is ok'd I would like to go with Prime Inc. I applied and was left a voicemail saying my app looked good and to get in touch. I live in California with my parents (I am 22). I assume that means they would send me to their Utah training center. Am I correct about that?
Now when I go through all of the training and get my license, will it be a California CDL or a Utah CDL? If it is a Utah CDL, then will I be required to get my California CDL since that is my home state (if, so how difficult is it to transfer the license)? Additionally, I plan on moving to Arizona within the next year (my brother and his family live there). Does that mean I would then need to get an Arizona CDL? How hard is transferring a CDL license to Arizona?
Thanks for the help guys.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: