I'm seriously considering getting into trucking. I'm not making enough at my current job and I'm getting really bored being a desk jockey to be honest.
Anyway, I've seen and heard a mixed bag about what companies are good and bad.
I've been considering Stevens Transport so I can get my CDL. I don't mind working for a company for a year in order to get my CDL training as long as they teach me well.
I'm not sure which companies I absolutely need to avoid, versus which companies are decent or even great. Need advice here.
Also, I'm not sure which is best to do. I'm not sure if it's better for me to 1) Go to a training company like Stevens, that helps you get your CDL and work for them for a year and then go to a better company if I don't like the company I'm with, OR 2) Try to get my CDL at a local college training school, and then hope I can get hired on with a decent carrier afterwards.
Which companies are decent to good about getting you home regularly?
I also have a weight issue. I'm almost 300 lbs or better, and I know that you can't get into truck driving if you're diabetic. To my knowledge, I don't have diabetes, but you really don't know unless you take the DOT physical I guess. My biggest concern is quitting my current job, and then going to school only to be turned down because I have health issues, and then have to come back home with no job. Any thoughts on this would be helpful as well.
Also, can a driver sleep for 5-6 hours, drive for a few hours, and then rest for a couple more hours, and then go for the remainder of their 10 hour shift, or is it once you start driving 10 hours, it's 10 straight hours. I know that on long road trips, if I start getting sleepy, if I can pull over wherever, and just shut my eyes (not necessarily sleep, just rest my eyes), for about 20-30 minutes, I'm good the rest of they way. Any thoughts on that?
What are jake brakes, and slip seating?
Thanks for your help!!!
Need CDL....Need Advice
Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by Ridinlightnin, Aug 28, 2011.
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Welcome and best of luck!!! I have found that by poking around the various threads.....I find the answers to most of my questions. The amount of knowledge and wisdom posted here is simply incredible and invaluable.
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:smt108 Perfect.........A wannabe telling a wannabe what to do.
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I'm just trying to be helpful while you sound like a ########. It is true what I said, he can get a physical BEFORE he quits to see if he is diabetic or not. What is wrong with that advice genius?
A person does not have to have twenty years experience driving an 18 wheeler to know that someone can get a physical through their current employer to make sure they are OK before quitting their current job.Diesel Dave Thanks this. -
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I really appreciate the feedback so far. You've all been pretty helpful. I don't have insurance right now through my current job since it's just temp work. I can check and see how much it might cost though to get the blood work done I guess. That'll probably be pretty high w/o insurance though. But thanks again for the input so far
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
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