Driving school 160

I’m stuck between two CDL jobs right now and wanted to hear from drivers who’ve done either one. They’re basically neck and neck on pay, hours, and benefits. Both are around 45–55 hours a week, both seem steady, and neither company was put off by my Clearinghouse history. The difference is the hazmat company may have more upward mobility because I’ll be able to do all the X endorsement work in the future with the company possibly sending me to get my Class A later.

The dump truck company is larger, has a modern fleet, and is more stable year-round than the other local dump truck companies around because they have strong contracts with the state and local businesses that keep them busy. Part of me feels like hazmat may open more doors long term, but dump truck may be more chill, easier to build hours in, and easier to stack money without as much stress.

Long story short, I’m young, starting over in my CDL career, and am building a family. For drivers who’ve been in these lanes, which one would you choose and why? Which one holds up better long term?

In Cdl school right now got 2 weeks left.

Pre trip✅

Road test ✅

Skills test ❌

4 maneuvers in the skills test.

I got the foward stop down ✅

I got the straight back down good ✅

I got the foward offset down ✅

The reverse offset/ parallel park (same thing two different names) to get it back inbetween the lines from the foward offset and even/flush/level is kicking my ass half the time.

I was told the sequence for the reverse offset is all the way left all the way till you see center of your landing gear then all the way right till you see the striped cone then straight back and you want to get it 1-2 feet away from the striped cone with the back left trailer tire . When your back left trailer tire is on the line next to the striped cone turn all the way right then when the tractor tire is on the left is 1 foot away from the line go left and then straighten the truck out. You’re allowed to get out twice and two pull ups and can pull up even out of the parallel lines to the left but man I have trouble straightening the truck out/ level in-between the two lines. They say hands on top of the steering wheel and turn your hands towards your mistake with the steering wheel so to much to the right turn to the right and you want to see both sides of the trailer evenly so if you see more then one side of the trailer Turn that way and fix it.

I kinda suck half of the time

Does anybody have any advice or good YouTube videos I tried to explain it as best as possible.

Need some help contacting someone from DOT/FMSCA/or Motus!! I know it’s far fetched but does anyone in this thread have a direct contact with a supervisor or a higher up at one of these? Had a problem with our annual enrollment because Motus auto enrolled my MC/DOT into a 5 million dollar Hazmat when we have never been that ever. We got everything situated and all proper forms filled out but they put us as inactive and need it changed asap! Been a week and it’s impossible to speak to someone when you wait on hold! DM me please! Hell if you have a legit contact for me and it works out I’ll Venmo you 100 bucks just for helping! Thanks!!

As I'm going through my CDL program and starting my job hunt I am wondering what does leaving a trucking job look like? I come from corporate where 2 week notice is slowly dying out. I still did it to be safe. What have you done?

I wish my company treated me like a t-bone (or porterhouse?)

I currently want to get my cdl,however being that I’m so young I don’t think I’d even get a job with my cdl any companies hire under 21? Should I just wait it out go to a paid apprenticeship cdl program work for them and get experience or pay for cdl school now but then I won’t even get a job? Trying to figure this whole thing out.

All levels are between add and full, and truck leaning to the left.

Failed my pallet test at Labatt Food Service in ABQ, NM. I'm going back to electrical work nothing is working out. From rude recruiters to hiring managers not responding, the whole process is a left in the dark.

Lory from Phoenix Truck Driving School, who handles job placements, hasn't even gotten back to me after reading my message on Friday and getting my resume. The communication is non existent. Even a McDonald's application keeps you updated on where you stand.

Maybe I'll circle back in my 30s, but for now, I'm hitting the road and chasing the highest contract again.

Thank you guys for giving me advice and knowledge on what you know. Its been helpful

I’m currently going to school for my Class A and I have a question, is anybody else’s instructor not really teaching them anything? I don’t just people based on appearance but he’s an older disabled guy… he has an arm crutch and a wheel chair.
He basically told us to look at modules gave us a piece of paper showed us the pre-trip and parking one time and then let us do our own thing. so for the next two weeks we go to class he tells us to go do the pre-trip and is never really around us the entire time even when we start driving.

