Need some advice on what I can do...Please Help!!

[Kenworth30277]

First of all..I am turning 20 years old in March 2009...I have my CDL Class AP for the state of GA. I currently drive a truck for a plumbing company here in town...the truck is a F-550 with 16' flat bed with stakes on the truck. I am wishing to move up and drive the big rigs. I grew up around my uncle who was a truck driver...now he is driving a heavy duty recovery tow truck. He drove a 18 wheeler for about 25 years. Decided to sell his tractor when fuel prices started to sky rocket. So now that he doesn't have his own truck he can't let me drive to get some road experience and go do the pre-trip and get my license. So what I'm here for is to ask if anyone is GA has the time to teach me the pre-trip and let me get some road experience so i can turn my Class AP into a Class A CDL??? If this is possible..please let me know. Thank You!!

Terry

[GearGrabber]

What kind of driving do you want to do? If you are looking to drive local I would suggest getting a job with a company that uses bobtails and tractor-trailers. Lumber yards and produce houses come to mind.

That's how I learned back in the day. I got a job delivering produce by day and talked my way into learning to drive the big line trucks. They didn't have a training program but agreed to let me ride along on my days off. I studied and got my permit on my own time. They were kind enough to let their drivers teach me to drive and soon after I got my CDL. I stuck with the company although it took about a year of just filling in for the line drivers once in awhile and I was the defacto yard driver for a long time. I can't count the number of trailers I pushed around that yard during that first year. But it paid off big time. Those bay area produce markets are crowded tight with trucks and my new found backing skills paid off.

But anyway... That might be an option if you are looking to stay local and Georgia law allows it. But if you want to go OTR with a national company I think they will all require driving school for new drivers.

I'm not back up to speed on industry trends yet but I'm guessing someday sooner rather then later all new drivers will have to attend an accredited driving school...

[Mackman]

to cross state lines you must be 21. So he would have to drive local. Or unless he wants to be an OUTLAW. I started driving at 18 in PA. But i live real close to MD, NJ and DE. I use to cross state line once in a while. I got popped in MD. It was a $1100 fine. They also wouldnt let me leave with the truck. Intill someone got there that was 21 or older to drive it.

[Kenworth30277]

Thanks for the response guys...I am wanting to drive OTR when i turn 21. But for now i have to stay in GA until I turn 21..unless i'm in a non-commercial vehicle of course....but i looked into trying to get on with someone like Tri-State Expediters..since they have the small vans and such..and online they say that all drivers need to be 21..so that shoots that one down too...so unless anyone can think of something else I can do...Because right now I am driving a truck for a local plumbing company but not sure how much longer they are going to be able to keep me busy....things are really slow with building and such....If anyone knows of a place that will hire me on at 20 to drive a small van..i'm willing to travel around and all..then move up to the big rigs...let me know. Thanks again guys

[GMAN]

You might check to see if there are some expediter companies near you. There used to be one in Chattanooga that did regular runs to Atlanta. I don't recall the name, but they were in Atlanta every day.

[Uturn2001]

Just a little FYI, the OTR training companies are going to want to see a "diploma" from a CDL school before they will hire you. You will find it next to impossible to find an OTR job without attending a school or having 2 years of OTR experience, especially at 21.

Also when more than 30 days pass from the time you complete a CDL school and you take your first OTR job you will find your options starting to limit themselves, and they are not going to be that great to start with. Even though most companies list 21 as the minimum accepted age they really do not hire until 23-25 y/o.

[Kenworth30277]

Thanks for the info... I will have to keep my eyes open and try and find a courier company or an expedited company that can hire me in....thanks again..let me know if anyone heres anything that might be useful to me.