COVID-19 has brought a unique set of challenges to just about every aspect of life. Acquiring a CDL is no exception. Now, the FMCSA has put multiple exemptions in place to make it easier for people to continue earning CDLs in the time of social distancing, including no longer requiring a skills test examiner to be present in the vehicle during the test.
One of the exemptions will allow state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) to contract out testing to third-party CDL test examiners. Private for-profit companies have not been allowed to administer skills tests in the past for numerous reasons, including fears that the companies would be incentivized to pass even applicants who do not possess the skills to operate a CMV safely.
Additionally, when skills tests are administered, examiners are no longer required to be present in the vehicle with the applicant. Instead, the FMCSA is allowing states to come up with their own solutions for how to ensure that the skills test is “comparable to AAMVA’s 2005 CDL Test System.” One suggested method is to have the truck followed by a large follow vehicle that has a recording device attached to it. Other suggested solutions include in-cab cameras, online testing, and using smartphones to see what the driver is doing while not needing to “be physically present in the cab of the vehicle.”
With many local DMVs closed or on strictly suspended hours, taking the written portion of the exam has become more difficult. The FMCSA is allowing CDL skills test examiners to conduct the written portion of the exam, waiving the requirement for them to have any training in administering the written exam.
Source: ttnews, freightwaves, freightwaves
OMG…. A NEW LEVEL OF STUPIDITY HAS JUST BEEN ACHIEVED!!!!!
FOR 30 YEARS I HAVE BEEN A TRUCK DRIVER…..
THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE THERE ARE DRIVERS BEING LAID OFF LEFT AND RIGHT……
ALL THIS IS.. IS MORE PRESSURE FROM THE MEGA CARRIERS TO GET CHEAPER LABOR….
I’VE SEEN FIRST-HAND WHAT THESE MEGA CARRIERS DO TO DRIVERS…
Shame shame shame on you people
Danny, you are so correct! I have seen the same and heard from the drivers who used to work for companies who paid well, but sold out to a mega carrier.
These drivers work for less, and then after time goes by, they get an increase in pay and feel that they are getting somewhere, but that somewhere is close back to where they were when the company was bought out.
I owned my own company and I decided to close just before the 2008 crash of the economy. I saw it coming from all of the leading indicators, and as it turned out, I was right. I found it harder and harder to compete with the mega carriers.
Today, we are seeing the rates drop back to the late 1990’s, if not earlier.
The 70’s were that last of the years where you could earn good money and the motoring public respected the truckers. That is not the case now!
I agree.
And I’ve been cut back to 3 days from 5 days.
Fully agree. They want dangerous drivers to easily get a CDL and go out where they will put us all in danger. No driver shortage. 100% turnover means there is plenty CDL holders. Mega carriers need treat drivers better. Swift is a prime example of how to NOT RUN A TRUCKING COMPANY !!
Just wear a mask and gloves. Your sitting 6 ft apart anyway.
I’ve trained many OTR who “passed” the skills test with an examiner in the truck. They couldn’t back to save their own lives and were scary as heck on the road.
Relaxing the current testing guidelines is a huge mistake.
Danny, you are so correct! I have seen the same and heard from the drivers who used to work for companies who paid well, but sold out to a mega carrier.
These drivers work for less, and then after time goes by, they get an increase in pay and feel that they are getting somewhere, but that somewhere is close back to where they were when the company was bought out.
I owned my own company and I decided to close just before the 2008 crash of the economy. I saw it coming from all of the leading indicators, and as it turned out, I was right. I found it harder and harder to compete with the mega carriers.
Today, we are seeing the rates drop back to the late 1990’s, if not earlier.
The 70’s were that last of the years where you could earn good money and the motoring public respected the truckers. That is not the case now!
If they cannot get in the cab, they do need to have that job. I will get into the cab and I will be the toughest inspector, but I will shake your hand when you do well and tell you so.
My inspector was tough as steel. I gave him quite a ride after he scared me. Then we got back to the training ground, he congratulated me and told me I would make a good driver. I guess I did. I did it for over 20 years and now I am a consultant in the industry.
I am also a former otr trainer with 20 years exp. and have seen the same thing with rookies that passed the test but cannot perform safely on the road.
