Before my question ill throw some background out,...I have had my Class B,hazmat,tanker, and air endorsemant for about 19years now with zero moving and DOT violations on my record, but after being laid off for 5months im finding myself "as are many folks in my area" looking for a decent paying career that will put food on the table. So i decided to get my A's and put my rear-end in the seat of a Big Truck and bust out a living for as long as i can BUT as a lot of you know im getting turned away left and right for not having the industy standard of the ole one year otr driving experience. As i have told the HR people that have asked"How many miles have you drove" i tell them a million +.....Then they ask how many of them OTR, i tell them about 75,000 having to use log book and what not, then the question comes..how many in combination...i say very little and the phone calls end... I know i dont have the miles or time that some of the REAL truckers do out there but i always thought if a fella had the ambition to go out and take the written and skills test and pay for it himself and not go to a driving school for newbies and not get a point off for anything, that that guy probably may know what the hell he might be doing when it come to trucking. I know im up on the soap box but ive been in the industry "be it straight truck but capable of the Big Truck" for 20 years and can #### sure drive and keep log and pre-plan trips and stops and comunicate with dispatch and not afraid to ask for help from more experienced drivers and still cant find a decent job. Yea i know i should have got may A's long ago but really the need never came up till now and when i decide to get them and pay out of my pocket up front because i knew i can pass the tests .... ya get told to go to school and pay more money for training and if you dont ya just get slapped down for not going through a school ..... ok im done ######## but has anyone else out there been through this and whats the best avenue to take? Again i am sorry for the ##### fest, usually im very positive and up beat and as professional as i can be but frustration is setting in and not sure what to do.. Thanks for any help ... R.W.
I got my A over 14 years ago but I only drove B. I ended up having to go back to school to get a job. Good luck.
Hubby was in the same boat, drove Class B in Michigan for 20+ years, economy went to pot so he upgraded to Class A. He found that the only places to accept him without the OTR experience were 'training' companies. So why not sign on with a 'training' company, get your 1 year, then find a better job??? Hubby did not have to go thru the 'school' part since he came in with a valid Class A, he simply went thru Orientation, out with a trainer to see what he could do, trainiee/trainee for 3 weeks, then 'Grad Fleet' where he was paid by the mile, but was able to prove himself. I know it's a hassle, but sometimes you have to put up with it to get the end result. He actually stayed on, did a 2 year lease, I got my CDL, we have run team for almost 2 years/completing a 2nd lease. At the end of the 2nd lease he will have 4.5 years OTR and I will have 2yr. We can essentially go anywhere we want, plus we made good money doing so.
This is confusing as hell. The title says you are going from an 'A' to a 'B' but the content suggests otherwise. So, I'm reading all the complaining and thinking, "This guy is thinking the transition from 'B' to 'A' is seamless". I'm sorry but I went from 'A' to 'B' then back to 'A' and I can't begin to stress how different these two classifications are. I was a 'B' helping 'A' drivers get 'unstuck' from pulling into the yard where I was working with my 28' straight truck. A class 'A' is a totally different kind of driving... I don't care WHAT you might think. If a company doesn't want to hire you because you don't have any experience, I commend them for that. I also commend you for trying to upgrade your skills after 20 years of stagnation. I was a 'B' Class driver and I don't even respect them.
times have changed so much over the years. at one time, class B driving was NEVER considered as ANY experience, then it was accepted briefly, now not again. i say if you want the class A, go back to school and get the needed training. go for the "short" class like about 3 to 4 weeks. you already have some knowledge, and you shouldn't need anything more than the permit, so the cost of the permit will be lower than if you were fresh to learn. good luck.
I see 3 choices, #1 find a expidite co with B trucks and go with them #2 go with a training co like swift ect #3just keep looking along the lines of smaller co. and find a sympathitic ear. You don't need to go back to school and start from the begining but maybe a refresher course would help?
We had a guy upgrade from a B to an A when I went through truck school. He just had to take the combination test and then do the driving and backing like the rest of us. Obviously was one of the better ones as he had driving experience. Picked up the backing with the combo pretty well too.
