getting your class 1 license

49Para was 20 hours enough or not enough for you? How much experience with commercial driving did you have before you took the test?

 

20 was fine for me. 16 hours driving, a lesson spent on pretrip.
Instructor said average guy took 30. Shortest was 16 hrs, but that guy was a class 3 already.
For me the driving was easy, it just took time to unlearn how to shift an automobile manual trans. And get the timing for double clutching ( which I ended up just faking for the test anyways)
I aced the pretrip, and buggered one 5-4 shift on test.


I grew up around trucks and have a ton of miles in the right seat but never driven. I'm comfortable driving large vehicles and backing up trailers.
never seriously looked into my class 1 because I thought the costs were like $ 6-8000.
If you have been around the industry then you shouldn't have an issue.
Hardest part for me was to remember regardless if nobody in the real world does something a certain way you have to anyways to satisfy the examiner.
My examiner was stickler for details, luckily I am used to that from my engineering background so I did well with him.

Just remember the people teaching are in business to make $, so the longer they can string you along the better for them.

There is one instructor in town who charges a flat rate of $6-10000 depending on the package.
The 10k one offers " real world training" which I found out consisted of delivering his dry van goods from the barge to the store solo while you pay him for the " experience ". Meanwhile he undercuts his competition because he is not paying a driver. The driver is paying him!

 

Yeah I also thought it would be super expensive

 

I paid a total of 240 bucks to get my license. Had to pay for the tests and that's it.

Started off as a swamper with an experienced driver, then just drove the truck around for 6 mmonths and went and got my license. Company supplied truck/trailer at no cost. Didn't have to sign any contracts or anything.

There are companies out there that are willing to help out, but like I did, work your way up from the bottom, get the experience and it will pay off.

We have been super busy in December, and it's carrying thru into the rest of winter. We have a big coil job coming up that will take the better part of 2 months.

 

I dont think there is anybody but you to make that call, but if you went and paid for an hour or two of training you would know alot better. Your asking questions, so that automatically puts you ahead of most people. You will do fine.