If anything they should maybe make the skills test a bit harder and more in-depth. Plus as some have mentioned here the driver shortage is bogus, we have countless drivers laid off from this covid-19, i know because i am one of them. I haul automotive parts and these are not considered essential so my company is currently shut down til further notice.
Also want to give a huge THANK YOU to all the drivers out there who are able to work and are risking their own health to try to keep this country going.
Suggested to my boss that we use our trucks to haul groceries or other essentials but that has fallen on deaf ears!
So there are companies still hiring and training people. I wanna join a company and get training but i dont have money to start.
Thats rediculous ! There are enough ( bad ) drivers on the road . this will add to that problem . this whole politically correct world we have created has been going down hill fast . There are enough drivers out there use them . when the world gets back to normal , then they cam complete the proper training like the rest of us did. How would you feel if one of these guys kills one of your family members ?? Rediculous !
Todd, the phrase I would use for the people making these decisions would be “dumber than a pound of rocks”.
This will probably kill more people if people get their licenses without having an inspector in the cab!
This has nothing to do with political correctness. This is exploiting the pandemic to ease restrictions and allow easier passing status. Therefore enabling lower wages as an onslaught of people pass the test.
So….now in addition to I pads and tablets watching Netflix in the windshield, sandals and boxer shorts, we are making it even EASIER for a new intake of “steering wheel holders” to get a cdl and endanger even MORE lives? Causing our (owner operators) insurance to skyrocket even MORE?! Good plan ya corporate pencil neck number crunchers!
ATA wish list being fulfilled while people die.
SO AGREE!!!!
They shouldn’t even have a”truck driving” school. Most of the truck drivers now are low life and inconsiderate or can’t/won’t speak or read English. I am a 4th generation truck driver that literally grew up in a truck from about 6 months old. Trucking used to be a respectable occupation that made an above average salary. It has become a slave driven industry fueled by degenerates, foreigners, and thugs! I wish the “government” and fellow drivers (not school taught” would see how allowing this to go on is hurting the industry and putting lives at risk. Stop making it easier for the industry to go downhill. I’ll be leaving the industry after my son graduates in 3 years. I’ll sell this truck and never feel any regret. Also, stop hauling cheap freight!! 1.80 a miles is below poverty! If it’s not 3.00 a mile I won’t start my truck. I can go broke slower sitting at the house than driving my truck for free.
My friend, you nailed it! I grew up the same way and could not agree more. I have 10 years to go myself and I cant wait. I sound like my dad every time I say “it used to be a lot of fun”. stop making it easy, and turn it back into a skilled profession.
I would like to agree with everything you said, because you were on point with it. However, the name calling, and finger pointing won’t gain much attention. Degenerates? We all know what race that call another race “thugs”. To add to this, who are the “low lives”? You made sure you were going to entertain your supposed audience huh? So let me guess! Truckers 20 years ago were labeled as considered drivers across the board huh? Truckers 20 years ago were not “boss hoggin” the lanes; but well mannered right? Truck drivers 20 years ago were not aggressive and inconsidering drivers right? Truckers from 20 years ago still exist today OTR. Some of them still ride your tail forcing you to speed up or get over unwanted. You make it obvious who you are! Stay safe driver; and I’ll do the same.
*We all know what race that call another race “thugs”*
I did not like the tone of Sully’s comments either. There are good and bad people in every generation, every profession, every culture, and every race. I like to take people the way they were made: one at a time. Individually. There are plenty of good drivers today, just as there were plenty of bad drivers back in the 70s, as you point out, EastTx.
But it puzzles me that make such a racist statement in a comment that seems to be calling out racism.
Tell me, EastTx: exactly what race are you talking about? Only one race, and everyone in it, calls people “thugs”?
I am sorry, but that statement right there was the most racist comment in the whole thread.
Guess you haven’t been around the right trucking schools we have been teaching for over 30 years I have 50 years OTR before I started teaching after I retired .Not all programs are the same .
As if “English speaking” people are any better. The vast, vast majority of Americas most overaggressive, childish, ignorant period, are English speaking. I go thru small towns, predominately White and see the same group on the highways, cant merge properly, speed, run lights and stop signs, speeding thru school zones and construction sites, wont move over for police, pointing and pulling guns for nonsense, etc. So that low-key racism youre spouting, is the very reason why this country is so jacked up. Blinders on, for the nonsense of your own.
