Things to look for and ask for starting your 1st Cdl A Job as a rookie

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How long has your trainer been with the company?
How long has your trainer been driving commercially?

Those are important, because your trainer cannot teach what he doesn't know. Many of the starter companies will take a still-wet-behind-the-ears rookie driver and make them a trainer after 60-90 days. That ISN'T the kind of trainer you want. Other companies don't even wait that long, if that "trainer" skips the whole company driver thing and signs a lease. They let them train with NO experience, because that's the only way that driver is going to be able to afford that lease they were just suckered into signing. Bottom line, you want to avoid getting yourself into a "blind leading the blind" situation, and look for a company with EXPERIENCED hands doing the training. I lucked out when I started, as I was placed with a trainer who had 12+ years with the company and well over a decade before that driving elsewhere. You can learn a lot from somebody who actually knows what they are doing. The recruiter likely won't know who your trainer will be, because you won't actually be assigned to one until after you have your CDL and a trainer is available to take you on. For this reason, you might ask about the average experience level of the trainers, and what the minimum qualifications are to become one.

Of course there are the obvious...
Freight types?
Lanes you'll be travelling?
Home time?
Equipment (trucks, trailers) age, condition, and type?

Then there are the things most don't think about until something happens, such as...
Dealing with a family emergency from the road?
What happens if the truck breaks down?

...as well as stuff a lot won't think about until they're half way through orientation, like...
Where will you park when you go home?

Hopefully that'll get you started...it's just the tip of the ice burg, though.

 

Local, that way you don't have to bunk with the portly 400lb Dwiva Twaina that craps himself.
Werner Trainer Craps Himself

 

What do you want to do; see the country or stay in your zip code?
Where is your location? state & nearest city?
Do you have endorsements?
Answer these questions and we'll get started helping you.

 

Some people are attracted to portly men!

 

To the thread.

 

W-2 - the trucking company withholds taxes, social security, health insurance, etc.
1099 - it's your responsibility to withhold all that yourself and file taxes every 3 months.
Being a single guy, see the country and enjoy it.
Melton Truck Lines is flatbed and runs 48 states.
Freymiller is refrigerated and runs 48 states.
Danny Herman Trucking is dry van and runs coast to coast below I-40.
I'm a fan of Freymiller and Melton Truck Lines for new cdl graduates.
All 3 of the companies I listed pay on W-2.
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Info on Freymiller:

DO YOU HAVE YOUR CDL BUT NEED EXPERIENCE?
Freymiller has designed a Finishing Program for new CDL holders to get you the road experience needed to become a successful solo driver!

• Tuition reimbursement for recent CDL school graduates

Our exceptional finishing program will pair you with an experienced, certified trainer who will prepare you with the skills that you will require to become a safe and experienced driver with a great future at Freymiller!