Getting CDL permit before attending CDL school

If the company training is going to cover it, I would let them. Getting your permit now will make no difference in the company training, other than you not having to go to the CDL office for the written exams. Keep in mind, most big companies won't accept your home DOT Physical card. They want you to go to their doctor for the physical and drug screen.

 

If you're thinking about going to Prime, I'd get the permit before you go off to Springfield. Orientation is a pretty busy week and you might as well get as much done before going. The less you have to worry about once you get there the better, in my opinion. You'll take another physical but from Primes medical people, but at least you won't have any surprises.

might want to shop around for the physical - I believe i got mine done for around $70 @ Concentra in North Charleston.

 

I had thoughts of doing cdl permit since 18. Didn't had luck doin it. When I graduated from high school, I was offered a cdl training for high school students who learn mechanic and equipment operators. I did it and spent 2 months OTR during cdl training.

 

well good luck. I think they are one of the few that will get you your CDL permit while using their address as a temporary than you will have to transfer your CDL after testing within 30 days or so. I know that Knight you have to have your permit prior to even going to the driving school they have. They aren't even accepting any applicants from SC at the moment because of something having to do with no 3rd party testers and the DOT restrictions or something or another. Good luck in your adventures with Prime. Hope it works out for you.

 

Can't say fer shure these days, but I think you need your permit to qualify to attend school.

 

It is not so much what SC wants it, but how the school you want to attend wants it. Most company sponsored schools would like you to have your permit with a DOT physical, some will take you with nothing and others just don't have a school all together, but have contracts with some schools that accept their tuition reimbursement as long as you sign a contract with a company.

That is another thing too, you need to realize that most companies out there (I only know of 2 that do not have it) will have you sign a contract from anywhere of 9 - 15 months in order to attend their school. What that does is if you have a few bad weeks of 1900 miles and you want to quit, well lets just say when your next company calls them to verify your employment they will be told that you owe them money still and most companies will not touch you after that. So my suggestion is do a TREMENDOUS amount of homework before choosing a company to go with if you are going to do the company sponsored program.

I took about 4 weeks or so of homework to come to the decision I made.