Anyone here got their CDL and got hired on without school?

I used to work with a guy who was a retired cop, decided he wanted to drive, read the book and passed the tests without any school. The biggest kicker is finding a company that will hire someone with zero experience, mainly because of insurance requirements. I got a commercial license in 1977 because the place I worked as a driver helper taught me to drive and gave me a raise as a result. Things are a little different now.

 

Grandfather from a chauffer's license to CDL Class A without dropping a gear.

 

Where did you guys get the Truck to take the road test with ? I went and got my Class A permit with no problem but only way for me to get a truck is to go to a school

 

That's where you need to know somebody with a truck who would be willing to let you use it

 

You are not the only one I heard doing it this way.

Not my class A but my class B back in 1983 Worked for a paving co. To get the job asked if I could drive a truck and I said show me the shift pattern and I could drive it. Drove a few weeks, got my permit drove it to take the test and that was it.
BTW a few years later they did the CDL grandfather thing where you had to retake the writhen part. I also took the class A, D&T trailer tests and passed but could not find anyone to lend me a truck/trailer to do the road test so only kept the class B till Dec. 2014 when I went to school for the upgrade to class A and used their truck/trailer.
Dave ----

 

I started in 98 by driving a 3 car wedge attached to a pickup truck for a friend of mine. He had 2 18 wheelers. One day he came home and handed me the keys to a freightliner and said my back hurts go figure out how to drive this thing. So I drove the truck home (grinding gears the whole way) Spent 2 weeks driving around the pasture and backing up between hay bails. Drove it out to Burlington, Co took my driving test and passed. That's how I got my CDL

 

I got on with a local towing a recovery company. Made good money fairly local. We did some heavy equipment hauling plus towing. So I got to talk to a lot of different truck drivers. Then I got on with south eastern freight lines. Gravy job! South eastern, aaa Cooper, fed ex, or old dominion freight. High pay good benefits home every day

 

I just got mine with military experience and a few companies are willing to hire me on right now just making a decision

 

There are companies that rent a truck for the day for the CDL test, at least I know they are in California. For about $800 they will give you some time behind the wheel, practice the skills, and walk you through the pretrip inspection before your appointment for your test. They also have appointment reservations if you need one. "CDL In A Day" is one such company.

I got my CDL without school twice. First in '77 then again in '12. Both times I used my brother's truck.

In today's job market it will be more difficult to get a job without school, but possible. Smaller self insured companies will hire you. Swift accepted three months recent OTR experience in lieu of school.

 

LOL--more of us like that than people realize--told the story here enuff no need to repeat--but was just loaded for Cali--in 89(beginin of cdl changeover)when Irealized my dl would be expired before I got back---pulled around back local HP station--walked in w/Chauffers--5minutes later walked out w/cdl a all endorsements about 5minutes later--and $40 lighter--never paid more than $12 before that--#### fed's--lmao