Ask a Trainer - For New Hires and Potential Employees

I got my permit in june last year. It was a piece of cake. I haven't done my physical yet. Millis told me to wait until last moment because your physical cannot be older than 60 days for millis i believe. I did a dot physical for a driving instructor couple of years ago. They check your blood pressure and doc was pretty strict about that. Then they make you run in place and check your pressure and heart beat again, you get naked and doc feels up on your junk. They check your vision and peripheral vision. I believe they take your urin but not sure....every place might be a little bit different though

 

What is the difference between per diem and non per diem? I want to make sure I make all the right choices.

 

There is a lot to this but I'll give the cliffnote version. The IRS allows you like $39 a day for living expenses on the road. You get like 80% of that back at the end of the year...or something like that. To claim that deduction you have to itemize and keep reciepts for each purchase and you have to be able to prove that you were OTR on each day you claim deductions. Per diem pays you .29 per mile and .10 of that is non taxable income to cover your IRS deductions. With per diem you no longer need to itemize as you are getting reimbursed by the company for that daily expense. Your taxable income is .19 per mile so your annual taxes are less and your reportable income is less. With non per diem you get .34 per mile but because you are in a higher tax bracket your taxed income is higher and you have to itemize to get anything back. Because the company also pays less...people who choose per diem get bonuses that non per diem do not get. They get an additional cent per mile on safety bonuses and they get paid for working six holidays than non per diem does not get. Per diem also gets a vacation at six months when non per diem does not. If you calculate both incomes...non per diem makes more per check...but once bonuses are calculated per diem makes more per year.

 

Long story short just wait til you're in class to even worry about it. Greg in Cartersville will explain it all to you.

 

You out in your own truck now?

 

No I'll start class next month .

 

Millis is the place I would like to start my career. With that said, I have a concern. I'm not liking the idea of heading out on the road with a trainer and not having my cdl in hand.
I have read that they offer top of the line training, but the thought of not passing my cdl testing, not having a job or cdl, and a school loan to repay is a concern.
Is this a valid concern or am I overthinking things?
If i go private school, at least I'll have my cdl?
Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated!

 

1500 more miles. Plan is to be done Monday with the hours I have left but truck just went into the shop at Richfield for a turbo problem

 

you are overthinking things. As long as you dont screw up you will get your cdl by the end of your first week or so...if you are a Texas resident you will have your cdl before you finish the school portion. If they put you in thr school you already have the job as long as you dont screw up

 

Well it wont be long now then.