Re-entering The Industry Advice Needed
Topic 8336 | Page 1
Hammer, welcome to the forum!
Unfortunately that will not pad your resume. The OTR companies do not usually consider local driving as experience. Your best bet is to go through a refresher. If you went to a Company-Sponsored Training program with a company that hires teams your girlfriend could join you by going through the training program when she is ready.
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.
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.
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.
If your goal is to run team with your girlfriend then focus on that.
And working for an owner operator can be a nightmare. What if they guy doesn't pay you? What if the equipment isn't up to snuff? And in this case, how much are you going to enjoy hauling garbage to a dump all day, every day?
I agree with Old School. Get on with a company-sponsored program. Either do it yourself and have your girlfriend follow when she's ready or just jump in together if she's ready whenever you are. But I wouldn't mess with hauling trash for an owner operator.
Owner Operator:
An owner-operator is a driver who either owns or leases the truck they are driving. A self-employed driver.
Thank you Oldschool and Brett for taking time from your busy day to respond and share your insight.
As of now, I am taking the steps involved to enter into the refresher course: passed DOT physical, completing paperwork for unemployment to pay for the course, etc.
I'm scheduled to begin the refresher course on May 26th. In the meantime, I have downloaded Brett's most awesome CDL study app (highly recommended!) and began applying for jobs.
I applied to a local OTR flatbed outfit via online. Soon after, a recruiter called me. The recruiter and I spoke at length and I was told that I was an excellent candidate (no DUI/felonies) even with two speeding tickets on my mvr and that they will hold a trainer available for me upon completion of the refresher course. The company called me this morning to inform me that due to the excessive speed citations their insurance company will not allow employment. The company rep was cool, though. He told me not to get discouraged and keep applying to other companies. It was just that THEIR insurance company red flagged me and that other companies insurance may be more lenient.
Head up... face forward.. march 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.
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.
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.
MVR:
Motor Vehicle Record
An MVR is a report of your driving history, as reported from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. Information on this report may include Drivers License information, point history, violations, convictions, and license status on your driving record.
DUI:
Driving Under the Influence
What kind of equipment does the O/O have?
I don't know how many other companies do but prime reimbursed me over half of the cost of the refresher I took. You can try calling prime but they're pretty strict with mvr points. Any company you call all about reimbursement for your refresher.
MVR:
Motor Vehicle Record
An MVR is a report of your driving history, as reported from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. Information on this report may include Drivers License information, point history, violations, convictions, and license status on your driving record.
Hi Terry. The O/O has a relatively newer Mack day cab. The dump trailer, I don't know the make/model. From the videos that I saw it looks like a nice rig.
The cost of the refresher course is getting picked up by the government. They'll even pay for a hazmat endorsement so I reasoned I might as well add that on, too. If I'm going for it I think I'll go for the gusto and get the tanker as well. Anything to increase my odds to secure employment. .
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Day Cab:
A tractor which does not have a sleeper berth attached to it. Normally used for local routes where drivers go home every night.
Week of the tab is getting picked up I'd definitely take the refresher. And every endorsement helps. The question now is do you want to drive local/regional/otr? Talk to every company you'd like to work for and get prehires done before taking the refresher. The longer you sit on it the harder it will be to get a job. I went thru refresher with a guy I still keep in contact with that got his cdl at the same school. He waited to find a job and after only 6 weeks was told by the companies: shaffer, swift, werner they wouldn't take him because he waited too long after the licence to get a job. He eventually found one (knight) that would hire him but he'd have to relocate from Massachusetts to Florida.
I worked for an O/O for almost two years in 98-99. He was a great guy and all, he paid me every trip that wasn't my issue. My issue was he paid me cash basically so it was up to me to file 1099 for taxes. Which I ended up not doing and in 2000 when I started working construction and filed for taxes..The IRS noticed a lapse in income and went back and got the O/O info and saw I didn't report income and got nailed for unpaid taxes. After penalties it cost me over 10k. Don't be me!
You'll also have to consider health benefits while working for an O/O because with the wonderful Obamacare, you will have to pay 5% of your income made for the year in penalties for not having health insurance. Unless of course your married and under your spouses insurance. Alot of downsides to working for an O/O.
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.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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.
Prehire:
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.
Prehires:
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.
Excellent advice. Thank you.
I've been filling out applications online and following up with the recruiters from a handful of OTR companies. Every company has their own hiring standards. I have two speeding citations on my MVR; one on my Harley and another in my girlfriends car. I also have a small stretch (8 months) of non-reporting probation stemming from a minor misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct charge and an over-zealous judge. My P.O. says it's totally cool that I can go OTR for employment.
Sooo, one company tells me the two speeding citations disqualify me (the ticket on my bike will be three years old in June).. another company says the tickets are ok but the probation disqualifies me. I've applied to a few more where I'm in limbo waiting for any word good or bad..
Some companies insist I attend the refresher course... others say it isn't necessary. .
Granted, I'm no angel.. But I'm not the son of satan, either. I have taken Brett's and Old Schools advice in attending the course and looking for a gig with a major... but if I strike out continously I might have to take anything I can find to just pay the bills.
Ps- moving down to FL doesn't sound like that bad of a deal.. especially after this last NE Ohio winter.
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.
MVR:
Motor Vehicle Record
An MVR is a report of your driving history, as reported from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. Information on this report may include Drivers License information, point history, violations, convictions, and license status on your driving record.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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Hello. I need some career guidance. The back story: in 1996 I earned my CDL through a local community college. I drove locally for 9 months and decided to go back to the college and enroll in medical lab tech classes. I graduated and worked in the medical field for over 8 years.
Even though I wasn't driving for a living I kept my CDL valid as a back up. Now since my kid has grown and I'm single there's nothing holding me from getting in a big truck again and hitting the road.
I am aware that I will need to attend a refresher course to get behind the wheel again to be hired as a company driver. I am aware that I will have to go over the road for training between 4-6 weeks. I'm cool with that.
I have been approached by a close friend that is a heavy equipment operator; he sometimes works with an O/O that runs a dump trailer. The O/O is in bad health and wants to hire on a driver for his rig. My friend mentioned me to the O/O and the O/O wants me to drive for him. I mentioned to my friend that I was going to enroll in a refresher course before looking for a job. My friend replied back and told me if I work for the O/O I would not need a refresher course and that the O/O would give me an on the job refresher course :)
The job is basically hauling demolition debris to the dump. Looking at the long term plan of eventually running a team operation with my girlfriend (she's wanting to go to a company school), I question if I should enroll in the refresher course and then look for an OTR gig with a big company or just stay local and run for the O/O to pad my resume.
Any opinions or advice is greatly appreciated.
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.
Over The Road:
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.