Guess I need to give up my dream of getting my CDL

I've only had a CDL for 25 years so I don't pretend to know everything about the industry. I only check Craigslist a few times per week, so I am missing some data. I don't see any companies advertising for manual drivers. Most companies outside heavy haul and oversize are already replacing trucks with auto trucks. You have to search for manual jobs. Nobody is going to hire a newby for some niche company that pay a lot, hires newbies, demands they throw the stick.

If your goal is local work, you will be driving auto. You do not have to do OTR before you do local. Years ago local companies only hired former OTR drivers. Not any more. IMO, you might as well demand a particular AM/FM radio in your truck. It's easy for vets to convince manual shifting is the vital skill that separates real drivers from wannabes. That's out of date and getting more so daily. 80% of companies replace trucks before they have 750k miles.

I still think the manual bogeyman is often used as an excuse to do nothing. Cdl schools teach morons to shift in a few minutes and they get about 30 minutes of practice before their test. It's nice to have, it's no big deal if you have it or not. Tons of non-mega companies are hiring auto only drivers, but those companies are not on the first page of Google results so newbies have no idea they exist.

 

5. - There isn't a good chain gang.
6.There ain't No good in a evil hearted woman

Waylon, Willie, and Johnny told me so.

Quit. Nobody will know but you.

I herd that in a movie once. It inspired someone to go kill 50 russians, save 3 beautiful women, saved the world, killed the bad guy, etc etc.

Sirscrapntruckalot - Cat backwards is taco minus the o. Just saying.

 

I studied took my written tests/endorsements, got my permit. Then I called around, a company in the same town as my closest CDL test site, rented trucks for the sole purpose of testing. They had a day cab synchro 6 speed single axle fl70 and 30ft trailer. For $380 I came up the day before my test and myself and several others practiced the backing exorcises with the owner. The next day the truck was at the test center and several of us tested in it. I did this aug 2017, below is a link to their site. Surely you could find something like this in your area
I left that day with a CDL A no restrictions, tanker, doubles triples endorsement(written tests)
Home | Tulsa CDL Truck Rental

 

Or the dream is just a dream until they get a taste of the reality.And just how is he going to raise a child when he's babysitting a truck120hrs a week.

 

A lot of companies offer paid training through private schools

 

I think what the OP is trying to say is they don't want a CDL with restrictions. I can dig it. If I were a greenhorn just coming into the job I would not want one either. Stick to your guns OP. Just understand that in doing so you might be lengthening your time till you get those paychecks. Honestly, a paycheck don't care if your in a manual or an auto shift.

 

Not shut down, but moved to trucker rants maybe?