Driver Training - California Bay Area

I think the starting pay is $19.5/hour for a dockworker. Is it worth an hour commute? I would think so...I guess it depends on how easy of a commute you
think it will be and how reliable your transport (car? motorcycle?) is.

I'm in a similar position to you, but haven't started applying anywhere yet. I was originally, going to go to a private school and then go OTR but lately I've started looking at the LTL companies....good luck!

 

No, I don't have my CDL yet.

I haven't tried the practice tests on this website but will do when I start studying the CDL Handbook. The recommended method is to study
the relevant chapters, take the practice tests and repeat until you get scores that you're happy with.

 

Each section in the handbook gives you an indication:

Basic sections to start:

1-3 => all commercial drivers
5 => Air Brakes
6 => Combination vehicles (CDL A)
11 => Pre-Trip
12 => Basic Vehicle Control
13 => Driving Test

The other sections are for endorsements. You should get as many as possible so that you're eligible to haul as many things as you can.

4 => Transporting passengers (e.g. driving a bus)
7 => Doubles and Triples (e.g. LTL linehaul and occasionally OTR)
8 => Tanks (e.g. fuel/liquids)
9 => Hazmat/Wastes
10 => School Buses

 

Not sure where you are located at in the Bay Area, but San Jose Trucking School's program is "open-ended" (meaning if you only have a few hours a week to go to school and learn, they will teach you as long as it takes for you to pass the CDL driving test, even if it takes months). They are the cheapest that I found, at $1500 (if you haggle, like I did), but you will have to study for the written test by yourself (they dont teach you in a "classroom setting," they just have practice tests you learn from). This may be an option if you do want to go the CDL-school route.

 

That's interesting info about San Jose Trucking School. I visited Area Truck School in Santa Clara, which seems to be the other school in the Santa Clara Valley, and they seemed ok. They offer a 4 week 160 hour course. However, the two OTR companies (Schneider and Conway TL) I contacted never heard of them (or it wasn't on their approved list). Both companies recognized Academy of Truck Driving in Oakland however so I might check them out.

 

I dont think trucking companies are familar with the Bay Area trucking schools. The ones that I called, also, hadnt hear of San Jose Trucking School or Area Trucking School (I looked into them, too). They just said that I should make sure I went to a school that had 160-hr certs and it would be OK. I hope this is true for all the OTR trucking companies.