CDL But No Experience

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by alwalk3, Dec 4, 2016.

  1. alwalk3

    alwalk3 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 4, 2016
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    My current situation is I currently hold a CDL, but have no experience. Used one of those rent a truck to get license a year ago. My question is, how do I go about getting on with a company? I'm located in DFW and there's several companies, but they all either want experience or a school certificate. Should I attend a school? How does that work if I already have my CDL? Just need a little guidance here. Thank you.
     
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  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    There's some good companies that will hire you, but you'll have to attend their school. The positive is, you already can drive and have a cdl so you'll breeze right through.
    FFE ( Frozen Food Express) - Lancaster/Dallas
    Roehl Transport - Grand Prairie

    Another way is food service, but it's strenuous work, hand unloading trucks and driving to several places each day. Mostly local or regional.
    Sygma Network
    Sysco
    McLane Company
    Reinhart Foodservice
    For these foodservice companies, apply as a driver helper to get started, then after you're qualified can become the lead driver and have a helper with you. The helper can drive spart of the time and helps unload.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2016
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  4. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    You just might be able to take a refresher course locally since you have a CDL but have not driven.
     
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  5. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    That's true; both Roehl and FFE also have refresher course and the full course.
     
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  6. alwalk3

    alwalk3 Bobtail Member

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    Any idea how CRST is? Have a friend that's been there under a year and runs from dallas to Houston and back everyday. So he's home daily and off weekends and that's perfect.
     
  7. Driver91

    Driver91 Medium Load Member

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    Check with Watkins Shepard. They have a brand new refresher program paid for. And they have a terminal in Dallas.
     
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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Look at his weekly pay and decide if it's worth it.
     
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  9. RedRover

    RedRover Road Train Member

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    Was the CDL test truck that you took the test in a manual transmission? If so, you can call swift and they will send you to orientation. You will take a road test there. If you pass, they will send you with a mentor. If you fail, they send you to the a academy( in Corsicana for you) for 3 weeks. Once you pass their(swift) tests for the backing skills, pretrip and road test, they will send you back to orientation and directly out with a mentor with no further road test. There were quite a few people with a CDL at the academy because they couldn't shift etc
     
  10. alwalk3

    alwalk3 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 4, 2016
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    No it was an automatic. I have no issues shifting, just never backed up before. Nor have I connected truck to trailer.

    Anyone know about Clean Harbors? Tried finding reviews and here wasn't much. They aren't far from me and require tanker and hazmat. Tanker doesn't seem too difficult, not sure about hazmat.
     
  11. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Clean Harbors usually requires 12 mos. experience, but apply anyway. Make a personal visit to the terminal.
    Hazmat endorsement is a simple written test and then background check. You can have a criminal record and still get hazmat endorsement.
     
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