What is the best way to go about getting a Class A?

The driver is the driver, usually the trailers are empty anyways so no weight. At least when I went to school...dude stop sweating youll do fine just pay attention to everything!

 

Can you do a pre-trip inspection with a DOT Officer standing over you making sure you don't miss anything and name every part correctly? New drivers spend hours learning this in a formal school setting. Check is your state has community college CDL schools; they are excellent and cheap.

 

Yep, I had a conversation with a former school trainer that had to do that very maneuver when a student totally froze trying to make a turn at a city intersection. Popped the brakes just in time to avoid running into the pumps at a gas station. He quit teaching after that incident, especially after the owner of the school insisted that student would continue and graduate. The student did graduate, but within months was involved in a fatal accident... or so the story was told.

Regarding the necessity of school: yes, it certainly is the fast track to getting hired, but not a necessity. You can get your CDL without school, but getting hired without 160 hours of school time will be an impediment. In my case I regained my CDL a little over a year ago, retraining and then codriving with my brother for three months. After that I was hired at Swift and they accepted 3 months recent experience in lieu of school, but I was required to go through their training program.

 

work a few months at a moving company

 

for the investment of going to the driving school. Its worth it in the long run.

 

Was thinking of going to crst school cedar rapids soon, i cant afford the schools elswhere out of my own pocket, what your opinion of crst team driver training.

 

That place is a joke. They have souch junky trucks and the equipment they train you on isn't even close to the real deal. Please don't goto that school. I went there for a presentation and a Werner recruiter was trying to sell us on a job. The guy was a ex military recruiter. Go to roehl in marshfield there amazing and actually will train you properly.