Flatbed advice

I was going to make a comment about that, but I thought mine sounded kinda rude... Yours came across pretty nice! My comment was going to be that if we didn't have trucks growing up, about a half mile down the road was a small excavating company, another mile is another one... Probably a half dozen inside of 5 miles. If I wanted to learn to drive a truck, it woulda happened. Not sure what I would have had to do to make it happen, but when you want something bad enough, it doesn't really matter.

 

When I started driving I had a Chauffeurs license. I got out of driving for a few years, decided I wanted to get back into it, suddenly needed a CDL, found a CDL instructor at a local Technical School who did driving tests "after hours" for $250, took my pre-trip and driving test in a school truck and whala, I walked out with my CDL. Granted I had previous driving experience but like @CharlieK said do what ya gotta do if you really want to do it. Somebody knows somebody who has a truck you could train in, rented or not. Get one of your Uncles to rent one and train you in it. Just a thought. Good luck to ya, I know and remember the feeling of wanting to be a truck driver more than anything.

 

Great advice right here.
Get that foot in the door,let them know your desire to be a truck driver and maybe they will teach you over time.
Then no school to pay for. Winner....

 

Interesting topic, even tho its not about flatbedding...
I got my cdl without ever having stepped foot in a class, here's how..
I hired on with a school bus company, most will train you for your class B license. Get some experience there.
Then look for smaller trucking companies that run straight trucks and semis, and are willing to train for your class A.
You will have to prove you're a good driver, but its worth the time. I drove straight truck for 4 years before getting class A.
No cost to me, in fact, paid training, and local! I did pay my dues tho doing some otr first.
I learned a lot on my own, especially about flatbedding. Been driving class A 14 years now, with the same company.
I guess I lucked out, but that's how I got into trucking.

 

Son-in-law did it this way. Studied and passed written test for B and had the learners permit. In Illinois this only cost $50 and the price of a DOT physical. Hired on at a grain elevator. Boss needed tender/nurse drivers so put him with a driver and road trained him for B. Passed the test and was driving. A few months later they needed class A to haul grain and were short a driver. Took the combination test and they put him with a driver for a few weeks on an end-dump and passed the A road test.

 

You can also end up with paralysis by analysis. Pick something and don't look back.

 

Great analogy.

 

Personally, having pulled many types of trailers over the years I still prefer flatbedding the best. I like knowing that when I tie down what is on my trailer I know that it isn't going anywhere! The excersize is also a good way to help keep weight down.