The insurance hurdle - New driver: California

My experience: 7 years as a school bus driver and two years as a delegated behind the wheel instructor
(Class B, P, S) This experience was 8 years ago, I'm college educated and have worked several office jobs since then. Clean driving record, no problem with background checks.

I want to get into dump trucks/Heavy Equipment now and I've passed my Class A written with Hazmat, Tank, Doubles/Triples, Combination. No firefighter or passenger endorsements.

I'm scheduled to do a cheap one day training and test on my dime in a few weeks. I get that my training for the BTW test will be worthless. I've been out talking to potential employers and it looks like my biggest hurdle will be insurance. I found a company that takes permit holders and trains for tank trucks/flat beds and would be driving dirt roads, snow, and urban. Would this be a good way to break into the world of heavy equipment and construction? How much experience would you guess insurers want to see for a new driver being hired by their heavy eq/dump client?

 

Yes I have my permit. Will have CDL in mid June. The liability insurance is what I meant. Employer told me my school bus experience probably wont cut it with their insurer, which is understandable.

I’ll adjust my approach to be open to alternative positions. Having the CDL will accelerate things I’m sure.

I just want to get off on the right foot and make sure that I’m home enough for my wife to remember my name.

 

The company taking permit holders is actually out of an airport driving tankers for fuel, fire support and so on. REO6205 do you think I ought to focus more sharply on construction?

 

I really appreciate the feedback you guys. I’ll come back and update when I get somewhere.

 

So far I have a tentative offer from a ready mix concrete supply and a lukewarm lead from a helicopter company as a maintenance person and a fuel truck driver. Given that I'm in a town of 14K and won't have my Class A for another week I'm pretty happy with my progress but until I get that first pay check I have to keep pounding the pavement.

 

Yes the employer will pay for the insurance. If I am the employer and you want to work for me I have to make sure that my insurance provider will cover you. For certain types of vehicles insurance providers want two years of experience or they won't cover the new employee, or they will charge much more for that employee.

Since I'm new to the trucking game my challenge is to find an employer that trains and self-insures. The only reliable companies that do this are the mega carriers for OTR driving but I refuse to be paid so little while being away from my wife a month or two at a time.