What can you tell me about 3rd party Testing (state of Pa)...Wife asking here)..

I explained some endorsements are not necessary. Those you can pick up later. Or at all. I actually had the Hazmat TAKEN OFF my cdl once years ago (I was very successful with this kind of hauling, the tops but man the stress. Someone else can do it.) So Dispatch can quit sending me and my hazmat into places like freaking NYC. Omg...

I think if your Husband did not have the TIME to get the CDL and gets busted a few pay grades to a few dollars less... remember he can always go to school.

My thought leans towards that. Someone else can drive that truck. Frankly anyone 21 and over and drive it for way less than what they would need to pay your Husband. In fact why expose yourself to the aggravation if something breaks and needs a shop? Who gets the Blame? The Husband?

Weigh the left hand cons to your pros in the right hand. Two birds in bush is worse than one in hand.

 

No idk the average, that was the rate at my school. I would assume yeah if he were to fail it would be another 350. DMV doesn't charge anything other then what you pay when you pay for the permit. But you also have the wait times.

He only needs the general knowledge and air brakes. Combo, doubles/tris, hazmat, tanker none of that is really needed for B especially if there are no plans to use the cdl at this point. It's just more expense and studying.

I went to AAA school of trucking but you could google 3rd party testers to see if there are any cheaper/closer to where you reside.

 

There is an LTL forum here with lots of info. They are mostly home every day, weekends off, 50-90k/yr. Some are union, some are not, wages and work rules vary between terminals. There is daylight which is mostly P&D (pickup and delivery) on a route and linehaul between barns, mostly at night hauling doubles.

If you have Fedex Freight (not Ground), UPS Freight, Pitt-Ohio, New Penn, Old Dominion, Estes. SAIA, etc terminals near you, those are LTL barns. Think of semis you've seen around there towing short delivery trailers, those are some of your possibilities. All these companies have websites with job listings. Given what you've seen on the RR recently it will likely be a surprise to see all the openings.

Again, if he gets laid off or gets tired of the politics at one place, with a good record he can probably get a position at another one.

If he presents himself with a Class A permit with all endorsements, a DOT card, and a cleanish 10-year driving record, one of them may well snap him up as a dockworker or driver trainee. Having those already shows gumption. There are practice tests on this site. LTL will require triples./doubles, hazmat, tanker, etc. If you look at the practice tests the additional endorsements aren't hard.

Also, it's a lot more physical work but food service companies are also frequently hiring. Info on them is also in the LTL forum.

 

I believe these are the steps you need to take.
Already has dot medical card so that's done.

You need a class B permit first. You need it to be able to take the state test so he can drive it at the test. You can't test without a permit. The permit test isn't that hard. I think its passenger, general knowledge, and airbrake test out of state cdl manual. If he fails then just go back and try again the next day.

Then any training he needs done can be done now. Wether he goes to a one day, one week, one month school or whatever. I took a one day class for my class b. Needs to know pretrip, yard maneuvers and road test. If you go to a school they will help you schedule a test date. If no school, you're on your own to set a test date. Also on your own to train and learn how to do maneuvers and road test and pre trip.

If you go to a school, they usually have you use their truck/bus. If not you can rent them.

Then take class b test at state dmv, or cdl schools have state testers on site you can test at.

 

Yes tou are correct, the passenger is an endorsement, he can get after the permit, but get it before the actual class b, so when he pays to get class b, he doesn't have to add passenger after that, then pay for a new license again with the passenger endorsement. And the test honestly isn't that hard. I crammed the night before and in the parking lot right before I took the test. Passed first time. The online tests are great indicators for the actual test, pretty much right on with the state test. Crist cdl practice tests online are pretty good.