newbie questions from a non cdl holder

Keep it simple one step at a time. Enjoy the journey & learning aspect of getting your license first and then the next step & step after that. It takes time to build Rome but it can be done. I hope all goes well for you. Enjoy the ride

 

Which cdl school will you attend?

 

Every state has different laws pertaining to gross weight, axle weights, escorts, flags, permits, lights, signs, and I could go on and on.

If you want to do some research, you can go to each state's DOT website and see their rules pertaining to OS/OW

 

If they don't accept you, try Contract Freighters Inc. (www.cfidrive.com)

 

Which state do you live in?

 

FFE (Frozen Food Express) pays for private cdl school at Prairie State College in Chicago.
Maybe you'll get Jim Palmer though. Plenty of options if you don't.

 

If your long term goal is to be an O/O hauling OSOW, your immediate goal should be to start off with a flatbed company. Go run flat for a year. Maverick is based out of Little Rock, but they have a terminal in Gary Indiana. All the entry level flatbed companies run up and down interstate 57 and 55. Just don't let anyone talk you into doing any kind of lease purchase.

It's work, but you want to be successful, so you need to know how to work hard. And eventually, you learn to work smart.

Unfortunately nowadays, you're going to have difficulty finding a gig with a manual transmission. Been running manuals since God talked to Moses, but now "drivers are too stupid to run a manual. It's a distraction." If you want to heavyhaul, you need to be able to drive anything on the planet.