Say that again that happens when you think you’re the only “white”horse in town & when you don’t get out & see past the white clouds
So it’s low key racism I’m speaking? No it’s not my friend. I don’t care if your black, brown, or white. The generations of immigrants before now wanted to assimilate into the American culture and that meant speaking and reading English and adopting American ways. Now, they want us to accept the fact that they will not assimilate to the American way. If you left a country to come here because it’s so bad where you were and your now trying to make America the place you left, why did you leave in the first place. Everyone is so quick to say someone is a racist. I am quick to say I am an American. Not an Irish American or Hispanic American but just an American. I have defended American Interests in 17 different different countries INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN THESE UNITED STATES! Think about that my friend.
Funny how those claiming racism don’t listen to their own comments which are in fact racist themselves and do absolutely nothing but fan the flame of division. Think about it, your finger pointing doesn’t help the issue it ONLY makes it worse. Racist calling out racist, yeah that’s the answer, “seriously “? How’s that working out? Grow up already.
Right on Key, That dude is the real reason there’s so much division in this country. He talks a lot of stupidity nonsense and he clearly is a RACIST.
*drops the mic*
Charles,
Thank you, I was sitting here about to burst reading that racism in its purest form, you applied logic and “education” to that back woods snake skin producing bigot.
Oh and yes I am a “truck school graduate” hell I even made it through high school and yes these are my teeth.
Have a great day. Rubber side down,
Douglas. Florence, Oregon
If you don’t like it here. Go back to your sandbox Nobody cares
Thank you for comment Charles.
It’s never been a race issue! It’s falls under the fact that you can’t fix stupid, no matter what the race or nationallties! Stupid is unfixable! Plenty of education wasted on stupid people, just makes them educated idiots!
You CAN fix stupid. Just takes the right caliber.
Lol are you a indigenous full blooded american?
Why even bother? Just give a CDL to anyone who ask. No questions ask. We are done in this country—- done
Great googly moogly. Time to sell the truck and get off the road. This article is scary.
Indeed
Public roadways are about to get even more dangerous if these exemptions are allowed to go into play!!! People are concerned about COVID-19, With new exemptions like these, I would be more scared to be on a public roadways.
There are no thugs in the trucking industry. They all are fathers, brothers, sisters and responsible family members trying to feed their families. I do not know why the comments reflects her way to see the others colleagues drivers that way. She stated that she grew up in family who were dedicated to the trucking industry as well. Be careful when talking about fellow drivers, driving is a profession just been a doctor, a lawyer,a cop or any other career. You make the best out of it, or see the way you feel about. Sorry, but sit at home a wait for the government check if you qualify for that one. The Godfather56
Unions lost much of their power. Membership in Teamsters, which was once one of the most powerful unions around, has declined dramatically. In 1974, were 2,019,300 truckers in Teamsters. Now, there are 75,000.
ATA hard at work once again. These people are sick!
I’m retired after 43 years in the business, life is better, don’t miss it.
I know that’s right!!
I commend you sir on obviously a job well done! Enjoy what’s left of life! Well and honorably deserved
Seems like the money is in a trucking school. I could teach someone that knows how to drive a manual transmission enough get a license and go out with a trainer in a week or two.
I have 3 million miles on my record but gave up renewing my CDL 4 years ago, Now I want to get back in a truck,
This is bad news for everyone except the slave driving truck companies.
Its becoming more lucrative to recover wrecked rigs that to drive.
That would be one morbid job! I can’t get the ones I’ve pasted buried in the trees outta my mind as it is ! (RIP)!
There’s still some good paying driving jobs left
All companies SUK
Since “truck driving” no longer requires any real skill (not to mention courtesy, respect, basic human attributes, or the knowledge that NO PARKING means no parking); why not suspend the skills test? In fact, let’s suspend the Hazardous Materials endorsement test too- the ATA and the FMCSA can install vending machines at the Rest Areas, and wanna-be truck drivers can put in a dollar and get out a bona-fide CDL license (with HazMat endorsement for one dollar more). The crazier it gets, the more money the lawyers make. I don’t know about you, but I’m taking the 2-lane.
