Going to start CDL school soon, need some advice

To put things in a bit more explicit perspective:

Given the current overall freight market -- from a carrier's (at present) perspective: as a rookie driver, if you live/reside south of I-4 (in Florida)....

YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE IN CUBA.

This thread I feel is pretty convincing evidence for that.

When will this change?

My crystal ball isn't quite that clever.

-- L

 

@nextgentrucker,

sent you a PM. let me know if that helps.

 

Dude, it costs like 25 bucks at most to test for tanker. School should have that available as part of the curriculum.
Same for doubles and triples.
I spent 40 bucks to test for tanks, doubles, and hazmat. I know that these days you gotta have schooling for them, but the requirements are like taking tests in the military…. If you can’t pass them, you’re dumber than a fence post.

 

It's money well-spent, opens up a lot more doors even as a newbie, and not just for what you'd think of as tanker or hazmat work. You need the tanker endorsement for carrying large liquid totes, and hazmat for loads carrying regular household items like batteries, swimming pool chlorine, etc. My first job was linehaul for LTL, and I had plenty of loads where I needed all my endorsements - hazmat, tanker, and doubles/triples.

 

Florida loves loves LOVES to keep charging licensing and processing fees and taking pictures every time you show up with a change. While you’re in school, download the free CDL Prep ap (the one with the steering wheel icon) and keep taking the tanker, doubles and HAZMAT tests until you can do it in your sleep.
When you’ve passed your main CDL test and go into the DMV to obtain your license, double book your appointment and knock out all of the other tests right before you get your CDL license issued. This will be a big day for you, because you may have to go through the DMV queue again after testing out on the endorsements, but it’ll save in multiple trips, headaches and probably $100-$200. I wish I did this. But I got 4 licenses in a period of 6 weeks. (Regular >CDL Permit > CDL > tanker/doubles > HAZMAT via snail mail.

One charge you can’t skirt around is the $90 processing fee for the TSA background check (when they send your digital fingerprints into the system.) Once approved (anywhere from 3-30 days), they’ll SNAIL MAIL your new license with the X endorsement. Now, some carriers will reimburse you for this, but it’s worth it to be proactive IMO.

If anyone invested is still reading, or if someone find this topic months or years later, I’ve been provisionally taken on by a major flatbedder PROVIDED I move in 30 days. Crossing my fingers. I’m outta here.