Since the schools seem to charge about $5000-6000 that i've seen, yet i'm currently NOT planning on driving for others at this point (my intro http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...s-respectfully-here-to-learn.html#post3775570 ) how feasible is it to learn how to drive and pass the CDL without going to school?
Note i'm not saying never once hiring anyone to help but rather say hiring someone to tutor on just the most difficult or important part of the equations for $100-125/hr or whatever they seem charge while keeping that to an absolute minimum...
I mean my general understanding outside of the book learning is that the two hardest things for a newbie to learn is the shifting, and backing up. Assuming I can borrow a class 8 semi to back around to my hearts content in some farmer's gravel driveway half the day, and assuming I find some other way to work on shifting, how much harder is it than driving a 1 ton truck with trailer where you already have to account for longer distances, weight, and everything anyways?
learning to drive and pass CDL without a formal school? (but with select help/tutor)
Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by totalnoob, Jan 12, 2014.
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Look for community college CDL schools; they're usually 1/2 to 2/3rds cheaper than most private CDL schools. Even if you get the CDL on your own, most companies will still require formal training through a CDL school or the trucking companies own CDL program.
adams8 Thanks this. -
Getting the training later if I wanted to do it fulltime would be okay as a refresher, i'd hope to have $5000-6000 by then because it should pay for itself back within a few months. (which is also about what the community colleges seemed to want to charge in minnesota unless I misread things) That's enough to literally buy a used road-legal semi where I am and just start backing around in an uncle's field... :-/
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Shifting and backing are easy. The hardest part is learning to change your 4-wheeler driving habits. It's so hard the vast majority of those employed as drivers obviously never learn it.
A lot, but that's irrelevant to obtaining insurance to operate a semi. "Driving" is ~half of the job, and the easy half. The hard part is "managing" your rig and putting the interests of your employer ahead of your own.TexasKGB Thanks this. -
You should check to see if your state offers any retraining assistance.
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I never went to a school...............taught myself, had my permit for 6 days.
work at a moving company and get your CDL for free (and a lil hard work
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adams8 Thanks this. -
I got a bunch of buddies that were taught by other buddies (Class B) and had no problems getting jobs with references from friends. If I were going Class B I would have done the same but going Class A I put myself through school. The A jobs are much pickier. If you have a guaranteed job and a way to practice you could probably pull it off on your own.
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Bump
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I thought i heard something just the other day that after Feb 7th 22' your no longer allowed to be self taught per say to get a CDL?
Meaning anyone new to the game would have to go to a credited school of some sort, i do not know anything else about that just being what i heard floating around.Chinatown Thanks this.
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