Question:
You have your CDL and heard about this company that will put you into a truck immediately without having to go 4 to 8 weeks with a trainer. You will start right off making 26 cpm or something like that. You do the math and figure you could make a few thousand dollars a year more than you could going the standard route. It seems like a dream come true.
Well it is a dream that can turn into a nightmare real fast as I know several drivers have found out.
Why do you need training?
1. It gives you the chance to actually gain skills. The school just got you going but you really do not have any real world skills and those docks, warehouses, truck stops etc are a lot different than that nice safe backing lot at school not to mention those scale house.
2. You actually gain real world knowledge. Things are done a little differently in the real world than the way you have been taught in school, but be warned it is a balancing act on a high wire while juggling 16 lb flaming bowling balls. It can be done with time and training but you are either going to get burned or fall or both real fast if you don't know the tricks you can and can't use.
3. Those companies that will hire and put you in a truck without training are going to expect you to run the same as a driver with 5 years experience from day one. You will have no time to build your endurance. You will have little or no support system to answer all those questions that will come up on a daily if not hourly basis.
4. Without training you are easy prey for any joker that comes along. You know so little that it will be hard to next to impossible to know exactly what you can and can not do and what your exact rights are under the law.
I could go on and on but I should hope by now you see just how important training is. Even if your training is only a few weeks you will still be better off than you were just out of school. However when looking for that first company try to find one that not only meets your financial and hometime needs but one that also will give you the best start possible.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
Answer:
It's amazing how many drivers graduate from truck driving school without a clue on how to log or manage their time.
No driver, just because you lost your last log book you cannot log off-duty for the last 7 consecutive days.
No driver, you cannot log from Chicago, IL to North Platte, NE in 10 hours.
No driver, you cannot log from Park City, UT to Tracy, CA with 10 hours of driving time.
Driver zero US DOT $1,000.00
One very recent driver case.
Drivers, please learn how to log. In some cases there is no valid excuse and mistakes can cost money.
John Q.
Disclaimer: The views posted are those of the author. The accuracy of the rules posted are subject to the status of rules and regulations posted by the GPO and other Government Agencies. The author accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies of any posted regulation or interpretation. Readers should seek legal counsel for all legal issues. "If men were angels...No government would be necessary."
51st Federalist Papers
"Nichols' Fourth Law says, "Avoid any action with an unacceptable outcome"

Answer:
Well, I am now in the first week of eight at school, (Rogue Community College in Medford, OR). My question is what measuring stick should I use to size up a company? And what measuring stick are they using on me?
Thanks- Richard

Answer:
Companies are going to be checking into your background. They will be looking at your driving record, crimminal history, and will be wanting a 10 year complete work history including any periods of unemployment, schooling, and self employment, the last three years of which they will verify. They will also be contacting your CDL school to see how you done over-all.
In order to try to find a company that is a good match for you in this part of your career you should list your needs, desires, etc and rank them. Items such as pay, benefits, hometime, pet policy, type of equipment hauled (van, flatbed, reefer, etc. what is it you prefer). Also be sure to inquire the exact nature and length of the training program. Some companies require the trainer to be in the passenger seat any time you are driving and other companies will run you as a team from the get go (which I recomend staying away from). Then as you apply to companies and get your pre-hires list them by which company comes closest to having everything you desire.
When talking to recruiters be sure to ask direct questions and expect direct answers. If they beat around the bush on some point or another more than likely they are trying to hide something. Then if the company seems interesting you try to talk to current and recent past drivers and get a feal for how things are from the drivers seat.
One thing to keep in mind though. Not every company out there is right for everyone nor is everyone right for any given company. So in the end it is going to be you that has to make a decision on where to go.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.