New driver, old drivers…same dif. Its really simple. The average person in cars, are selfish, overly aggressive folks. Like putting on a badge, taking any oath of office, donning a uniform, change of econimic status, etc., there is no changing the psychology of a person. An a-hole in a car, is now an a-hole with a CDL.
At the end of truck driving school (roadmaster) a graduate said to me;”wow I’m really gonna be a great driver now”! I replied; “kid, if y’all not a great driver before you got here; you’ll never be one!
Anybody going thru a 3 to 4 week driving school is part of the problem. All they train you for is to be able to pass the cdl test. And some of them can’t hardly do that
Freight is down nationwide by 40% Truckstops are full of parked Truck’s at noon and they want to put more drivers on the road with no skills? WTF?🤯
Totally correct sir
Trucking became a joke
I agree something is desperately wrong. I also am a third generation owner operator, farmer, rancher, mechanic. Stopped growing row crops after NAFTA. Parked my truck 9 years ago after being turned in for refusing a pee test. Didn’t refuse, couldn’t get there in one hour. Waited 4 hours to pickup a $150 75 mile load, being flat broke already, needed to sell a calf, stopped by home rounded up a calf for auction. Was about to go deliver load when I got call to go for pee test. Pickup had no gas and cow trailer hooked. Loaded truck can’t go into clinic. Would have to drop trailer go to clinic taking maybe 1 1/2 hour. Fired cause couldn’t make it in 1. State took my CDL away for not keeping physical current, but they said get physical and I could get CDL right back. Now they changed the rules. I now have to take written test and skills test costing close to $900 to get CDL back. Was going to start back driving because cattle prices suck as bad as load rates. Now I can’t get CDL because of Corona. NAFTA sucks, fhmcsa sucks, government sucks, China sucks, foreigners suck!!!!
Great! Relax requirements of training for operating these 80000lb monsters! First of all anyone hiring a driver with less than one solid year of accident free driving is a lunatic! Secondly; every single rule that has to do with safety and correspondence has been long thought out to be the key to keeping our highways safe/secure! To relax anything is asking for more caskets
Wow sully..your racist bigoted tone is quite disturbing since you probably voted for the traitors that authored NAFTA and other asinine policies that gave America’s working economy away to foreign countries like China and Mexico..but what do you care?..you’re too busy pointing your finger at the mice grabbing crumbs while the fat rats hoard the cheese..stop complaining and do something about it..
Lol. Way to point the finger right back, Rodney. One good finger-pointing deserves another, right?
When my son dropped out of college I told him he better find a job that couldnt be automated,
couldn’t be internetted to India ,
couldn’t be moved to Mexico or China,
couldn’t be done by immigrants.
And couldn’t be done by self driving trucks
He went to the truck driving school at the state vo-tech school. Which was actually a good class, student have a certain amount of time to master shifting gears or they are out, they have a certain amount of time to master backing up or they are out etc.
25 students in the class.
Lots of recruiters visiting the class, with one company the students were all ears when the recruiter was talking average earnings, then he said you have to pass an extensive background investigation, and started listing off all the things that would keep you from getting hired.
Can’t keep any back child support: several students walk out.
Can’t have any Liens, foreclosures, judgements or bankruptcies:
Several more walk out
Can’t have any serious traffic violations ever, DUI, etc:
Several more walk out
Can’t have ANY moving violations in the last three years:
Several more walk out.
Now there are three students left.
The recruiter showed them the 90 page background application, holds it up and drops it on the table with a bang. Two more walk out , leaving just my son. “You’re hired !”
“We haul over width, overweight, secure cargo.”
“Fill this out and get it back to me ASAP, soon as we hear back from it, we will call you, take somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks.”
The background forms required names addresses and employment for the last 10 years, of the students siblings, parents, and in-laws if previously or currently married.
They called six weeks later and told him to come to work.
Their main client requires the background check and also requires a passenger who rides along and stays awake at night to keep an eye on the cargo while the driver is sleeping or away from the truck.
You start out as the passenger and learn how to chain down the cargo and handle the paperwork and trip permits and oversize curfews. After a few months of that they start letting you drive while empty. Then a few weeks of that, they let you drive with a load a few times and if the senior driver approves then they put you in your own rig.
