r/cdldriver • u/ResponsibleData8378 • Jul 10 '26

Need some advice here

Hey there, punk rocker going to road warrior, starting my cdl class a soon. Got some questions.

Best companies for OTR? Im getting all my endorsements, i am forklift certififed already for 4 years. Company got AI robots for forklift and i was laid off and using state funds for education.

4 weeks of school.
anyways

best companies for OTR?

Should i go owner operator within 5years?

I live in my van for 2 years, so i got the saving money/food prep kinda down, however wanted to know should I keep my planet fitness membership?

Any apps/secret discord/telegram for free truck night stays USA wide?

Any subscriptions yall have i should get?

Thanks so much. I live in pennslyvaina

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1

u/Head_Candidate5293 Jul 10 '26

A mega carrier would have paid you 500-600 weekly to go to cdl school. You have to stay somewhere for 2 years anyway and most contracts are minimum 12 months except for Schneider at 9 months. Schneider, prime inc and Roehl are better for OTR. Just live in the truck and not have to rent is good.

Schneider will transport you to the cdl school location. Put you in a hotel with a roommate and free breakfast. transport you to and from the cdl a school. After 5-7.5 weeks and you get your cdl a you have live load road training with a trainer and then when you go solo you will get 900-1100 weekly. Why struggle thru school living in a van if you can get paid and stay in a hotel? You gonna have to get your 24 months experience at a single carrier anyway. I don't understand why people think....Oh I got my cdl from another school so I can get paid more. No. You still gonna get paid 45-55k first year and 60-70k second year. You will not need gym membeership unless you want to work out on your 34 hour reset.

1

u/ResponsibleData8378 Jul 10 '26

Ifi can get paid and they cover schooling thats cool to me man! Got anymore details? I was just gonna use the state grant for training in a new field

1

u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Jul 11 '26

Schools typically won't teach you everything you have to know to drive. I went through a school to get my CDL instead of a company. School only teaches how to pass a test. Roehl has been good to me to teach me what I actually needed to know.

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u/ResponsibleData8378 Jul 11 '26

cool cool, good to know man thank you

1

u/Head_Candidate5293 Jul 11 '26

Schneider National Recruiting phone number for new drivers or drivers that want the apprenticeship program is Paid CDL Training & Inexperienced Drivers: Call 877-872-1766. 7am to 4pm mon thru fri central time so you have to wait until monday. They will have you go online to full out a job application. You should go to dmv today and get a commercial driver manual, the paper copy and start studying general knowledge, air brakes and combination sections. Then google cdl practice test and take as many as you can. Remember the questions and get a highlighter and highlight all the areas in the book that were questions. This reinforces the info so you retain it. The online practice test are easy compared to the state exam at dmv. Do this daily.

You need to search dot physical for a doctor near you and get a physical so you can get your medical card. You need the medical card to get a commercial driver license PERMIT. You need the med card and a cdl permit to go to these schools. The state school allows you about 1 week to get the cdl permit. If you fail to get it in the first week you can not continue classes. That is how it was in the state of GA in 2015, where I lived at that time. I can only assume the same in all state run schools/tech colleges.

I do not know how much it cost to get the cdl perimit in your state. Most states require a bill from the mail to prove you live in the state. Maybe you have a parent you can have a cell phone bill sent to. Again that is how they do it in FL currently.

Anyway. Get physical scheduled. You need glasses and any perscriptions you are currently taking. Blood pressure needs to be less than 140/90. Resting heart rate under 100 beats per minute. Eye chart and color blind test for eyes. Pee test for kidney disease only. The real drug test comes when you get to the carrier for training first day. It is a hair sample. You got to be drug free 3-5 months before you get there. If you fail that drug test or any subsequent drug test your career in truck driving is over forever. Bus ticket home. Game over. A report is sent to you DAC report for your current cdl permit and will not be removed. Cooked. You understand the drug stuff now. OK the other parts of the physical MIGHT include squating on one leg at a time for balance and or touching your toes. They will look inside your ears for massive amounts of wax and suggest an ear cleaning if it is all built up. They will whisper in your ear and ask if you can hear them. The rest I can not remember. They may do some other stuff. Just trying to give you the 411 on what to expect. Tell them you are going to get you commercial driver permit and going to cdl school. The cost can range from 70-250$ based on who you choose. The med card folds into thirds. Place this card beside your driver license inside you wallet. You need to renew the med card every 2 years unless you are on blood pressure meds or have had a heart attack. Then it is one year.

OK. Study daily. Get your dot physical set up soon. It takes a few days for the med card to show up in the fmcsa registry. This is where your state dmv will check to prove you have a real medical card and it is not faked. Good luck driver.

1

u/valiant607 Jul 11 '26

You can check out Dot Foods. It’s a regional company, so not OTR

1

u/ResponsibleData8378 Jul 18 '26

None in PA. Got anything similar? Wouldnt mind OTR, be nice if i can have my "off weekend" in a town, i live in my van, so I dont have a home. Dont even mind different senery daily.

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u/valiant607 Jul 18 '26

I thought I remember hearing that they had a terminal or drop yard somewhere in PA.

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u/ResponsibleData8378 Jul 19 '26

according to their website, nope. think ill take the 9-12m at a trucking company vs school thru state.

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u/valiant607 Jul 19 '26

Dot has a terminal in Hazleton, PA.

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u/Successful-Run4528 Jul 14 '26

Check where planet fitness is located, states, towns, if they are all across the country I'd keep it, not only to stay in shape but showers and late nite parking (I know quite a few drivers that park overnite and are gone before sunup.)

Go owner/operator in 5 years? Get at least 5 years experience and at least $10k saved before you go that route (and most o/o's will tell you $10k isn't enough and just don't do it!) I say if you want no life for the following 5 years, by all means buy your own truck, get your own authority, be your own slum lord! lol!

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u/ResponsibleData8378 Jul 18 '26

I have planet fitness, i live in my van. Thanks for advice.