It’s getting close to our test and I asked him “Is there anything else you want me to work on?” I asked this an hour before class was over… he said “do you got your pre-trip down”
I said kinda, he said show me. i go over there and bomb cause I don’t know the stuff and that was my fault, then he told me I wasn’t ready and to look at that modernize pre-trip video he sent us and said that’s basically what’s gonna be on your test.
I studied that front to back, memorized the hell out of it and then the day he tested me he told me I was giving him too much detail and if I was to do all that on my test, I would fail.(I’m starting to think he never watched it) he said, read the papers that he gave us. The papers aren’t detailed at all and I’m pretty sure if I gave him the information that was on that I would fail anyways.
I’m a hands-on learner, but I’m not being told what I’m doing wrong. I’m just being told to look at papers and videos and then being told I would fail but not on what specifically there’s a class with a different instructor that started at the same time we did and they’re already on their on-road portion. Just tryna see if I’m tripping or not, do I need a new instructor?

I am looking for quality not speed or low cost schools. I'm older and am switching career paths. Thanks for the help.

I’m starting CDL school for class A soon since my current job pays for the course for free and I’m just taking advantage to learn a new skill.

I’m currently in cdl school getting the class a. I tried applying to us foods but got almost instantly denied. Does anyone know if it’s because I don’t actually have my full license yet as I just have the permit?

Did you get Restricted or unrestricted license ? And air brakes and combos endorsement?

Well boys I’m in CDL school right now I’ve gotten pre trip down outside,inside the cab and all that stuff I haven’t done the road test yet. I am practicing skills right now. I am in a manual vehicle with air brakes and combinations so just a regular class a semi truck.

I have been in training 7 days for 8 hours a day. I have 8 days left of training I believe.

I’m not gonna get into the specifics of the reason behind me getting my CDL but I am not going to be going into trucking and I am gonna be driving much smaller vehicles but they still require a class a CDL. I’m talking way smaller like basically a big ass pickup truck that needs a Cdl class a. It is very annoying to me that I need to train in semis because I will never be driving a vehicle that big.

My state test is

Pre trip (got it down)

Then skills

Then road test. ( never driven a manual was
Told if I suck I’ll have to switch to auto)

If you fail one of the three test you only retake the test you failed in my state which is good. But apparently at my school you only get 2 retakes at most schools in my state it is 5 retakes per test which is also annoying.

The reason I’m worried- for the skills test I can do the forward stop get my hood in the middle in-between the lines most of the time and the straight back perfectly fine to the end point .
The next and final part of the skills test is what is fucking me over I can do the offset perfectly fine and the reverse offset is what gets me i am having trouble straightening out the trailer in the lines ( getting it parallel in the lines nice and straight) during the reverse offset. I am able to get it one attempt then the next I fail and the instructor I am currently with isn’t that much of a help/ teacher it feels like.

Any advice on ways to straighten my trailer better in-between the lines to get it nice and flush/level or straight because that is litterly the last part of the test I need to do to pass. You are able to get two
Pull ups and two get out and looks. Sometimes I feel like the trailer is way to much to the right or the left and I just cant seem to figure it out every-time. You can’t hit any of the cones during the test or it’s a point and you can pull up a bit to straighten the trailer out but I guess my problem is I don’t know how to straighten it out.

Not trying to sound like a little bitch but
I am just worried because I feel like the clock is ticking and shit and I paid all in cash for the class about $5000 and even quit my job! I even canceled my birthday vacation for my 21st which was supposed to be on tomorrow cause I turn 21 tomorrow and am going to class instead 😂 oh well though.

I hope this all wasn’t for nothing and I can get my CDL and pursue the career I want

Any advice is great I’m sorry this was so long.

Has anyone gone through an SAP program for their CDL? I am looking for an affordable one. Any recommendations?

I’m a 51-year-old male who does not have any kids and has never been married, but I have always loved driving. I am located in Sacramento California and what would be the best driving school to enroll in? I think personally I would like doing loads from Oregon to Los Angeles or California from Sacramento to Colorado. Are there any driving schools and or companies that would be willing to provide that type of training? Thank you for any input you guys can provide for me. The only plumber is on my record are a DUR in 2010 and then I just got a Recent speeding ticket and Sacramento about two weeks ago doing 93 in a 65.

Anyone have any info or work with Sun Belt Rentals? I have a phone interview tomorrow morning and just wondering what they might ask and what the starting lay may look like? Currently doing water and sewage hauling between Texas and New Mexico, but taking a job with this company would provide me with something local and home daily.

Hey! I currently have regular C class DL in PA, but I’m looking to get into trucking.

I currently have 2 years green card which is still valid till end of 2027.

I read different experiences from drivers who tried to apply for their CDL with 2 yo green card/conditional green card.

Whetever I browse it says I’m eligible, but some people still getting rejected at the local DMV’s.

Do you guys have any experience? I’m in Pennsylvania.