need help CDL B but want CDL A

Without verifiable OTR experience, the CDL is useless. Unless... You know someone, very well. Because that will be an incredible liability.

 

If you can take the CDL test and get it, (preferably with some endorsements) it may save you a little time and money. Regardless, it sounds as though you will have to begin as a new CDL driver wherever you go unless you have some sort of inside track as you mention. There is a lot you need to learn about logging (properly) and safety regulations just to drive day-to-day in this trade. Some schools may do a poor job of training as well, so, either learn all this on your own to where you're sure you have a good handle on it, or put yourself through a school (abbreviated or refresher course) and hope you get some decent "schooling" there.

But bottom line, you need to know how to drive a 70 foot rig proficiently and [most] any road test is going to bear this out so be honest with yourself first and foremost before you proceed too far. If trucking is in your blood, you should have no problems, but if you only managed to get a class B [air] license at some point, does not necessarily make you a "super-trucker".

 

Can the owner get you into a truck with a trainer? If he can, try it. If he cant, you are going to have to go to one of those goofy schools where they worry more about double clutching than real world smarts. If the owner CAN get you in, all you need to do is go take the written part of the combination vehicle test and they will issue you the class a permit.

Thats taking a big gamble on his part though...if you mess up, his insurance will probably drop him.

 

Give Central Refrigerated a call after you get the license.

They have dedicated routes! Home nightly!

Mikeeee

 

Getting in some places with a 70' truck is a whole lot different than getting in some places with a box truck, getting out again, even more so...

But to your original question, the problem with doing it the way you propose is finding anyone who will hire you, mainly due to insurance reasons, but if you already have something lined up and that company is willing to train you, why would you spend the money?

 

Good luck... you're going to need it.. blowing off all the advice being given is at your own peril.... Your class B license is worthless as it relates to Class A jobs... but you keep dreaming if it makes you happy.

 

You wouldn't need to go to school even if you just had a regular license. You just have to pass the tests, both written and driving. What the DMV wants and what the companies want are two different things. DMV is telling you how to get your license, they aren't telling you how to get a job.

Class B experience doesn't count at all as far as trucking companies are concerned. I got my class A over 14 years ago but I never worked with the A, I drove B.

When I wanted to go OTR, no one would touch me. I already had the A but I needed to go to school to get hired. I had to take the full course too, they wouldn't accept a refresher. I spoke to big and small companies and they all said the same thing, CDL B experience is worthless to them, CDL A is all that counts and it has to be recent.

If you really plan on doing this, you better sit down and make sure someone is actually going to hire you. A "sure, you can work here" is not a guarantee.

The insurance companies run the game, a few get around it, but most don't. Getting the license is easy, actual getting hired if you don't play by their rules is another story. Good luck.

 

I went from B to an A. same company. I trained myself at penke's yard. then they rented us a tractor and trailer and I was off. that was 25 yrs ago, but it can be done if you have a company to work with.
some of the LTL companies will let you.