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blaqtech
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:49 am Post subject: CDL A vs CDL B |
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| I want to get a CDL. A class B CDL is more inline with what I want to do..drive cement truck, but I like the idea of being open to other opportunities. Then I just think that if I'm putting in the time I might as well get a class A. That is the different in training or cost? Oh, I'm in Dallas, Texas if that matters any. |
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DDCavi
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 72
Location: Maine BABY!
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:50 am Post subject: Re: CDL A vs CDL B |
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blaqtech wrote: I want to get a CDL. A class B CDL is more inline with what I want to do..drive cement truck, but I like the idea of being open to other opportunities. Then I just think that if I'm putting in the time I might as well get a class A. That is the different in training or cost? Oh, I'm in Dallas, Texas if that matters any.
I went to my school interview knowing I wanted my class B for a dump truck. I opted to suck it up and do class A to cover EVERYTHING. Im glad now, because it doesnt look like I will be driving a dump truck. I dont see an opportunity to do it year round in Maine. So im all about the class A.
Training is longer, and slightly more money. My class A is 10 weekends versus the 6 weekends for class B. |
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sbatson
Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 201
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:09 am Post subject: |
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| Class A all the way why even bother with B when you have more opp. with A, just a idea but I would go with the A option.Good Luck. |
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dle
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 730
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:50 am Post subject: |
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In the Dallas area it may be more of a situation of what schools are available to you for the A or B. Personally, I don't know of any that offer a CDL-B.
An "A" would provide for additional options should you find nothing in the dump truck area. |
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trans3
Joined: 25 Feb 2007
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Get your class A, and get the hazmat also. I know it costs more and then there is the background check, but in doing so there are so many more options available to you. |
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SlacTrac
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Posts: 10
Location: On the Farm South of Canton, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| My CDL History is an off and on story. But I think it offers a little info on getting licensed in Texas. In 1970's? I got a CDL to drive anything with a 1966 Chev. 1 ton pick-up truck. I immediatly jumped up into the cab of a Mack B-77 tractor and pulled a Lo-Boy trailer with 127,000 lbs. of Cat D-8 Tractor and Accossories around South Texas. I got a better job and let the cdl go. In about 1998 I got a job requiring a "B" CDL. I got that using that company's truck, with air brakes, good for straight truck, air brakes. I let that go when I didn't work there anymore, and didn't need the cdl. Then, I started hauling hay in 1000 lb. rolls off my Hay Farm and see I need a calss A cdl to be legal, and get that with my rig. Its a 32' flat bed with a 1-ton Dodge Duelly pullin' it. OK. I'm good. Except now I need to go to work for a compay pullin' tanks. So I go back to Texas DPS DL an get the air brake restriction taken off my License using a friend's straight truck with air brakes. Easy. So In essense. It's easy to get the Class A using a pick-up truck and a flat bed trailer. But you need a source for the Air Brake part of it. Its pretty easy in the boonies where the AG operaters are at. Agriculture offers short cuts to the CDL path. PM Me if I can help....... :D |
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DIESEL BEAST
Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Posts: 54
Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:22 am Post subject: |
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| I decided to get my A over B license just cause. Having an A license provides many more doors. Besides driving a CMV, with your A license you could operate a train or cranes (heavy machinery jobs) that sometimes pay just as well as driving a CMV. |
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Mackman
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 2239
Location: Concordville PA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:23 am Post subject: |
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DIESEL BEAST wrote: I decided to get my A over B license just cause. Having an A license provides many more doors. Besides driving a CMV, with your A license you could operate a train or cranes (heavy machinery jobs) that sometimes pay just as well as driving a CMV.
100% BS :roll: |
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R3B3L
Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Mackman wrote: DIESEL BEAST wrote: I decided to get my A over B license just cause. Having an A license provides many more doors. Besides driving a CMV, with your A license you could operate a train or cranes (heavy machinery jobs) that sometimes pay just as well as driving a CMV.
100% BS :roll:
+1
Ive been driving and operating heavy equipment my whole life and never heard that before. I don't know anything about trains other than don't get in there way but you won't operate a crane with cdl only training. |
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Mackman
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 2239
Location: Concordville PA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:21 am Post subject: |
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You dont need no license of any kind to run heavy equipment. A crane is a whole another beast.
A train i have no idea what you need to run one of them. |
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Fredog
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 2121
Location: North Georgia
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:24 am Post subject: |
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Mackman wrote: You dont need no license of any kind to run heavy equipment. A crane is a whole another beast.
A train i have no idea what you need to run one of them.
a class A would sometimes help to get a heavy equipment job, some companies want you to haul your equipment from job to job.. |
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Mackman
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 2239
Location: Concordville PA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:30 am Post subject: |
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Fredog wrote: Mackman wrote: You dont need no license of any kind to run heavy equipment. A crane is a whole another beast.
A train i have no idea what you need to run one of them.
a class A would sometimes help to get a heavy equipment job, some companies want you to haul your equipment from job to job..
You are right Fredog it will HELP you get the job. But alot of your bigger outfits have fulltime lowboy drivers to take care of the moving of the equipment.
If you went to a job to run a bulldozer and all you had was truck driving exp. and your class A. They would laugh you out of town. |
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Mr. Ford95
Joined: 19 Apr 2005
Posts: 1816
Location: Orange, VA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:38 am Post subject: |
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You can go to an operators school and get a little certificate that says you have an idea of how to run a certain piece of equipment, but a CDL A won't help you run it. I have an A but it doesn't help me when it comes to loading up our Curbmachine. That doesn't have airbrakes or tires or slack adjusters...........
A train requires schooling, you need a conductors license to know how to read the signage on the rails and how the train works. A CDL doesn't help you there. |
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Mackman
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 2239
Location: Concordville PA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:41 am Post subject: |
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| A CDL is good for flying airplanes too. :lol: :lol: |
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Splitshifter
Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 635
Location: Right here
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| Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Mackman wrote: A CDL is good for flying airplanes too. :lol: :lol:
....or to become a U.S. Marshall. :lol: :D |
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