Any KY drivers here?

[AsphaltVoyager]

While I really HATE living in Kentucky, I've been thinking that I might be better off getting my CDL back while I am based here, rather than going back to Texas. I could get back to work faster and less expensively if I simply stayed put.

SO.... if there's any KY drivers on the board, can you give me any ideas of where I can get a truck to take the road test in? I think I'll have to take one, regardless that I was told by the KY DLL that they'd keep my CDL I turned in when I got my class D license, in case I wanted to get it back again. The nearest test facility appears to be in Mt. Sterling, then the next nearest in Louisville.

I really need to get back to work as soon as humanly possible and say hasta la vista to the computer world. PERMANENTLY.

Any advice/help would be appreciated. Oh... but, don't recommend a driving school, please. I don't need more training, just a truck to test in.

[GMAN]

It is next to impossible to get a truck without a CDL. Of course, you can't get the CDL without a truck. Unless you can find someone who will allow you to use their truck it could be a problem. You might check with a loca CDL school and see if they will rent you one of their trucks to take the test. Some of them can actually test you rather than having to go to a state DMV for testing. You will likely need to have the written part of the test done prior to taking the road test.

I am a bit confused about your statement about Kentucky keeping your old CDL in case you want to get it back. I have never heard of that, but if that is the case then perhaps you could go back and ask for your old CDL?

[AsphaltVoyager]

It is next to impossible to get a truck without a CDL. Of course, you can't get the CDL without a truck. Unless you can find someone who will allow you to use their truck it could be a problem. You might check with a loca CDL school and see if they will rent you one of their trucks to take the test. Some of them can actually test you rather than having to go to a state DMV for testing. You will likely need to have the written part of the test done prior to taking the road test.

I am a bit confused about your statement about Kentucky keeping your old CDL in case you want to get it back. I have never heard of that, but if that is the case then perhaps you could go back and ask for your old CDL?

I'll check those options out Monday. Can't hurt, rt? : ) There's a place near the testing center in Mansfield, TX that rents trucks to be able to take CDL tests in. But, I never checked to see if they required a prior, existing, CDL to be able to rent the truck. I would think that it is understood that 99% of all the drivers coming to test there would not have a CDL already.

[AsphaltVoyager]

I contacted the KY DL Bureau and they do, in fact, keep CDLs on file for a year after having surrendered one, just in case you change your mind. UNFORTUNATELY..... it's been 26 months ago. So, I have to take both written and road test to be able to get my CDL back. *sigh* OH WELL.... it's not as if that's not what I was kind of expecting, anyhow.

In TX, you have to parallel park to the right during the road test. Here, it's opposite.

[AsphaltVoyager]

Called the truck driving school in Mt. Sterling to see what options they could suggest on taking a road test for the KY CDL. They had one alright... pay us umpteen jillion bucks to take our course and you'll have a truck to test in.
The phrase that comes to mind to describe my feelings about that is not postable in this forum... but I could clean it up to say that I suspect they are bunch of copulating anal sphincters.
Before I would ever consider doing something like that, I'll move back to Texas and rent a truck from that place in Mansfield. I'm not paying another penny for "training" that I don't need.

[AsphaltVoyager]

Inside every grey cloud, there's a silver lining, they say... Perhaps there is one inside this cloud that's been raining on my parade for the past 55 years.

I contacted Laurel Technical College down in London, KY and they told me that since I haven't driven in over 2 yrs that I would have to start from scratch. HOWEVER.... with a referral from Workforce In Action, I can get the course for free AND!!... I can probably speed up their 4-week course consdierably since I've already got OTR experience. SO.... guess who's going to see the WIA counselor lickety-split?

[Roadhog]

I can get the course for free

One day soon, I hope liberals will begin to understand, these social programs are not FREE...and we are going to have to drastically cut back on this out of control nonsense.
They are taxpayer funded...and right now, everything is on borrowed money.

You do have to show you are one who qualifies as low income for at least the last 6 months, that does not exceed the higher level of the poverty line.

It's true most companies now will require a refresher course, if you haven't driven for the last 2-3 years. Refresher courses do cost 3-4k.

Good luck, hope you get a truck before long. Millions on welfare depend on you.

[Windwalker]

While I really HATE living in Kentucky, I've been thinking that I might be better off getting my CDL back while I am based here, rather than going back to Texas. I could get back to work faster and less expensively if I simply stayed put.