The week my son turned 21 they assigned him a nearly new 600 HP 18 speed W-900L and tri axle 53 foot RGN and he’s averaging 90 cents a mile, and home every weekend. Most weeks his paycheck before taxes is between $2000 and $2300. Some weeks it’s zero if they don’t have any work. But at least he’s at home and not sitting at a truck stop a thousand miles away.
They won’t haul brokered loads and they won’t work for less than X per mile.
A lot of typing to say this—
There are still good driving jobs out there, you just have to find them.
Meanwhile, in the real world; Drivers like me with 7 yrs experience are being temporarily furloughed due the the sporadic nature of current freight.
Rather than ‘Relax’ anything! Start weeding out these inconsiderate/unprofessional drivers and tear up their CDL/a that should’ve never been given in the first place!
Right on !
Make getting a CDL more difficult, Not easier…
There will always be agressive, stupid boneheads on the road; tickets should be given for bad behavior.
Three strikes and you are OUT !!!
Agree! CDL must be “getting more difficult”
Couldn’t agree with you more. I currently, am or was in the middle of obtaining my CDL, when my technical college had to close due to this virus. I have had a CDL/b for over ten years driving school buses. I got it in my head to upgrade to a CDL/A. What a shock to the system of who is allowed to earn, what I thought was a skilled/professional license. Homeless people, UDIs, scammers looking for free financial aid, weak-minded, and tons of can’t hold a job due to anger issues, the list goes on and on. I fear for my life as well as, the life of the car driver who will be in front of these soon to be released, menace on our society. I’m rethinking if it’s worth it when school resumes at the end of the month and just stay on my bus where it’s safer.
Safety?
They’re always crying safety, safety, safety!
Regs, rules, mandates, and more regs!
These moronic changes lately show otherwise!
What a joke, make it easier to drive an 80,000 lbs. killing machine, what could go wrong?!?!?! Seriously though, the majority of these comments skip around the REAL issue. Class A CDL Truck Drivers are NOT the problem, experienced or new. Regular Class D License requirements are what needs to change, and simply enforce the laws that we already have in place. Police officers see that crap all the time and do nothing. Tell me again what the problem on the nations roads are???
I have my class A permit and I wanna finish my training but I can’t bc here in new york City the DMV is close so no road test I wish they would open I wanna be driving tractor trailers
Just an idea…….SEARS is going under. Why not let SEARS take over testing?? Just think. Walk in to buy a lawnmower or some undies, and walk out with a CDL and be able to drive an 80,000lb 18 wheeler just like your pickup or motorcycle. Think of the jobs it would save!! All those dedicated SEARS employees would be able to help the govt speed this country into the big ditch it’s headed for………
California was selling them! Go figure!
What could possibly go wrong?
I’ve been driving for 17 years mostly O/O. Call me crazy but I still love what I do. Yeah there are a lot of problem drivers out here but the highway tends to weed them out one way or another. Hopefully the good drivers won’t give up because when that happens the profession will be lost. Be safe and courteous out there because we all want to make it home.
I’m surprised that they are doing this. Next thing you know they won’t have to do any testing at all as long as they just give money. The FMCSA is about as stupid as a box of rocks!
According to 60 minutes human CDL drivers will be replaced by autonomous trucks in the very near future and cost the industry tens of thousands of jobs. So what’s the purpose of training new commercial drivers?
Autonomous trucks will be the future but shippers, roads, fuel/charging, etc is not set up for that, yet.
Mechanics are not trained.
The cost will be prohibitive except for the largest carriers that will obviously save on labor costs.
If we keep accepting slave rates, it’s less probable it will happen very soon.
It will be a slow rollout.
I am a 2nd generation trucker, my father started driving in the 70’s and as soon as I hit 21 I followed in his footsteps. They want to Crack down on our hours to eliminate driver fatigue because they say that’s what is causing accidents. No my friend, putting steering wheel holders on the road instead of trained drivers is what is causing accidents. They crack down on us to make the nation think they are trying to do good but in reality, they are just protecting the company schools of the megas that are linning the Ata pockets and bank accts.
