Driving with a friend for experience

I can just advise what the instructors in my school told us. That as of Jan 2012, you will not be able to just go to the DMV get your CDL and then be hired by most trucking companies. It will be mandatory that you attend some type of school. This is thanks to the insurance industry.

Now if your friend can pass as a certified instructor, it might be remotely possible. If you could find a small trucking company, they would be your best bet to try.

 

Eaton18 is right. Verifiable experience is when you have log books and a company that says you worked there and drove for them. Your friend may not be aware of all the current rules that have been put into place and it would be good to do some research on this before you possibly waste some time.

 

If you ride along I would make sure you are covered by his companies insurance. (his company being the O/O).

Mark

 

Go for a ride along or two just to see whats all involved in the job itself, you may be asked in an interview if you've ever been on a trip in a truck before. They ask this because if you have, then they know you have a general idea of whats involved and what its like to be in a truck for long periods. Some guys jump right in without having been on the road before, decide they dont like it then quit..
Dont consider it training, go to school for that, consider it a basic idea of what its all about.

 

What is changing in January 2012??? Haven't heard about this one.

 

Just more BS from a CDL mill . "Beginning three years after the effective date of a final rule, all applicants for a CDL or upgraded CDL would be required to provide a valid certificate from a truck driving program or institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. The rule would not affect current CDL holders." http://www.nmtrucking.com/dot-news/59-fmcsa-proposes-entry-level-driver-mandatory-training-requirements
No final rule yet .

 

I'm not sure where he came up with that. Another student specifically asked about just testing through the DMV, instead of going through a school. That's the answer we were given. I haven't had time yet to research it, to try and find any legal writing on it. There may not be. It might be that what's been happening with the carriers, where they are requiring some sort of school before they will hire, will be the norm.

Edited

You posted while I was typing. Thanks Rick. I'll ask him again today about it, and see what he says. At least now I'll have the correct answer..

 

So this is all based on what someone at a school said? Of course they want everyone to believe that, as far as I know, that is not true at all

Anyone can walk into the DMV, pass the written, pass the driving, and you're handed a CDL license.

 

Just Google FMCSA mandatory driver training . Print it out and show the instructor . The FMCSA had a final training rule a few years ago . OOIDA had it ruled invalid because it had no required actual time behind the wheel . http://www.ooida.com/MediaCenter/Press_Releases/2005/driver_training_rule.shtml
It takes FMCSA years to rewrite a regulation then either Public Citizen or the ATA will take the new regulation to court and keep it from being enforced .