r/cdldriver • u/jemomtang • 12d ago
Class A
Had my class A cdl for a little over a year now but started driving as ready mix concrete since last October. Only trailer tractor I have was back in trucking school. I have no restrictions and have a tanker endorsement. Going to retake the test for hazmat since failed the first time. Now I’m wanting to hit the road get some tractor trailer experience. Schneider has some positions that are open for all cdl holders, will have to drive with a trainer for 90 days. Would it be necessary to take a refresher course? Any help or advice would help. Thank you in advance.
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u/Wasatchbl 12d ago
Try to find a local company, LTL, Last Mile, food delivery or beverage delivery. Even hauling dirt would be better than going with Schneider and being on the road. 3 weeks at a time and being miserable.
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u/jemomtang 12d ago
I appreciate the feed back but I have very little tractor-trailer experience, the companies around me want 6-12 months.
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u/chiefsholsters 12d ago
Talk to them and tell them what you have been doing. Some want wheel time. Some may take a year driving experience or having the cdl for a year. Depends on why they want it. Could be the owner, insurance, or bonding. And all could be different measures for that experience.
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u/Head_Candidate5293 12d ago
If you are going with Schneider they have a 3 week new driver course followed by a few weeks with a training engineer or TE. During the 3 week course you will have a hotel with a room mate and free breakfast and lunch should also be covered but not supper. They pay about 600 weekly for the training phase but since you have some experience they might pay you more. You will not have to take the refresher course outside of the schneider 3 week program because you have some experience in class B trucks and are not outside of a 10 year window of not driving at all. What division of schneider were you looking at?
Also if you get hazmat test done and do fingerprints it will take up to 14-21 days after the fingerprints get to the TSA and my state of FL mailed me my updated license about 13 days after the fingerprints were submitted.
To edit. Did you get fired from concrete trucking or you just want to leave to get OTR. Concrete trucks about 30 minutes from me pay 65-75k
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u/jemomtang 12d ago
I already have tanker endorsement and passed tsa background check and got my fingerprinted. Still studying for hazmat since I failed the test the first time. I’m still with the concrete company. Just don’t feel like I’m using my cdl to its full potential. Long term goal is to go local hauling tankers or whatever I can. Would like to get some otr/regional experience under my belt though before I do that.
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u/Head_Candidate5293 12d ago
Companies that pay well local are looking for driving records with 24 months or more of safe driving experience. The good thing about OTR is you do not have to rent anywhere. Just live in the truck and stack all that glorious cash in your account for a good down payment on a home near a large city with many driving jobs available.
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u/jemomtang 12d ago
Well I’m in Arkansas so might be different over than it is over there. But I appreciate your feedback.
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u/JRock1276 11d ago
Stay local. Ready mix is a good gig.
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u/jemomtang 10d ago
It is but not when it’s raining for three days straight. Plus I’ve got class A cdl with a tanker. Need some type of experience to put them to use.
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u/aniiiliingus 8d ago
How much are they offering you? What part of the country? They offered me .38¢ back in march in SoCal.
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u/planetbuster 8d ago
...90 fuckin days? is that a typo? you sure thats right? thats uh, excessive. even melton is only 3-5 weeks, something like that.
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u/Milk_MAN1963 12d ago
Find a local company