A misguided system. Currently the freight is down significantly. Freight rates are down lower then I’ve ever seen them before. Truck stops are full of parked trucks and the drivers sitting at home. Friends in the industry that work for companies have reported sitting in some areas for a week waiting on a load. Truck and trailer payments are about 4000 per month between notes and insurance, not including plates, & permits for Owner Opperators I know. The industry already has taken advantage of immigrants that do not know any better. They come from countries where if they made $2.00 US they were doing great. They take the low freight not understanding they are not only screwing themselves but the entire industry. They somehow are already are getting CDL’s they do not deserve. They cannot back up! These unqualified drivers clog the truck stops with “creative parking” when there are plenty of parking spots available but because those spots require an actual skill set to get into they remain empty. This policy will kill people and to bring more unskilled drivers into a system already filled with unskilled drivers is just irresponsible. This PLANDEMIC has been a great excuse for all kinds of crap. Clearly the deep state swamp still needs to be drained.
Has the federal government lost their collective minds.
This is how you get licensed to operate an 80,000 lb or heavier vehicle. A 40 ton highway missile for feet from your family on today’s increasingly dangerous streets and highways.
I certainly hope that the carriers who requested these changes as well as the state and federal governments are held liable and responsible for the aftermath of this absolutely insane idea.
Professional truck operators are not safe out there as it is.
Why not ask the drivers who have nothing but a pay cheque and there safety to be gained instead of the mega carriers that are just winning the battle with decisions like this to kill the smaller companies and owner operators
no instructor in the cab……..how in the hell will the driver be able to shift or release the brakes, better yet take his first right turn with a 53 ft trailer.
on the other note i do feel if you already have a CDL you should be able to take your hazmat and doubles / triples test on the motor vehicle website to help your future trucking experience. no need to sit the lobby and take the test. just a computer with live camera showing you doing the test.
and to keep the non sence going could you imagine the roads if there was only one company like SWIFT !!!!! lmao
Unbelievable stupidity. An obvious sellout by government to big fleets and special interests. Taking advantage of a crisis. Another example of what a dirty business trucking is. Why have any rules at all.
75 drivers where just layed off FROM Covenant transport. Now they are going to hire new students to teach new students as they run teams. And the government is paying them for the new students. Get rid of that .50 cent a mile driver for a .35 cent a mile driver. This is a messed up industry any more.
I am one of those Covenant Drivers, I have 100 percent delivery rate, 10 year Cdl holder 0 accidents, got a message on 4/4/20 that me n my co driver we’re being routed to Chattanooga headwaters, dispatcher would say the reason why, early that morning they called and said we don’t have our hazmat endorsement, they can’t use us anymore, didn’t even have the decency to do it in person
Need a vision test to renew, all motor vehicle offices are closed and can’t do it online=-/
Yep.
To be honest,I don’t care how many years you’ll have,it’s what’s in the heart that matters,just because you’re a truck driver don’t mean your kids wants to be truck drivers too,not everyone involved in truck driving isn’t criminals,we all had training in some sort of a way,that’s bullshit to say 6 months you’re taught blah blah blah raised in a truck blah blah blah to be truck drivers,your mentality is being a super trucker,so go ahead and turn them keys in,I’m happy New truck drivers are coming in the industry,I’m happy they’re trying to come up with better ways to teach new drivers,if you’re going to not have an instructor in the truck with them,you’ll make Dame sure they can drive that rig and don’t have them going down the packed roads ECT have them go down a easier path get their license because their going to have a rough ride eventually,,if my English isn’t good enough then here’s a lesson you’ll may understand AND THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE BECAUSE TIMOTHY TAYLOR SAID SO
FMCSA is a joke. How about you shut down testing for a few months and then test people when It’s safe! I’ve never heard something so idiotic as to let the student drive the truck on test day with the examiner following behind. Really ignorant idea
I stopped driving Oct 2019 when, even though the economy was supposed to be “strong”, rates had been low for over a year (at that point) and were going down hard. I started to sell equipment. I have 1 truck and trailer left to go. After 25 years in business, I will not look back nor will I think I’ll ever get back, not to trucking.
Now look at rates…spot market today – one way trips $1.30-$1.60 mi for van or reefer freight…NOTHING available for flatbed. Round trips paying $1 mi. And, you know when you get there, it is going to be 5 or 6 hours to load, another 5 or 6 to unload (if your lucky) and NOTHING for detention.
