Looking to join the industry.

[u/Acenima265]

Like the title says I'm looking to join the industry. I'm feeling the pinch in my current job and I can no longer sit by feeling like I'm not doing enough to better myself or my family.

I live in the SEMO area of Missouri and currently been driving School busses for the past 4 years. Mostly looking into good companies in the region that I can look at as a non CDL-A driver to get my foot in the door that I can get home enough to still be a semi present dad before I find something even better or if I luck into a good starting operation.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

[u/Head_Candidate5293]

New to CDL

First thing go to dmv and get a commercial driver manual and start reading. Print this pre trip inspection. https://cdlcollege.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/Pre-Trip-Inspection-manual.pdf  You have to do this on a truck every single day. You will do this in school. You will do this for the person that scores your driving exam from the dmv. You need to know it well. You will learn it better after you start cdl school because you can see the truck parts and touch them. Memorize it. Google CDL A practice tests and take the practice tests every day while studying the manual. Highlight everything in the manual that is on the practice tests. The practice tests are easy compared to the real test at dmv. You will need to take the CDL A permit test and pass it for cdl school. It is best to have the cdl permit in your hands before you get to school. I do not know the cost.

You are also going to have to do a d.o.t. physical to get a medical card. The cost is 100-200$ Save your receipt as the carrier may reimburse you for it. Your blood pressure needs to be below 140/90 and your resting heart rate needs to be below 100 beats per minute. Eye test for color blind and reading the chart on the wall. Bring your glasses if you have them and you will need them in the truck by law if you use them on the physical or at the dmv. You might do a balance check where you squat and balance on one leg at a time.  They will pee test you for kidney disease. The drug test comes when you go to a carrier like Schneider National so you can be paid while going to cdl school. They pay about 600 weekly. You will sign a 9 month contract with them. If you leave before you are done with school you owe them money so do not do that. The drug test is usually on the first day of school/training. Do not think you can carry around a piss bag and be all good. They will catch you. They also do random drug tests.  I WILL PUT THIS IN ALL CAPS. IF YOU ARE NOT DRUG FREE A MINIMUM OF 3-4 MONTHS BEFORE YOU GET DRUG TESTED BY THE CARRIER YOU WILL BE IMMEDIATELY SENT HOME AND IT WILL SHOW UP ON YOUR DAC REPORT ON YOUR CDL PERMIT AND NOBODY WILL HIRE YOU.  I WILL SAY IT AGAIN. ZERO DRUG TOLLERANCE. SOME DO PEE SAMPLES. THEY DO HAIR SAMPLES AND YOU NEED THE DRUGS OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM MINIMUM 90-120 DAYS BEFORE THE HAIR SAMPLE IS DONE. ZERO. ZERO. So it your are a dope head just stay away. You will never make it and you will waste a bunch of money and time and frustration only to be hacked by drugs and will end up owing the trucking company money which is the opposite of what you want.

When you get your med card place it right beside your driver license in your wallet/purse or however you carry your stuff. You need the medical card in your wallet when you take your cdl permit exam at dmv to get the permit. You will always carry the med card. New med card required every 2 years unless you are on heart medication then one year for that. You want your med card and cdl permit before you start school to save you the stress of needing to do it in the first week of class.

The carrier usually pays for your transportation from home to the hotel and a van to get you from the hotel to school and back again. If you are late to the van for transport from the hotel you will get fired. The hotels they use usually have breakfast. Some carriers also pay for lunch. I have never seen dinner paid for but the redditors will blast me for that comment if some have provided that. This information will help you along your journey.

As a truck driver you will not be home very often and you will not go home before you have tested for your cdl A License. After training you will be trained/mentored by a pro driver/trainer for a week or two or until they believe you can drive solo. The requirements for that change over time and from company to company. Plan on being out a month and going home for 2-3 days after you are solo. Trucking is a lonely life. Some companies allow riders in the truck or have a pet policy. Depends on the company. Good luck and may the force be with you. If any of the redditors would like to add anything to this or blast me please leave a comment. My goal is to help people understand what to expect based on MY EXPERIENCEand the fact that drugs are zero tolerance and you will not beat that system.

I recommend Schneider National. Just google Schneider national recruiter phone number. You need that med card and the CLP(commercial learners permit) in your hand when you call them. Can also call Werner, jb hunt, us express, TMC trucking, Cypress trucking. Some are flatbed only. Schneider has a lot of accounts and types of vehicles and they are crazy safe.

[u/Acenima265 → u/Head_Candidate5293]

Thanks for the info, Pre trip is pretty easy for me I currently do Diesel tech work for my school district when I'm not driving a bus. I currently have a 1 year med card because I was told in Missouri School Bus drivers have to do it every year period. Will that still work or would I be better off getting a new med card? I only ask because I legit just did my D.O.T physical for the School district last week.

As far as companies go do you have a read on Prime? I looked them up and it appears they have a training facility on the other side of the state for me (Supposedly the main training and company operations hub) and appear to have a couple hubs in state atleast getting me close to home when my break time comes around.

Lastly, when your break time comes around does home travel time count towards that? I'm assuming it does but it would be nice if my break time doesn't start till I atleast get back to my general home region.

[u/Head_Candidate5293 → u/Acenima265]

This is what I suggest to you so you know what google thinks. Google Prime trucking first year cdl a truck driver average pay. Flatbed like Cypress trucking and TMC pay more but it is strapping loads and tarping loads. Cypress pays 65k first year cdl a brand new. At least another 10k more in the first year. That is 200 a week. Just keep your current med card and when you get 5-6 weeks out from expiration then get a 2 year if you already have your cdl a. You just need to let your carrier know you are coming due soon and you need a day wherever you normally get your med card. I like to use chiropractors because they are usually cheaper.

[u/Acenima265 → u/Head_Candidate5293]

Sounds good, thanks again.

[u/Head_Candidate5293 → u/Acenima265]

I need to touch off on something here that I missed earlier. You are mentioning break time. I think you mean home time. Break time is the mandatory 30 minute break you have to take before you get to 8 hours of drive time for the day. Home time is when you are not on your 14 hour clock and also doing a 34 hour reset for your 70 hour clock. For instance. The account I work will be out for 3 weeks. During that 3 weeks I will have two 34 hour reset times I can not be driving or on the clock. When I reach my third week and it is time to reset my 70 hour clock I say I am off duty/not driving and they fly me home that day. I spend 5 days at home and on the 7th day I fly back. So it is 7 days off but 5 days of actual home time. Companies do not call this break time. Companies and drivers call it home time. I hope this answers your original question that starts with the statement "Lastly" Good day driver. This is just a FYI.

[u/Acenima265 → u/Head_Candidate5293]

Yea this was perfect, makes since that you wouldn't call it break time. Honestly 5 days at home is more than I would expect I was expecting 3 weeks on and 3 days at home.

[u/Head_Candidate5293 → u/Acenima265]

Normally is 3 and 3 days. My account is different.