Going to take my class a CDL in the morning. I was looking for a different career path and my uncle told me he could get me a job driving a concrete truck, so I figure why not. Talked to his boss, he said get my CDL and he'll put me to work. I'm taking a 1 day CDL training course and will hopefully pass. Then I'll get a few weeks training at the new job. I was a supervisor at a plastics factory, really looking for a change of pace.
Do not shift out of gear when crossing over railroad tracks. This was my failure point the first time I took my CDL test well over 20 years ago.
Even though it was a super wide 6 track crossing, you can not up shift even if there happens to be a large space between the tracks. No shifting from gate to gate.
Good luck. You'll do fine.
I had hell getting my test done with the DMV. I went three times and every single time the examiner would find something they didn't like about the truck or trailer. "Get it fixed and reschedule" Always six weeks out. After the last time I rescheduled in the next closest town that did CDL testing, two hours away. Made no changes to truck or trailer and they had no issues. Anyway I had a Class A CDL but without an air endorsement. Which was fine for what I was driving for work at the time but was useless for anything else. I didn't renew it last time.
Good luck with the new endeavor!
The concrete drivers here work a ton of hours then off in the winter. My neighbor has a side business of selling corn bags for that game. Our guys are union drivers and do well. Congratulations.
My brother has a CDL, works for a city driving dump trucks and plows in the winter. They recently asked if he would get a School Bus endorsement and be a back up driver. Do whatever they ask and be as versatile and flexible as possible! The more credentials the more opportunity in a lay off.
BTW, how many pounds of explosives can legally be carried on a school bus?
In reply to 914Driver:
I don't know. Let me see if I can find an 8th grade boy in my 'hood tonight to ask.
I'm diabetic. I cannot get a CDL. Because other asshats with this crap can't keep it under control and crash 80,000lbs. through church/school/hospitals. Damn.
301Guy, it's 100lbs. Allowed so they may transport National Guard etc. during emergencies.
Who knew?
In reply to 914Driver:
And obscure DOT regulation award for the day goes to...
My wife has to deal with a lot of drivers at work. She says they're paid from the neck down 
I think she's a bit jealous...
I got my CDL at age 20. There was a local company that had a couple school contracts and 5 motorcoaches. Since I was in college, it was the perfect job: drive school buses morning and afternoon, take my classes in between, and drive tours on the weekends.
Then every where I went when I was a nomadic RVer, I had an easily marketable skill if I needed a job. I drove for a sweet company in Gulfport MS (Conner Cain Tours) that had a whole fleet of brand new Prevost coaches and booked nice trips.
I got my CDL B school bus drivers license after I retired from the daily grind.
A few classes and the road test was a piece of cake.
Well, went over the pretrip for about 3 hours, then practiced the maneuvers for about 45 mins, did each one the first time, then did a practice road test on the way to the highway patrol. Was a bit nervous, but sailed right through all the test. I am now a class a with air brakes driver!!!!
Nice! I deal with drivers all day, it can be a great gig.
Congratulations!!
In reply to John Welsh :
I asked the instructor and she said no deduction for shifting gears while making a turn. I asked what about rail tracks and she either said it was no points or 1 point, can't remember. Also, I've heard if you run over a curb it's a automatic fail, it's just points, you can still pass just fine though. Not putting your seat belt on for the road trip and not stopping for pedestrians at a cross walk are indeed automatic fails. The lady who gave me the test was really pretty and super nice, made me to super comfortable. Very happy I passed the first time, the class and truck rental was 600 bucks, and 150 for a retest, and 75hr if you wanted additionally training.
Remember you own 40,000 # of rolling steel, choose wisely and drive a mile ahead of your line of sight.
And never call it a cement truck. Bad.
In reply to Datsun310Guy:
Do indulge?
In reply to Project86fox:
Cement is glue. Concrete is the droid you're looking for
Do not shift gears while crossing railroad tracks.
Though, as I argued and learned, no penalty if you are driving an auto trans and the trans decides (or your inputs cause) the trans to shift. The whole rule only applies to manual trans vehicles.
The horizon for otr long haul is probably not great as autonomous trucking is coming fast.
I plan on driving local, hopefully. Going to focus on concrete and dump trucks for now. Maybe try for box trucks are other local runners.
CDL drivers are treated like they are easily replaceable yet there are very few young people in the industry.
Long term there aren't young people involved in the repair of trucks or refrigeration components.
I went and and took the tests for the hazmat, tanker, and doubles/triples endorsements yesterday. Everyone kept saying how hard the hazmat was, but I thought it was pretty easy. I wasn't planning on adding the double/triples, but the officer at the testing site talked me into it.
Now I just need to go get my background and finger printing done.
I got a job deliverying propane. I start around the 15th.
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