CDL, is it a pain to get?

[Lrhxr9]

I have had my class A with air for almost 15 years. Every job i have had required i hold that license. Most states have some private training you can go to. Spend some time on the written and practical exams and take the test. Just remember the requirements change once you hold a cdl. For instance the legal limit for normal licenses is .08. No matter what vehicle you are in if you, cdl required or not, the legal limit is .00. I personally believe anyone that meets cdl requirements in a personal vehicle should have to hold the license as well. I know that will catch a ton of backlash. Next time you take a drive somewhere pay attention to people driving big horse trailers, diesel pushers, hauling skidloaders and mini’s and the recent surge in dump trailers. All private. But i still believe they should test out.

 

[Durango Mike]

I have had my class A with air for almost 15 years. Every job i have had required i hold that license. Most states have some private training you can go to. Spend some time on the written and practical exams and take the test. Just remember the requirements change once you hold a cdl. For instance the legal limit for normal licenses is .08. No matter what vehicle you are in if you, cdl required or not, the legal limit is .00. I personally believe anyone that meets cdl requirements in a personal vehicle should have to hold the license as well. I know that will catch a ton of backlash. Next time you take a drive somewhere pay attention to people driving big horse trailers, diesel pushers, hauling skidloaders and mini’s and the recent surge in dump trailers. All private. But i still believe they should test out.

Great point on the DWI/DUI 1 beer can lose your license for a year.

 

[Lrhxr9]

Great point on the DWI/DUI 1 beer can lose your license for a year.

Some of the small things that arent advertised in the pamphlet!!

 

[Bhoesl]

I’ve had my class A for about 5 years now. My previous job required it, my current job does not but I’ve kept it so far just in case. I thought the test was fairly easy as long as you have a bit of experience and some common sense. Just remember if you want the air brake endorsement you must road test in a vehicle with air brakes.

 

[Addicting]

Old timers complaining in this thread...I just started it as a second career. I work for a small family company. His kid is in my kids class. I get 51 cents per mile and 25 an hour after the first two of wait time. All of our runs are under 200 miles and I’m home every night. Some of the drivers choose to stay out but it is not mandatory.

Good companies are out there, I’ve been fortunate to work for two so far since March.

 

[Jasher]

Definitely not “full of it” but thank you. Now, you aren’t going to learn to be a professional driver in 3 hours, but you can practice inspection, practice the backing, and I actually drove the exact route with my trainer that I had to drive with the DOT. You can learn to pass the driving test in 3 hours. This is of course after you have passed your written exam so you have a base knowledge of inspections and how everything works on the truck.

You might have learned to drive a box truck with an automatic in it in 3 hours. Anyone who has a class a will call bs on this story. If it was that easy people wouldn't be paying 5k for the training or signing on to a company for a year.I got my cdl on my own. I was pulling trailers around before I had a drivers license. Trying to back a trailer up would take more than 3 hours to figure out how to do.

 

[Jasher]

Old timers complaining in this thread...I just started it as a second career. I work for a small family company. His kid is in my kids class. I get 51 cents per mile and 25 an hour after the first two of wait time. All of our runs are under 200 miles and I’m home every night. Some of the drivers choose to stay out but it is not mandatory.

Good companies are out there, I’ve been fortunate to work for two so far since March.

There's definitely some decent companies out there. I'm not complaining I'm stating the facts about most companies out there.
You say you have worked for 2 since March tells me that you are stretching the truth about something or you would still be at the first one.
For just starting out you have a decent driving job. That's not one I would take because dump truck drivers here make $24 an hour and $36 an hour for anything over 40 hours. My hourly is less than yours yes but my time starts when the truck stops. I also don't sit anywhere for 2 hours. I average 2900 miles a week and 10 hours. The company I work for has 2 trucks and 3 drivers. The extra driver covers for our days off. We alternate routes each week. Even though I don't go home every night I know where I will be parked every night so I don't have to worry about the truck stops being full.

