Trying to get my CDL and drive a truck

[turbomaxx]

Another life long dream of mine. Since I'm not good enough with body work to get hired to a body shop (although I am certified) I think now is a good time to pursue my dream of driving a tractor trailer. My uncle and cousin drive, and they both love it, and make excellent money. I'm looking at a few different schools in VA; Alliance Tractor Trailer Training Center, CDS Tractor Trailer Training, and Blue Ridge Community College Truck Training.

I JUST missed BRCC's truck courses. They started Monday. But I have an appointment with the teacher next monday to discuss when the next set of classes start and what I can do to prepare for the class.

I've spoken with Alliance on the phone a year ago, and they said to call back when I'm ready to take it to the next level. So I reapplied online, and they should be calling within the next 5 days.

CDS I've never talked to. I just called them but no answer.

Any advice? Any other truck driver's on here? Anything I should be doing to prepare myself?

[LinX]

I have a CDL Class B with Passenger Endorsement and No Air Brake Restriction.

I remember taking 4 written tests just to get my license.
1.Commercial License Class B
2.Passenger Endorsement
3.Air Brakes
4.Retake Class C license.

They are not that bad but they can prevent you from getting the license.
As far as actual driving goes, just be patient. Trucks and busses are extremely slow compared to cars and people will take advantage of that. Driving slow increases your reaction time therefore reducing the likelihood of an accident. Thats just my $0.02

[91ExSedan]

You should come work for my dad
He pays his drivers right at $200 a day.
Covers diesel and all.

[deevergote]

$200 a day with expenses covered? Not bad!



Driving a truck can be very dangerous. People on the road don't respect those hulking masses as they should, and very few people seem to understand that a truck's ability to brake and maneuver are considerably less than that of a car! You have to be VERY aware. As someone that drives for a living, I can tell you that after 8-10 hours on the road, 5-7 days a week... remaining alert can be difficult. Now, I drive a Fit... so if I zone out and need to do some sort of emergency maneuver, I can. "Oh shit!" in a truck is usually followed by a hell of a mess... and all too often, a funeral or two.


Weren't you going to college, Landon? Not that you can't make a very good living as a truck driver, but if you're already on the path to higher education, I'd say stick with that.

[PointBlank]

You aiming to drive a flat bed or a reefer?

Pulling a reefer requires a lot more skill as you will need to back up into loading docks and such, flat bedders usual only have to pull into a yard.

Both my uncle and cousin drive as well and they both love it. If you can stand being alone and away from home a lot, you can make good money.

[turbomaxx]

I was going to take a few courses at BRCC, but I can't pay my rent, I missed the deadline to pay my dues and even if I had I didn't have money for books or anything. I had good grades, but not good enough to get into a good school without going through a community college first.

And besides all that, I've ALWAYS wanted to drive a truck. I've NEVER wanted to go to college, nor do I have ANY clue what I'd study or what I want to be when I grow up besides a truck driver. I know I want to own my own business one day. But that requires money. So I'm going to start there. When I have my money, maybe I can go learn the ropes of business in college. It's never too late to go to college, but I don't want to drive a truck if I have a wife and 2 kids at home. I think it's time to seize the day.

[sunburn]

I have a class a cdl . I was in trucking for 7 years and pulled all types of freight.

[turbomaxx]

Sunburn-
Love it?
Hate it?
What should I know?

[deevergote]

I was going to take a few courses at BRCC, but I can't pay my rent, I missed the deadline to pay my dues and even if I had I didn't have money for books or anything. I had good grades, but not good enough to get into a good school without going through a community college first.

And besides all that, I've ALWAYS wanted to drive a truck. I've NEVER wanted to go to college, nor do I have ANY clue what I'd study or what I want to be when I grow up besides a truck driver. I know I want to own my own business one day. But that requires money. So I'm going to start there. When I have my money, maybe I can go learn the ropes of business in college. It's never too late to go to college, but I don't want to drive a truck if I have a wife and 2 kids at home. I think it's time to seize the day.

That makes sense.
I work in foreclosures, and I see a lot of really nice houses owned by guys who own trucking companies. I'm sure most of them, if not all, started as drivers. Granted, they're losing those nice homes... but that's not all of them! (I also talk to a lot of doctors, lawyers, teachers, government workers, etc... nobody is safe these days.)

College is a great tool, but it's not the only way to a good living. I know plenty of people that have degrees and don't even use them (myself included... my job pays me well enough that I'm saving to go back for my doctorate... but what I want to do requires that degree)

[turbomaxx]

That makes sense.
I work in foreclosures, and I see a lot of really nice houses owned by guys who own trucking companies. I'm sure most of them, if not all, started as drivers. Granted, they're losing those nice homes... but that's not all of them! (I also talk to a lot of doctors, lawyers, teachers, government workers, etc... nobody is safe these days.)

College is a great tool, but it's not the only way to a good living. I know plenty of people that have degrees and don't even use them (myself included... my job pays me well enough that I'm saving to go back for my doctorate... but what I want to do requires that degree)

For a second I was like, "WAIT. You foreclose truckers houses and you are encouraging me to pursue my dream of driving a truck..."

I suppose you're right though, no one is safe. But I feel pretty comfortable putting my eggs in this basket. I mean hell, No wife, no kids, no education. Nothing to lose, right? What better time than now.

[The G-Man]

I think you have to be 21 to do any tractor hauling. Aren't you like 18 or so?

[ChIoVnIdCa]

You should come work for my dad
He pays his drivers right at $200 a day.
Covers diesel and all.

Seems a little low... about 25 ish an hour..

barely 50k a year..

I thought truck drivers made more then that
?

[The G-Man]

Seems a little low... about 25 ish an hour..

barely 50k a year..

I thought truck drivers made more then that
?

Barely $50k.
That is much more than most Airline pilots make.

[turbomaxx]

I think you have to be 21 to do any tractor hauling. Aren't you like 18 or so?

Nope. 18 but I can't leave Virginia until I am 21

[JDMCB3Si]

think about it REAL hard before you go into it. The trucking industry is NOT all it is cracked up to be.

There are a lot of risks and responsibilities you take on. I have seen ALOT of drivers come and go due to the risk of the industry. YOU are responsible for ANYTHING that happens while in the rig whether it be a wreck, load shortage or broken cargo, or worse a death.


I have been a mechanic for 2 trucking companies now and have seen and heard about everything these drivers face out there. I have seen the aftermath of 4 wheelers (cars) taking risks in front of semis and wrecking them or even worse we had a truck layed over across 4 lanes of traffic on I55 in chicago because the driver fell asleep and smashed into the back of a car which woke him up and he jerked it and layed it over. He ended up paying for everything in the wreck. The company just covered the damage to the vehicle and the tractor/trailer. The rest was the drivers responsibility.

My dad has driven for 30 years and he has told me his fair share of stories about being out there.

Im not trying to discourage you just trying to make you make sure this is what you want to do. If your gonna do it start small and drive for a farmer or something first.

Also you dont need college to drive a truck. Go to a local DMV and take the CDL test. You will need someone with a tractor/trailer to let you use it for the driving part.