CDL B prior to CDL A any help?

Driving over the road experience is strictly in a tractor trailer driving in multiple states over the past 3 years. Even Class A drivers that come off the road for more than 3 years are treated as they have zero experience if they want to go back out.

Basically, local experience is limited to what kind of vehicle you drive. You'll have bus experience, but zero towards a Class A.

 

Ain't that the truth. I am looking around to possibly get back into OTR, and the 19 years I had out there means 0.........It sucks

 

Condo is right i mean if u get ur B its cool get ur xperience then if u want to go OTR you can drive a bobtail expedited truck or a charter bus.

 

I'm a a newbie here and I did just what you plan to do. A CDL B doesn't really help you get into OTR per se, BUT it will make it MUCH easier to learn to drive combo. YEP, you heard me--easier! You drive a bus, then you know all about the dreaded "tailswing", tractor trailers have "off-tracking" and you have to watch for it, but it's not really as tricky as tailswing.

This is something that only someone who's driven both would know! Also, there is 'OTR experience' which many companies ask for, then there is also 'CDL experience' WATCH FOR THIS ON APPLICATIONS!!!!! A guy I trained with got a job way before me with a company that wouldn't hire newbies because he drove a super stretch limousine for 4 years.

 

i drove class b for 16 years before getting my class a, cant say it really helped me except for knowing the laws.

 

you can blame the insurance companies for the recent OTR requirements. a good friend of mine drove for 17 years. he went from a company driver to an owner operator. one nasty divorce happened, and he had to sell his truck. even though he had over a million safe miles, he is considered a rookie by the industry.

 

I feel it helps with the laws, as well as you start to get a mindset for things like bridge clearances or bridge weight limits, truck speeds, turning wide, air brakes, etc. But doesn't do anything for combination vehicle or backing combination vehicle.