I'm in the process of getting my class A CDL. I just finished the written test and am hoping to take the skills test next week. I've never spent any time driving a big truck, but I have pulled heavy trailers with a 3/4 truck many times. I'm planning on going to this school and taking a short course with them. I learn pretty quick.

Does anyone have any tips or advice?

-Jim

 

There's a lot more to it than people think. Don't get pulled over. I'm not sure if the laws vary from state to state, but around here tickets cost double and if you ever get a DUI you are absolutely fucked.

 

I drove a rig a few times, it's hard work but fun and you'll be fine with a little training. I hauled 72,000lbs of frozen strawberries from Watsonville to Reno my first time, got lost on the Altimont and had to flip a b$tch...all the while the lisenced driver was sleeping

Hooking up trailers is easy, backing them takes a little patience

 

I'm working on getting my Class B for my job. Just have to find a vehicle to get a little time behind the wheel in and take the skills test as well.

 

I have my B's but needed to pass a driving test towing/ parking/ backing up a 20-40ft container and flat bed in order to work down the port( PORT OF BALTIMORE).You really should go and drive a truck with a trailer and pratice... You need to learn how the trailer will react, what not... If you drove a reg 15-20ft trailer a 40 ft reacts much slower so you have alot more time to correct it... So you still havn't did your walk around test yet??

 

That was my home away from home for 2 and a half years. The RCLB is the truck I brought home from Vancouver Island for the Old Man. I also pulled grain trailers for 2 and a half years and fuel tankers for a few months. Get the highest qualification you can so you're able to apply for any job that comes up. If you have a criminal record, get it pardoned. If you plan on crossing the border, get a FAST card, and don't look nervous in front of customs officers... Drive like a little old lady, keep your driving record clean.

I made some pretty decent money as a trucker, but people still assume you're the bottom of the societal barrel. (See username). It can sometime mean long days (36 hours sometimes) and lots of frustration, but if you like driving it's the job for you. Hauling cars was the ****. Anyone else light em up in a 7 Series with 8 miles on it? Research potential employers to see if they have lots of safety infractions. Driving junk sucks. I quit long hauling once I got serious about my chick. But it can be a helluva lifestyle. Good luck dude!

 

Getting your liscense is easy...Finding someone to hire you is the Hard part. I'm a Dispatch manager for a Flatbed company is South Ms. I have folks come in all the time fresh out of driving school. Unfortunently we have Minumum requirements for hiring. Most hirirg policies or policed by the Insurance companies. So the hardest part is find someone with a training program for the experience you need to be able to hire on with a rebutable company. Good Luck.

 

I'm not doing this for a job, just to help out at my current job. I work as an estimator for my father who owns a construction company. His parter is currently transporting our equipment from jobsite to jobsite and its not very cost effective. So I got elected to transport everything for them. We're doing pretty much everything we can to make the company more efficient.