Inexperienced Driver Question

Take the Youtube channels et. al. with a grain of salt. One thing you learn quickly is that there tends to be a LOT of embellishment and fishing stories.
That aside, I'd say.. #### it, just do it. Biggest thing I'd ever driven before getting a CDL was a M923 series 5 ton, and that was only enough to get licensed on it... wasn't my MOS in the Army, but they wanted us all to get licensed on the 1113 series Humvees, 900 series 5 tons, and to get USAREUR before we deployed to Kosovo. Everyone here - from the BFN rookie to the old hand who's been at it for so long that he can't remember getting an erection since the 80s has been behind the wheel for the very first time at some point in their life. Your mindset and attitude play as important a role in whether you make it or not as much as your aptitude.
It seems daunting at first. I get you. After a while, it becomes like second nature.
In the words of Zardoz, GO FORTH.... well, he followed up with "and kill", but ignore that part - don't kill anything. Just go forth.

 

Most companies want you to have at least a year of driving experience in your car, Class-C license, before training you for the CDL-A.
Sometimes they cut some slack though. Swift Transportation and Stevens Transport might waive that requirement. Apply and find out.

 

Which state/city do you live in. Maybe there's some more choices.

 

A car is nothing like a 18 wheeler.

A 18 wheeler is sort of a living being. Almost self aware to borrow a grotesque term. Nothing on that truck is there for show. Everything attached to that thing is for a specific purpose.

You tube videos are full of stories. Tall Tales and so on. You can hurt yourself going through too many of them.

You need a good school to learn just enough to get the CDL after the State Issued driving test (In a manual tractor trailer not a auto) Your real educating begins with your first load packet handed to you by a dispatcher who has seen a thousand young ones come and go before you. Get going youre late.

You are fixing to get involving into something much bigger than just yourself. Trucking is not just work. It is literally a way of life for those who survive it. (I should say thrive actually, but it's feast and famine along with problems no one in school ever taught you.)

I can go on. But take it slow and easy. You have frankly a WHOLE lifetime to do this right step by step.

One more thought. We will learn for sure what scares you in trucking. And someone will attempt to fix it for you. No matter how bad you are scared with that big block of ice in your gut, you must make decisions and execute them. Lives depend on you correctly staying in action. Being scared is good. That means you are in harms way on a mountain or in really bad storms or whatever. Better than coffee I should say.

It's really tough to package the industry into a nice tweet for someone so young as you who have so much to learn. Im in my 50's and am still learning every day.

 

You have to be 21 to drive a commercial vehicle interstate.You'll have to ask Schneider how long you must have a Class-C license before they'll train you for Class-A.

 

When will you be 21 yrs. old? www.schneiderjobs.com has some driving jobs that don't require a cdl. That's one way to get started with your Class-C license, then later switch to Class-A CDL and then start with the bigger trucks at Schneider.

 

Here's some more driving jobs near Tampa that don't require a cdl:
Coleman Worldwide Moving
Southeastern Freight Lines - Straight Truck/Final Mile Driver (Non CDL) - Thonotosassa, FL
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You can also check with the unemployment office about driving jobs that are non-cdl and hire drivers under 21 yrs. old.