New To class A

I would browse through the flatbed forums on here. Plenty of good information.

Flatbed Trucking Forum

 

https://dmv.vermont.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/VN-103-Cargo_Securement_0.pdf

 

If your school didn’t give you a fmcsa green book get one and read through it.

 

Yes......scintillating reading! Try to stay awake reading THAT book!
No, most people use those for reference only....

 

Good for you to invest extra time/effort into your new path. Lots of good videos on YouTube to get a little up to speed up before you start your training.

 

That book has a larger cousin; the executive desk edition that goes beyond just 'larger print' BUT includes the associated DOT guidance that has been developed around specific parts of the Safety Regulations throughout the whole book.

New regulations are frequently questioned by carriers due to the vague nature of some aspects of the newly adopted regs so the additional explanations in the DOT's answers really helps understand what they are looking to achieve with this regulation.

Nobody remembers and understands 100% of CFR Parts 40, 303, 325, and 350 to 399, it is just too much stuff.

Most individuals remain somewhat familiar with the parts they use the most and know where to look in this book for anything else requiring a quick understanding.

Still rather dry reading until you read something confusing or apparently conflicting when a quick lookup gives the guidance.

I kept the latest copy from when I retired and use it often in my answers on here before looking at any changes in the FMCSR on-line.

 

Lots of great advice above. Please do what is suggested. As to YouTube vids, concentrate on videos from CDL schools and trucking companies aimed at students and new drivers. There are MANY vids from random truck drivers, a few are good, many are just trash and teach poorly or teach bad practices. Learn the right way, the legal way, and make that your daily habit. Cutting corners to use an easier way is possible and sets you up for tickets, incidents, accidents, job loss. Approach the job as a boy scout learning camping skills, not a hobo learning to game the system and not get caught.

The regulations, the green and white book, is the standard by which your actions will be judged. EVERY truck driver has his way and many of them are 300% certain their way is not only legal but the only acceptable way to do something. It's not necessarily true. That's an artifact of working alone for a long time. Your trainer will do things a certain way. He may tell you his way is the company approved way or the govt approved way. That's not necessarily true. Compare his way to the regs (green and white book) or the videos from J.J. Keller, for example. JJK is a training material provider to the industry. They have more credibility than some random truck driver or trainer. Even if your company and your trainer claim it is OK for you to do something, you are on the hook and your behavior will be judged by the regs. Following bad advice, bad company policy, or bad trainer technique will not relieve you of the consequences of getting a ticket or losing your CDL if it causes a problem. The regs are your official guide. EVERYHTHING else are some sort of suggestion, good or bad, legal or not. Once you get a CDL your full-time job is protecting your CDL while you move freight. Many people and companies will be happy to sacrifice your CDL to make their life easier. You must protect your CDL. Nobody else will.

Millions of people have learned the skills. None of them are too difficult for you, although some almost feel impossible at the start. Those "impossible" skills come to be a habit quickly, unless you take advice from 72 different "teachers" each one using a different name for the key points and a different strategy. There are several ways to skin a dead cat, as they say. Learn one way and then work on improvement through practice. Airline pilots and brain surgeons learn very complicated procedures step-by-step using a paint-by-numbers approach. I suggest that for CDL trucking. People with 1% of your ability and skill learn this job every year. So will you.

 

Remember the terrain your in with the Dumps. Also, dem dar dumps dont stop easy. most of dem dar dump drivers smoke every tire on that truck before it comes to a complete stop. Slow down, you`ll be ok. good luck.