SO.... if there's any KY drivers on the board, can you give me any ideas of where I can get a truck to take the road test in? I think I'll have to take one, regardless that I was told by the KY DLL that they'd keep my CDL I turned in when I got my class D license, in case I wanted to get it back again. The nearest test facility appears to be in Mt. Sterling, then the next nearest in Louisville.

I really need to get back to work as soon as humanly possible and say hasta la vista to the computer world. PERMANENTLY.

Any advice/help would be appreciated. Oh... but, don't recommend a driving school, please. I don't need more training, just a truck to test in.

I'm not sure how it works in KY, but you might try getting a list of independent testers from KY DOT. It seems that most of them do have rigs available for testing if you do not have your own. It would cost you a little for "rent" for the test, but that might be the best way for you to go. Once you have your test over with, DOT can issue your CDL. But, now have fun getting a job without a school behind you. Don't know how long ago you drove a truck, but most companies look for recent experience... Within the last year.

[AsphaltVoyager]

One day soon, I hope liberals will begin to understand, these social programs are not FREE...and we are going to have to drastically cut back on this out of control nonsense.
They are taxpayer funded...and right now, everything is on borrowed money.

Just one more Repug who has no social conscience. Way to go. The country has unemployment hovering around 10% and he wants to make sure it stays that way, I guess. You people are simply amazing. I don't mean that in a good way. How everything in life can be turned into a political argument is beyond me. To hear your side make their case, you'd think that every day that had rain was the Democrats' fault, and every day that didn't was their fault, too. Where were your arguments about huge unchecked government mindless spending when we were tossing it into the sands of Iraq?

Believe it or not, everyone in ths country doesn't HAVE the financial resources and business acumen to open their own business (as though that would really matter, however, since 70-80% of small businesses fail in a year or less anyhow). (here it comes... one more thing to blame the Democrats for, right? Nevermind that they fail at the same rate under Republican presidents as well...) Everyone wasn't born with parents who were rich enough to send their kids to top-notch colleges and pay the kid's way all through school, either. And... not everyone is cut out to be a truck driver. (fortunately )

I've already spoken to the company I want to work for and they won't require me to take a "refresher".

HOWEVER... whether I would qualify or not for WIA is a moot point. The very first orientation I can attend to get the ball rolling is 3 weeks away, which makes the final yes/no response from them not come for another 2-3 weeks after. I can't wait that long. I need to be making paychecks by the first week in July. SO... WIA can go S.I.T.T.Bs. I'll find another way to git'er done.

[AsphaltVoyager]

I'm not sure how it works in KY, but you might try getting a list of independent testers from KY DOT. It seems that most of them do have rigs available for testing if you do not have your own. It would cost you a little for "rent" for the test, but that might be the best way for you to go. Once you have your test over with, DOT can issue your CDL. But, now have fun getting a job without a school behind you. Don't know how long ago you drove a truck, but most companies look for recent experience... Within the last year.

Thanks for the suggestion, WW, but KY requires that all tests be administered by KY State Troopers. In a call to the testing hotline a minute ago, I was told that some people who do not already have a CDL do show up in the "proper vehicle for testing", but that means they'd have to have a CDL permit plus a licensed CDL driver with them when they came to the testing facility. Last time I checked, there weren't a bunch of drivers hanging around with time to spare for going with an aspiring driver so the aspirant could get his road test.

[GMAN]

If there is a company for whom you can go to work you could check with them to see if they will allow you to "borrow" one of their trucks and drivers so that you can take your test. There are also truck rental companies such as Penske and Ryder who may also be able to help you find a driver who would like to earn some extra cash by going with you to take your test. You won't be able to rent the truck yourself if you are the driver, but there could be a driver who would be willing to rent himself to you for a few hours.

[AsphaltVoyager]

If there is a company for whom you can go to work you could check with them to see if they will allow you to "borrow" one of their trucks and drivers so that you can take your test. There are also truck rental companies such as Penske and Ryder who may also be able to help you find a driver who would like to earn some extra cash by going with you to take your test. You won't be able to rent the truck yourself if you are the driver, but there could be a driver who would be willing to rent himself to you for a few hours.

GMan... have you been talking with my car loan officer?? That's the same suggestion he made just 20 minutes ago. Get my written test out of the way, get the permit, then approach a company about providing me assistance with getting the CDL, provided that I work for them when I get the license.

I am going to get the manual to be sure that there's nothing significantly different from the TX written exam, then take that test as soon as possible (basic plus HAZMAT). What I may do afterward is to try the Pilot's near Mt. Sterling and Georgetown to see if there's a driver who would want to earn a little extra pay for the day... maybe find one that is on a 24-hr restart.