 

[Addicting]

You say you have worked for 2 since March tells me that you are stretching the truth about something or you would still be at the first one.

That’s very assuming of you, tell me what reason I would have to “stretch the truth“ AKA lie?

Both are good employers and are small family operations. One just had more consistent loads and better equipment.

Get on Craigslist’s Help wanted in any city listed. Type in the word Driver and see how many results you get. It’s not hard to have someone move jobs in 6 months.

 

[Jasher]

That’s very assuming of you, tell me what reason I would have to “stretch the truth“ AKA lie?

Both are good employers and are small family operations. One just had more consistent loads and better equipment.

Get on Craigslist’s Help wanted in any city listed. Type in the word Driver and see how many results you get. It’s not hard to have someone move jobs in 6 months.

You said it right there. "More consistent loads"= I wasn't making enough money. When you get with a really good company you don't leave. There's no doubt that you can find a job in a matter of minutes. Finding one that you will stay at is a different story.
I moved jobs a lot when I first started because companies lie. Big or small doesn't matter. The job I have now the position came open because the old driver moved away with his wife. She got a job offer they couldn't refuse. I am still the low guy and I have been here for over 5 years.

 

[Addicting]

More consistent loads"= I wasn't making enough money.

Nope, it had nothing to do with money. Both places paid the same and gave me enough to keep me as busy as I wanted. It had to do with going random places and touch freight verses the same 5-10 hubs and no touch. The tractor I had there was 20 years old and had 830,000 miles on it. At the current place it’s a 2017 with only 234,000.

If something happens at this new place I would go back in a heart beat. They were great people and I am greatful they took me on board and worked with me on the schedule.

 

[westbranch]

My brother manages a custom harvesting crew and trains young guys to pass the CDL test in a couple weeks. Some are from Europe and South Africa and don't speak the best english. The worst are farm kids from big farms in the Midwest who think they know it all but haven't actually had to work for real.

He hauls other stuff in the winters and there is always work available once someone has a bit of experience. He has done haz mat, end dump, pneumatic and more. He likes the AG related work more, but it's still a job so you it's not always great.

 

[choc dogs]

With a class a license and endorsements, tanker, double, hazmat there are always jobs available. Local or otr. I’ve had one for 20+ years, and even though all my jobs haven’t required one, it’s nice to be able to help out when needed. I’d be onboard for requiring a Cdl for all vehicles that should require one by character, rated for over 26k, air brakes, carrying a portable tank in the back of a dually etc.

The hardest part of getting one on your own would be renting an appropriate vehicle to test in. You shouldn’t be able to rent one without the license. I’d you’ve driven big fifth wheel campers, the difference is really the inspections. That’s where about 30% of the people I know have failed out. Written test can be studied for online, or using paper books from your dmv

 

[DouglasR]

My brother manages a custom harvesting crew and trains young guys to pass the CDL test in a couple weeks. Some are from Europe and South Africa and don't speak the best english. The worst are farm kids from big farms in the Midwest who think they know it all but haven't actually had to work for real.

Omg !
Cheap labor from foreign countries with lower standards of living than ours is always the best way to go!!!
Sounds super safe too!!!

 

[DouglasR]

@Glockster
And you thought this one wouldn’t turn political

 

[Zach]

I had mine many moons ago. Spent a year or so working the dock at a couple freight companies before I decided I'd like to drive. Lots of moving trailers around the yard, backing up empties, moving gears to hook up doubles(eventually being able to back up doubles to a dock). Drove for a couple years after getting my license in CA, decided it wasn't the life for me.
For me the inspection portion of the test was the most difficult, lots to remember. Driving and written test were pretty straight forward, even in CA(20+years ago).

I have a buddy from one of the companies back then that now drives for WalMart, sounds like a pretty good gig. Much like a fireman schedule he's on 5 off 5(not sure exact).

 

[westbranch]

Omg !
Cheap labor from foreign countries with lower standards of living than ours is always the best way to go!!!
Sounds super safe too!!!

