CDL training program

That permit test may well be the LEAST of your worries....

If you decide to work for OD -- understand that OD is basically the "A Team"...of the LTL world.

To work on/with the "A Team" -- you thus need to be..."A Team" material.

With that said -- some questions...as food for thought:

• In the LTL world -- you will quite probably be asked to build/hitch up a set of "pup" trailers; this will require you to manually move a trailer "dolly" in position at the front of at least one pup trailer. Can you push/pull said dolly....at night...in the rain...in a poorly lit yard...on unlevel/sloped ground....that is also potholed/unpaved? If you are not in physical condition for such -- you might wanna start working on that. THIS IS ONE BIG REASON WHY LTL PAYS BETTER THAN SWIFT.
• Do you have any experience working/using a forklift? Are you forklift certified? If not -- you might wanna find out what OD driver requirements are for such. Some LTL fleets/terminals require a driver to do some forklift work; others don't. I think you can get forklift certified via the internet (prove me wrong). If OD needs this at your nearby terminal -- & you already have it -- your odds of getting hired will of course naturally go up.
• Do you have any prior experience with working a pallet jack? If not -- find out if you will (also) be expected to use/work with these. If so -- you need to be in good physical shape (as appropriate) for that, as well.

With Swift....or any of the other OTR fleets...you basically only need to be in shape enough to pull a 5th wheel release lever (approx 50 - 60 lbs)...& also...get under a trailer to inspect the 5th wheel connection (& always use a flashlight for that). You will also be expected to climb in & out of trailers -- to sweep them out.

LTL....on the other hand...will require considerably more physical work....& the requisite physical conditioning for such.

Are you ready for that?

 

The "A Team"... look at just how cheesy tv entertainment got way back in the 80s:



Hey, it was all in good fun....

 

Okay...

Those pup trailer dollies weigh well north of 100 lbs each -- so if you can push/pull one of those 20+ feet...uphill...in wet/slick conditions...then you should be good to go.

To help prevent the possibility of a twisted ankle while doing such -- my vote sez...to shop for footwear that also has/includes good ankle support.

OD pays good money -- but you of course will earn it.

 

Why would you ever push or pull it 20 feet when you can hook the dolly to your truck's pintle hook and back it into place? At least that's what I did when I ran LTL. Maybe move it by hand the last few feet to line it up right in front of your kite.

 

I was merely thinking of what could be worst case scenario...

Clearly -- by any reasonable standard -- I have watched TOO MANY episodes of the "A Team"....

 

Say you're swapping your tail trailer. You can either drop your lead and use the truck to spot the dolly or leave it hooked and get the dolly positioned as best you can and then muscle it. First way takes longer but requires less physically, second way is faster.

 

I leave the jiff on my lead and back it underneath the rear. I always back my lead and jiff together. It's just much easier that way.

 

If you can get your foot in the door without going thru a mega outfit, I would jump all over it. O.D. Can be a career job! You can build up for retirement while you’re learning and with a few years in, you will build up enough seniority to get a decent bid run and you’re off to the races!

Good luck!!!