Orange
County, CA – Are you looking for a recession proof career that can and will pay
the household bills? If your answer is yes, then you might be at the right
place to change your life’s path. This site is only one of many on the web that
will discuss some general information about a commercial driving career. The
basics of the industry will be shared for the benefit of anyone hoping to
settle into a career that can and will last a lifetime. The basic requirements,
resources and opportunities are available here through the eyes of an
individual who has been around the industry in many capacities for more than 40
years.
General
requirements for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) are set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the actual application process
is done within your domicile state. Anyone 18 years or older can apply for a
Commercial Lerner’s Permit (CLP) at their home state licensing office by paying
fees, passing the general knowledge test and air-brake endorsement test, if
planning to drive an air assisted braking system vehicle. The issuance of a CLP
is a precondition to the initial issuance of a CDL. The issuance of a CLP is
also a precondition to the upgrade of a CDL if the upgrade requires a skills
test. The CLP holder is not eligible to take the CDL skills test in the first
14 days after initial issuance of the CLP. Medical exams are also required to
obtain a CLP for the purpose of satisfying all physical specifications set by
FMCSA.
Resources
for CDL training are available throughout the United States and have a wide
variety of expense. Whether your intention is to pay out of your own pocket or
sign a contract for another form of compensation to pay for the school, I
strongly recommend that you do your homework on the training facility. There
are plenty of bad entities out there claiming lots of success following their
training. Don’t believe the hype and marketing techniques in order to access
government assistance programs, or simply take money from your pocket. Obtain a
list of credentials and check the value of claims before signing anything.
Completing a simple Better Business Bureau and or web search can save you
tremendous time and frustration in the long run. Today, many transportation
companies offer training programs and employment opportunity for individuals
with clean driving and criminal records. Read the fine print, or have the
contract reviewed by an attorney, before you commit to the school or trucking
company to obtain the level of training needed to be safe on the highways.
Opportunities
are plentiful for well trained, safe CDL holders. For anyone that is new to the
transportation industry, plan on making the lowest compensation scale for at
least a year before any improvements to earning potentials. The quicker you
understand the fact that holding any driver’s license is a privilege, not a
right, the better your chances are of having multiple options with a CDL. Most
companies that hire new CDL holders pull long distance freight across the
country. The foundation of this trend is simply based on liability. Miles on
the open road have different challenges but typically not the large volume of
traffic. Where higher levels of traffic exist, like in large cities, there is
enormous liability. Check with your insurance carrier if you don’t believe this
premise. Anyone that lives in a metropolitan city pays a higher premium than
one that lives in the country. Therefore, if considering this industry as a new
CDL holder, plan on hitting the big roads for some time. All the challenges
involved with being over the road (OTR) will be a separate post on this site,
at a later date. Sure some new CDL holders might land a nice local job, but don’t
bank on it. Get some experience, keep the driving record clean, be careful
following the FMCSA rules and then maybe land that nice local job to be home
with the family more.
National
rates for being a commercial driver can be found at Bureau of Labor Statistics
not at a truck stop or career event. Check the national average before falling
for any empty statements from a truck driver, or recruiter. One thing is for
certain though, any professional driver that maintains a clean record will
never look far to find work. There are plenty of opinions about the truck driver,
but one thing is certain … no trucks … no economy!
No comments:
Post a Comment