Sounds like you are an expert. They are usually farm kids from other countries aged 18-20. Pay a decent weekly salary, cover all meals, housing in modern RV campers, bonuses for completion of full harvest season, travel, etc. When there are breaks they pay for their hotel rooms and gas $$ to go to places like Pike's Peak or the Black Hills. They hire as many as they can from the US and also use the H-2A visa program to fill remaining openings. Mainly workers from third world countries like Switzerland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The ones that had the most issues with English were from Europe.

 

[DouglasR]

Holy smokes! Living in a RV the harvesting company owns sounds almost as fulfilling as living in a house the coal company owns.

FU for talking ish about kids from the Midwest and implying that foreign workers are better than them.

How are you hiring an 18 yo from a foreign country to drive a truck btw?
Our insurance company won’t let us hire anyone under 25.

 

[Cammy]

Just remember the requirements change once you hold a cdl. For instance the legal limit for normal licenses is .08. No matter what vehicle you are in if you, cdl required or not, the legal limit is .00. I personally believe anyone that meets cdl requirements in a personal vehicle should have to hold the license as well. I know that will catch a ton of backlash. Next time you take a drive somewhere pay attention to people driving big horse trailers, diesel pushers, hauling skidloaders and mini’s and the recent surge in dump trailers. All private. But i still believe they should test out.

One of the greatest misconceptions out there is that if I have a CDL that my "legal limit" for alcohol in my personal conveyance is .04. The truth is that the .04 limit is ONLY while driving a commercial vehicle. Here is the VC reference for California.

Vehicle Code 23152(d) is California’s “commercial DUI” law. It makes it a crime to drive a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (“BAC”) of .04% or higher.1

This limit applies only when a driver is driving a commercial vehicle. When a driver is driving a non-commercial vehicle (such as a car, motorcycle or small truck), California’s standard “legal limit” of .08% applies.

Laws may differ in your state.

Commercial licensure is required when you are transporting goods for monetary gain OR the vehicle you are operating exceeds certain length and or weight standards. In California, 26000 pound vehicles require a "Class A" license to operate. Air brake certification is required for vehicles with air brakes.

 

[westbranch]

Holy smokes! Living in a RV the harvesting company owns sounds almost as fulfilling as living in a house the coal company owns.

FU for talking ish about kids from the Midwest and implying that foreign workers are better than them.

How are you hiring an 18 yo from a foreign country to drive a truck btw?
Our insurance company won’t let us hire anyone under 25.

Looking back at my post, I could have phrased that better but if you're taking that as me applying it all kids in the midwest I can't help you there. They had some bad experiences with kids coming from some large (10k+ acre) farms that did not have a lot of boots on the ground experience with getting work done. I am a farm kid from the midwest and have worked with a lot of small to large ag industry companies and I think there are a ton of issues with the system. I spent a few summers detasselling corn which you may be familiar with being from IL. How do you feel about 13 year olds getting minimum wage to walk around corn fields all summer?

Please do suggest your improvements for the system. Maybe we should just let it all get taken over by large companies to hire the foreign workers like Sodexo does for food service at universities and Xanterra at national parks. The work experience someone would get working for a custom harvesting crew living in an RV seems much better than those jobs.

On the age issue you can thank ag lobbyists. Looks at the rules for farmers that own their own trucks. The farmers and their employees do not need CDLs when within 150 air miles of the farm. Works great most of the time, but some will push the limits and drive into metro areas where they don't have the necessary experience/training and cause accidents. Just to clarify, I am not saying all farmers driving their grain/livestock trucks do that.

 

[Cammy]

How are you hiring an 18 yo from a foreign country to drive a truck btw?
Our insurance company won’t let us hire anyone under 25.

In California, you may be hired to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) carrying cargo that originates and terminates within state lines if you are at least 18 years old, and to drive for interstate commerce or transport hazardous materials/waste if you’re 21 or older.

Insurance companies may have a 25 year old age requirement but that is at the discretion of the insurance company.