Oklahoma CDL nightmare...

Shortage I clean forgot, Slowpoke KW is correct.

Why is there a shortage? Two reasons.

The COMPANY WONT PAY a dollar a mile or equivalent of say 85,000 per annum for a single trucker or 160,000 for a team of two. (Our Revenue with FFE was around half a million in 2001 based on a 91000 dollar fuel burn) Our gross for both of us was 67000. About 33K each. Or half minimum wage or less. Or more precisely 306 working days with a 18 wheeler away from our home trying to solve FFE's problems among other problems that year. Before tax. Savings is what pulled us through. Without it we would have been negative.

Too many newbies are removed from the industry for either preventable or actual positive drug tests now that some states legalized Pot use which is schedule one and not lawful in Federal Trucking anywhere. It's a example of problems confronting the industry. Even the workforce retail around here are having trouble finding non medicated people like myself. I can work but no one will hire because I have narcotics legally in me 24/7 So.. Im out to pasture something about 20 years ahead of time, not by choice.

Try to ignore the hyping of shortage or other negative stuff. Take care of yourself and I think you will be awesome at whatever you do in life. I think pretty certain you will be the next generation to carry the family business to your children someday should they take to it.

 

You can go to another state to take your CDL skills and road test, so if Oklahoma can't get you an appointment in a timely manner look at Texas or another nearby state. Also, maybe look for a state that uses third party examiners, they usually have plenty of opening for test dates and most even have a truck they will rent you for the test. Sure it will cost you a few hundred dollars, pass or fail, but it gets you tested and on the road.

The worst thing you can do is have an experienced driver train you for the CDL exam. They will teach you all sorts of "secrets" and "short cuts" that will result in you failing your CDL exam, happens all the time. I am a former CDL examiner in Pennsylvania and the worst drivers I had take exams were either taught by daddy or grandpa, or had been drivers and lost their CDL for some reason. Full of real world experience, and capable of driving, but not capable of doing the test as the state requires.

Bottom line, the examiner can't pass you unless you do it exactly like the book says period. They won't take the chance that you are not some auditor that is there to test their integrity or ability to conduct the exam as required, it happens often as a means of keeping them honest.

 

@Mossyoak22 to reply directly to someone without the quote simply put the @ symbol in front of their username, as I did in this post. It will tag them so you are sure they read your reply.

Since 2015 the FMCSA has directed states to accept commercial learners permits (CLP) from other states for road skills testing. You must obtain your permit and take the knowledge test in your home state, but the skills can be done anywhere. You then go back to your home state for the hard copy of your CDL.

Find a "CDL in a day" type school, they will usually rent you the truck by the hour, provide a driver to ride with you while you become familiar with it, then take you to the test site -or better yet, if they are a CDL third party tester they will then administer the test. We have a few places like that here in Pennsylvania. If you came to the Scranton area with $500 and a day to kill you could go to a third party tester, practice in their truck and take your exam.

 

How long is rental trailer? 48ft? Even so, you shouldn’t have to do any pull-ups. Why are you renting trucks from the examiner if you family all has trucks? Use the one you are most familiar with

 

Oh ok. That’s crazy