What do i need? -NEWBIE

Seems to me that the school would have given you all the information of what you need before you start school. Call them up and ask about the permit.

 

Some companies require a temporary some don't. Make sure to call and ask. I am almost positive you need your med card before you even get your CDL.

 

When I got my CDL, I could get the permit without the medical card. But that was as far as you could go.

 

depends on what your going do, there hazmat, twic card, and a passport too name a few, then if you haul hazmat , and go too dow chemical , they take you in a little room and you watch movie's for a hour and then issues there card with your name on it , even before you step on the place too unload, and you have too show this card , every time at the security gate and rember too have at lest $400. 00 in pocket for differnt card's and stuff you need out there in school.

 

As others have said, call the school. However, since JCW went through RM:Tulsa, I can answer as to what happens there. You show up on the first day. Your whiz quiz and physical are done then. Then for the next few days they have classes on the various aspects of the written test. At that point, they load you up and haul you over to the DMV to take said tests and obtain your permit. (This gives time for the whiz quiz results to come back.)

 

The more you can do before you start school the more ahead of everyone you will be. If anyone is in doubt though just call your school and ask what you need to do ahead of time or what you CAN do ahead of time.

Steve besides that stuff the best thing you can do is familiarize yourself as best you can with the industry. Go over and over your pre-trips, logs, maps and study for CDL and Hazmat if need be. I can tell you that the airbrakes and log book section will be the hardest. Unless you do take the Hazmat and that will definitely be the hardest. Course its not rocket science. I think as long as you can read and remember how to spell your name you will do fine!

Go to a truck dealer up there in Jax and practice your pre-trips or maybe a neighbor or friend has a truck you can practice on. One thing you can do on the pre-trip to make it easier on you is to break everything down into groups. Fluids, hoses, suspension, tires, brakes, frame and components, exhaust, etc... If you can develop a system for yourself and do it the same way every time then it will be a breeze!

Sometimes map reading can give some people problems. Get a "Motor Carriers" road atlas. Besides the actual printed maps, there is a wealth of information in there about truck driving. From pre-trip info, to logbooks, hazmat stuff, fuel tax breakdown per state, state policies, bridge formulas etc... Most important there is a section for every state that gives you the restricted routes, low bridges and also weigh stations. Anytime you do your pre-plan and are getting your directions you MUST check your route in this section to make sure you can safely travel the roads you have planned in your directions.

Its so nice nowadays having the internet. You can pretty much do everything and learn everything without moving. Before I started driving there was no internet and I actually drove around to truck stops, schools, rest stops, libraries, DMV, to learn everything I could about what I was getting into. Good thing gas was cheap back then!

Good luck to you SteveB, you are going to have a blast! Keep us updated.

 

ok for starters welcome to the club. congrads on learning a trade not just a job. and for the permit,,contact the school and the local DMV office to findout if the school will provide you with permit before you begin or after you begin. of course things have changed in the past 15yrs. most schools want ya to have your permit before ya start. so contact the DMV office findout all ya can. as for being legal on the road. you will need your cdl,med cert card, a second state ID and make copies of each keep hidden,,and take em with ya. make sure ya got plenty of money put aside for the road. starting in trucking,,ya might as well call it step up to upper middle class tax brackett..but your pay for the first few months with be like minimum wage. so the best bet is to have couple of thousand dollars put away for roadfood, equipment,legal fees for parking tickets, pay for parking in some truckstops, personal neccessities..lots more drivers can tell ya more if ya really wanna know. be safe.

 

chompi,, really good points, thank you,,,i did the pre-trip practice with a friend before i got my CDL. and research the industry,,wow,,it shows a whole new world to a beginner. thank you you pointed out what i forgot i did my first few months on the road.