Questions for getting started...

Well, Any state DOT will have a CDL book ready to go online. If you have been driving a big rig for 7 years and know how to drive and do a pretrip. You could get your CDL pretty quickly. CDL book will go through alot of things you will need to know for the tests.

As far as schooling, there are companies that will pay for your training and will help you get started. But I would recommend finding a community college in your area that does the training with no strings attached. There are some colleges that will have grants to learn to drive. But you being from another country, I would not be sure how eligible you would be for some but check into that first. I got my driving coarse for free(3k worth). Been driving ever since

As far as criminal activity, if you are careful and are vigilant of your surroundings. You will more than likely be ok. Just don't pick up the hitch hikers etc, padlock your load and do a walk around after every stop. Demographics are alot different, you will typically run into more crime in the old southern states like Georgia/Florida/South Carolina/Mississippi/Alabama/Louisiana then you will in the Midwest states. But crime happens everywhere and as long as you do the right things you will be ok. If you do stop somewhere to fuel and go off duty. Shower before fueling your truck, there will be people at some places watching for truckers who fuel up at the pump station and leave there truck unattended parked away from prying eyes.

Driving Hours will be covered in a CDL handbook. People on here will be more willing to explain it if you have questions on it. But as far as salary, depending on where you go and how they see your previous experience. You can expect a min of 38,000 a year. Look into the costs of living where your at too.

One thing you will need to have in order to get your CDL Class A, a DOT physical. When they get done with the physical you will get a card you will need to bring in with you to the DOT when you get your license.
http://www.dmvflorida.org/commercial-license.shtml

 

Well driver things aint much better across the pond. We have laws shoved up our rear too...get s few jars of vasaline to keep with you in the cab...it dont hurt as bad when you get ###### by a state boy.

Safety isnt a concern for me personally. Somebody breaks into the truck at night its no concern of mine my pocket knife has a razor blade in it that gets changed every day so its razor sharp also i keep a 16oz hammer for a tire thumper thatll land across a head if it has too not to mention the 39" long winch bar i have for tightening down loads. And if things get really bad gotta remember in the states your 13'6" tall, 8'6" wide and weigh 80000lbs. Your truck is your best mode of defense if you have to use it although not advised. And i've never felt threatened at any truckstop, or anywhere i have ever had to park. That being said one night i seen some teenagers around my truck one night when i was going to go see a few friends out of town took care of them with a simple get the hell out of here or im gonna chain your arms to the tractor and your legs to the trailer and start pulling.

Otr is well otr expect to be out 2-6 weeks at a time after your training time. You can expect a starting wage of about. 25-32cpm (cents per mile). With a. 01-.02cpm raise after 6 months at most companies and another. 01cpm raise every year after that with a cap of like .42cpm depends on the company though.

Hos is alright for now changes in july though right now its. 11 hours driving, 14 hours on duty and 10 consecutive hours off duty. Thats your hours of service right now however you wont have to worry about that youll probably be on elogs and those are different than paper logs like i use. Trust me paper is much better than the computer crap.

Best advise i can give you is learn all you can as quickly as you can. Oh and download the song this aint nothing by craig morgan. Itll help when some idiot four wheeler cuts you off while theyre on the cell phone, reading a book, while eating, and driving with their knee. Yea thats legal for a car to do but dont do it in a truck. Good luck partner. Keep the shiny side up, greasy side down, wheels spinnin beavers grinnin, petal to the metal and your foot on the floor.

 

Don't pay $4 or $5k for your CDL. There are schools in Chicago that train for $1500.

 

why pay when you already know how to drive em?!?! all you need to learn is the laws then go rent a rig for a few hours (if they dont have one already) and take the test at your local department of transportation/motor vehicle office!!!

 

Wow, 90 hrs in two weeks, we are limited to 70 in 8 days, and as long as you don't burn all 70 up, you can keep on going, as you get the hours you worked back, 8 days prior.

 

Welcome to America! What part of Florida do you plan to live in?
There are some good trucking schools in Florida; Community Colleges and private CDL schools.
When you start looking a trucking companies; the worst pay annually will be with dry van. The best pay will be in Tankers, then flatbed. Reefer is good if you do coast to coast but most companies prefer teams with coast to coast; I did it solo and made good money.

In Florida, a few companies to look at are CTL, Florida Rock & Tank, Cypress Truck Lines, Melton Truck Lines. Not all companies hire out of Florida.

As for crime, it is everywhere. I disagree with Rickrolling about most crime being in the Southeast "old south" states. That's like saying racial prejudice is only in the South & perfect harmony and utopia is only in the Northeast. America is a very violent country & crime is in every state & the more populated the area is, the more crime there will be.

Anyway, with your experience, you will do fine here. By the way, Florida is one of 9 states with no personal income taxes, so you keep more of your paycheck.

 

Chinatown is correct about companies often not hiring out of Florida. Where you live in this state also makes a difference. Some hire north of Orlando, for example. I live in south Florida and just finished at a community college (@$2,000 with books and such). You might consider something like that, rather than going with a company training program where you are locked into a contract. In addition, some companies will reimburse your training expenses, if you are a recent grad from a program they like or approve. They do it in small increments each month, for instance.

Do be aware that any accidents or tickets drivers get here really affect them when looking for work. If your record is clean, as an experienced driver abroad, that could work to your advantage. If not, well...

It seems that companies here want you just out of school or else they require you return to do a refresher course if you have not driven recently for more than 3 months or so. That's not really your situation but, of course, you do drive on the wrong side of the road!

Good luck. Welcome to Florida, when you get here.