Easiest state to get a CDL

If you have enough money to bribe a politician then its real easy in Illinois.

 

Read through what you posted and really think about that part I put in bold red letters.

What does that say about that company?

I have no clue who this "major" company is. But I can tell you they are a horrible trucking company. Their turnover rate is huge. Their safety record is probably so bad that they are about to be shut down by the DOT.

And you are so desperate to go the easy way out (for lack of a better way of putting it), that you would work for them, if you can miraculously pass your tests? Really?

If that's the case, the rest of America doesn't need you in control of an 80,000lb machine.

 

Texas is where I originally got my CDL and the test was a cakewalk. I was staying in a motel room at the time (CDL school) and used that for the address; DMV never gave me a hard time. Of course, as soon as I was finished with that particular "CDL mill" (I admit that's exactly what it was) I returned to my home state and changed it out for that state's license. BTW, I thought the test needed to be more difficult; I later learned that CDL mills suck, and you don't learn half of what you really need to know as far as the basics are concerned. If I was the owner of my first company I'm not so sure I would have hired me back then...

 

You mean there's something wrong with a fella looking for a stupified version of the CDL?

I often wonder if the person that inquires about what is the best school, and the best company for rookies is willing to do what it takes to be the best driver. In their mind, the best school and the best company would greatly increase their chance of success, right? The problem is the best schools and the best companies will have the least tolerance for slackers. Ohhhh, a slacker... "What is the easiest school to pass and what is the easiest company to get a job at. The easiest school to pass is Slacker Academy. You will probably get a job at Moron Trucking after you pass. Your spirits will soar after the sunshine injection.

At my company, they give a knowledge test before they clear drivers to pull loads that are overheight or big enough to require pilot cars. Had a driver tell me that he has a friend that will give him all the answers to the test. So, I reasoned with him, "It's your name on the BOL, it's your life, it's your livelihood. They guy giving the test doesn't care whether or not you cheat. He only cares if you can explain the answers to the test in your own words. But who are you cheating? Wouldn't you rather know what you're doing? Or are you planning to 'know just enough to get by' "?

Some of the guys here haul cars. Some are two truck drivers. Some are tanker yankers. Some pull hazmat. Some pull double and triple trailers. Some pull OSOW. Some pull ammo. Some cross international borders. ALL OF THEM HAVE TO KNOW THEIR JOB.


Then on the other hand, you meet these drivers with 9-10 years experience that have gotten by for so long that it caught up to them. One too many OOS at the scale makes it really difficult for you to get a decent job. And you see these guys running team for some slumlord outfit that makes CR England look heavenly. 2 guys in a truck, no APU, can't idle the truck, splitting $300/a week, given just enough fuel to make their destination and nothing else, begging for showers at the truckstops. You wonder how did they end of like this, and it's because they've always relied on just getting by. In the summer, you see them asleep in the TV lounge because it's too hot to sleep n the truck.

 

I know of no "major" trucking company that will hire with a new CDL with no certified/formal training to back up the CDL.

The testers will not pass people who cannot drive... people who have 40 years of experience would still suck and probably fail a CDL exam and would not be able to get others through a CDL test.

 

The school can give you the foundation of the knowledge how to drive, but the experience out on the road, and willingness to learn how to drive better and better is the real school.
In other words - does not matter if you finish Harvard, it gives you only the papers, not the full knowledge. Yes, and much better chances to get good job, but if you are lazy, and do not have trills to learn from the best, does not how to look for information to get up to date in your business...so what if you have Master from Harvard?
I failed 3 times in Illinois, because I was renting truck, and had no idea about the marks on the field..also, there was a words exchanged between me and the testers, because of their attitude.
So, now I have to wait one month before the next test, and I started school just to pass the exam.
I can drive truck, as I explained in other tread here, it is not rocket science and you need to know the basic principles from physics. These things are learned in the middle school.

 

the industry today fair or not is geared to 160 hour accredited schools . Many companies won't hire new grads without it
but most schools only teach enough to pass the test
before we started trucks in the morning we had to pretrip the trucks learning key phrases testers were looking for whether we knew what we were looking at or not

 

30 years ago I started out with a 25 ton captains license after 17 years of real on the water experience. I soon had been upgraded to a 100 ton license .

All of this with no hands on testing required as for some stupid reason the United States Coast Guard does not require it I simply home studied and went and passed the classroom tests at the Coast Guard facility in Miami on my own.

I did not have to sit in a 4 weeks captains license Mill where you are guaranteed to pass while they hold your hand. and when you get the ticket you have no skill what so ever

You know what that 100 ton license enables me to Run

A 200 foot ship. Not saying I could run it right out of the gate but I have enough Common Sense to understand my lack of experience on something that large that i am quite sure I can do it.

Meanwhile all the people that graduated the Coast Guard license Mill have their license with no on board skill or a basic understanding of what they were taught.

i have been around and hired a lot of Captains over my 30 years and many of them I wouldn't put in a Rowboat in a bathtub because they could hurt themselves.

same for trucking.

The reason isn't that all these accidents out there are happening because some people were rushed through some Crappy CDL mill or Company training program it is Simply because they Do not have COMMON SENSE or The Skill.

And the biggest factor is they lack the common sense that they lack the understanding and the skill to do the job.

By the way my brother inlaws experience in trying to get a employee tested twice and him failing was because of a small technical error on the pretrip that did not even allow the driver to get to his skills.

I would trust my brother inlaw on any rig.

He currently runs a very large road construction company in Michigan, Though he is in the office most of the time he is called out occasionally to move over size ,over weight when needed.

I spent 2 years on a large farm with him 32 years ago and that is where I learned to run equipment. That man can jump on any piece of Machinery and run it like he has been on it all his life and know how to run it without breaking it and if he did knows how to fix it.

So when he tells me Michigan is being a little hard on his driver that has a lot of time behind the wheel and in the yard and has a good head ion his shoulder I believe him.


Lighten Up it's not Rocket Piloting

 

having 100 ton all ocean license myself and most of it is or was open book doesnt make a captain just like a CDL doesn't make a truck driver
insurance companies run our industry now
and you can't be hired on some companies with less then 2 years experience
that said there are guys been here all there lives can't drive very well

 

You must have a domicile of record and your cdl valid from your home stat. Remember you are not allowed to maintain 2 different licenses. How do you get your tax info ? The IRS is pretty clear these days about address accuracy.
I wonder if your next question will be what are the easiest states to drive in,,who has the easiest roads, what shippers have the easiest docks,,,,,can you do the job or not ?