A good friend of mine called me this AM to say that his company had a “company wide” conference call, let everyone go, 300 drivers told to bring their trucks back and park them, file for unemployment.
Whose gonna take their place? Someone who didn’t have to take a road skills test, who can’t speak or read English!
And, before you get crazy calling me a racist, that is NOT a racist comment, it is the God-awful truth! I stand in line at the DMV, I see the translators with the CDL candidates. I recently was in line at the DMV, a worker behind the counter got so frustrated TRYING to help the guy next to me, turns to me and asks “Aren’t you supposed to be able to read and understand English to get a CDL?” I told her, that was my understanding.
Road signs are written in English. You should be able to read and understand them if your going to drive, period!!!
Good point fellow trucker. The only thing I disagreed with you in your comments, is about foreigners domination comments. This industry will not function without foreigners involvement in this highly demanding career. I, and most other foreigners are overqualified to even been truckers, but we appreciate and accept to be apart of this industry because it is only place we can earn a decent salary without facing racial profiling that leads in any industry out there that will require my master or PHD degree am I holding now as truck driver. Thank you for your input and have good day!
interestingly this also comes as the USDA is looking to ease wage requirements on migrant laborers. Evidence Trump still has some house cleaning to do.
They don’t give a crap if you can drive anymore but when they kept yelling there was a driver shortage and had a ton of circus clowns come on, companies then could get cheaper help and screw the professional drivers. I know of 2 cases where drivers were at their homes when the company big shit showed up and took them to have a drug and breathalyzer test. Neither was on duty nor on call but both lost their jobs. The feds need to get out of the trucking business they need to get out of a lot of things.
Well, this is hilarious. Most of these “steering wheel holders” are incapable of fixing a cup of coffee much less getting behind a wheel. I feel like it is time for me to retire. Just hope they know they are going to be a price to pay.
Newsflash: the government does not care about your safety or your health. It’s all a scam. And while we all sit here whining and crying and arguing, they just keep taking more of our freedoms away. The time for questioning and arguing is long over. Either do something about it, or shut up and enjoy your slavery.
I read every comment here and I feel for all you folks. Truck drivers risk their lives to bring people food, medical products and all things we need to survive. Every cop is told they got truckers under their thumb, company’s will not back you in any way and will cooperate with anybody to save their asses and attorneys prey on truck drivers because the know there’s a million dollars insurance on the truck. How can the trucker fight back when they are making slave wages. You can end up in jail driving a truck and if you lose your license you can’t get another job because you have no license. Get out of trucking, it’s not worth it, your risking your future every turn of the wheel. Your better off working at McDonalds and they are hiring.
The company’s Hiring New Driver have same old rule which is two driver sharing room and Mentors and sharing Trucks with new Driver So what is Social -Distance mean?
Total stupidity, you have just enabled every non-qualified POS to get a CDL. This was totally not needed, but as usual the Feds are implementing just how stupid and not in touch with the industry they are.
I come at this from a different perspective. I have been wanting to get my CDL license for years, but not wanting to go the “Trucker School” route. I did that for a week 5 years ago and it seemed they were just training robots. I would like to own my own truck someday. I have run a business and I am responsible enough to think 3-4 steps ahead. So, I got my medical card, I studied and went and took the written test. Passed general knowledge, air brakes & combination vehicle tests and obtained my CDL-A permit. BUT I soon learned that the industry really funnels everyone through these schools and I could not find a company that would hire or even train me starting from where I was. I would think that a company, and the industry as a whole, would want someone like me in the cab of such an expensive, and potentially dangerous vehicle. It really is odd to be on the outside of an industry looking in, and seeing things that just don’t make sense and I agree that this move is not the answer. It still does nothing to attract good, conscientious people to the industry and it won’t help me in any way get started hauling!
How about a sensible response, such as a deferment for the medical exam for renewal until this mess is over. How many perfectly healthy drivers want to go into an infected clinic or doctors office for a physical right now.
Delay the renewal physical for 6 months, and then a 3 month period thereafter to get it so everyone won’t be rushing in at once. Mine is due in a couple of months, and I really don’t want to go in and get it under the present conditions.