Slightly Confused Driver Here..need Some Advice From Those More Knowledgable

Topic 8997 | Page 1

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Ben G.'s Comment
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I've had my cdls (class A ) since 1998, keeping pretty much a clear record on my MVR.

I worked the entire year of 2013 driving a feed tanker for Murphy Brown LLC, and in December of that year, ( the 7th to be exact ) I was in an accident while returning to my mill from a farm that night. It was cold, rainy, I came down a straight away, and as I approached this curve, I had a car come into my lane from the other direction. I ended up running the truck 435 feet up into the swamp, to keep from killing anyone. Of course, with no evidence to back me up, the company assumed it was my fault . It's always the driver's fault, as I was once told by a trainer...

It was a single vehicle no fatality, no major damage accident, and I was not charged with anything against my csa or my license, The district Attorney checked this for me, and found it to be true.

I was out of driving for the entire year of 2014 but did go back to a previous job I had worked before, at a trucking company / tire shop. They also ran my MVR Feb 5th this year and saw I had 'no accidents listed' no tickets since 2007, and an improper equipment I got in 2014, that i received while in my personal vehicle.

I'm in the trucks every day, working on them and driving for my boss' brother ( also a previous trucking boss for me ) as needed, so it isn't like i haven't kept ,my skills up.

And so, after that long winded intro, here's my predicament... i have several companies wanting me to drive for them now. I did research and found good and bad on all of them . yea, surprising, I know, especially for the innernet.

Western Express wants me to go 48 states, training me for their flatbed division.

Stevens Transport wants me as well.

JB Hunt, Dartco, to name a few along with a list of others I forget at the moment.

Can someone who has worked / dealt with / had some form of contact with these companies offer their advice? With my experience . most of them tell me i won't have to train for weeks with someone, but after orientation they'll send me out on my own truck. is this true as well, or should I expect to have a trainer for a while?

Also, any advice on a lease program? not necessarily a l/p deal. i'd like to gain some firsthand experience on being an O/O . I'm wanting to maybe one day buy my own truck. I fully understand it isn't an easy life. I'm used to hard work and not having a lot of money , and when I'm driving my rig doesn't stop unless I'm getting loaded / unloaded or fueling up, so i know i can hustle as long as I can find the loads.

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.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

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.

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