In some states it is very possible to get a CDL without going to school. Other states require the schooling. The law is soon to change that as well.
Since all states require a written and driving portion, it is nothing to pass the written portion before making your mind up on a school. It us usually a small fee ($10-$20) to take all the tests at once and they are not hard to pass. Multiple guess with the answers covered in the state CDL manual.
The driving portion will require a class A truck. That is harder to wrangle, but not impossible to take the driving test. You best be sure your shifting a diesel spline gear transmission is good, you can judge space well, and back a trailer with just the mirrors before attempting.
After getting the CDL getting a job without schooling can be difficult to impossible. Most insurance companies require a driver with a year of experience. The companies that are self-insured will want the schooling since selling schooling is a real money maker for them; $4000-$7000 for four or five weeks of lessons. What a rip!
How to enter trucking????
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Tim Creamer, Feb 22, 2016.
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Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
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If you are thinking about over the road trucking, you'll end up having 4 days -/+ a month at home. If you have a family, it sucks. You work with idiots. (Both in the office and on the road) The idiots who don't know they are idiots treat you like an idiot.
The income is not that great once you factor in the money you spend on the road.
If you have a personal life, that won't exist as you know it now.
You're competing for jobs and trips with people who usually can't make a living doing anything else, or have been doing this long enough they can't find anything else.
Most people who have been driving over the road for a while would gladly trade places with somebody who has a boring job they put 40 hours a week in at, get home every day, and make $30,000 with benefits.skellr, hunted, DTP and 1 other person Thank this. -
That is my big goal...minimize cost... I have a few friends that will actually train me in driving the rig.. my issue is how to make money...any idea?
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TequilaSunrise Thanks this.
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from $5 a year, to $30-40k.
MOST people like you won't survive the first few months. I'm not knocking you. It's just the life is not what you think it is, or what the truck driving schools or recruiters say it is.
Many people who stick a toe into trucking end up in debt. -
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Smart move getting away from teaching and I'm not joking.
Which state do you live in?
The quickest, easiest way to enter the trucking field is through a 160 hr. cdl school.
The old fashioned way by just getting a license at the DMV and hit the road doesn't work these days. The hardest part of getting the license is passing the pre-trip test.
Now; study the CDL practice tests on here.
Watch Youtube videos on pre-trip inspections.
Google : Practice Pre-trip Inspection test in (enter your state)
Many students pass cdl school classes with honors then still can't get a license from the DMV because they can't pass the pre-trip test.
Keep us posted!Highway101, austinmike, TequilaSunrise and 1 other person Thank this.
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
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