CDL, is it a pain to get?

[utahjeepr]

Class A for many years. If you don't need it, a CDL ain't worth the time. Do you know how to drive a truck, I mean REALLY know how? Do you have access to a truck to practice and test in? Any medical issues? Just having a CDL in your pocket changes the way the law applies to you in many states. I keep mine active but use it rarely. I would give it up if I didn't need it from time to time.

Is it hard to get? No. Hell I managed to do it.

[Straight Shooter]

I came off the road after 13 years and ALMOST 1.5 million miles under my belt traveling all over America & parts of Canada.
Of all the many, many diverse jobs I ever had in my 55 years of life- OTR trucking was without a doubt the worst crap I ever did.
The first time my license was up for renewal, they asked if i wanted to keep my CDL, & I was grandfathered in before 9/11 I had certain perks others didnt...I said SHOOT NO, just give me a regular license. Wanted to make sure i was never even tempted to go into that mess again.
Can only imagine what a goatscrew OTR trucking is now, with electronic logs,hours of service fiasco, the infinite proliferation of cell phones, tickets & fines so high for a trucker you'd have to borrow money to pay them...just on & on & on & on I could go.
My advice: DO SOMETHING ELSE.

[Straight Shooter]

double post

[Arik]

I came off the road after 13 years and ALMOST 1.5 million miles under my belt traveling all over America & parts of Canada.
Of all the many, many diverse jobs I ever had in my 55 years of life- OTR trucking was without a doubt the worst crap I ever did.
The first time my license was up for renewal, they asked if i wanted to keep my CDL, & I was grandfathered in before 9/11 I had certain perks others didnt...I said SHOOT NO, just give me a regular license. Wanted to make sure i was never even tempted to go into that mess again.
Can only imagine what a goatscrew OTR trucking is now, with electronic logs,hours of service fiasco, the infinite proliferation of cell phones, tickets & fines so high for a trucker you'd have to borrow money to pay them...just on & on & on & on I could go. WHY DO YOU THINK THE TURNOVER RATE IS SO DAMNED HIGH?
My advice: DO SOMETHING ELSE.

The electric logs are a pain in the ass but not completely terrible. Some companies are better than others. Still have to keep a paper log on hand just in case. Since this started my drivers used them maybe a dozen times. That's 3 drivers in the course of about 3-4 years now.

I've read your posts about this before and while everyone has their own individual experiences ours has not been the same. That might depend on what you transported. Lowboy, refer,....etc...

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[JediGuy]

I feel obligated to add in that that LTL is the only way to go as a driver. Non-union is the only way to go in LTL.

[AKDoug]

I started trucking in 1988. I've been driving ever since, but it has never been my full time, every day, job. It has been a necessity to the company that I own to be an A class driver. As the company grew my experience grew with it over the years.. from class B flatbeds and box vans, to towing pups with flatbeds, to semi trucks with flatbeds, lowboys, equipment trailers and skin vans. Through the years I've trained nearly a dozen drivers from the ground up and all passed their road test the first try.The most important part is getting the walk around down to a science. Getting your class A can be tough if you don't have a company or friend to train you. Your only option then is a trucking school. I don't find the medicals to be too hard and I don't find the written test to be too difficult.

We haul our own equipment for our equipment rental business, haul our own lumber for our lumber yard, and we run a skin van 3 to 4 days a week hauling beer for a local brewery and back haul their supplies and our business's freight.

Like said above, LTL is the way to go. I've been pretty successful sucking up the local freight that requires extra customer service. The brewery pays me above the going rate on full truck loads of beer because we show up when we say we will and treat them with superior customer service when there is an emergency. The driver I have in that truck makes a good living and gets to sleep in his own bed every night. It can be tough to find that niche and be able to make money and stay home at night, but it is out there.

I still love driving ...pete.jpg

[AKDoug]

Just having a CDL in your pocket changes the way the law applies to you in many states.

I hear this often, but I can find no information that backs it up. Mostly it comes from people that think your DUI level is lowered to a level lower than a regular vehicle license; but that's only true if you are actually in a commercial vehicle.

[JediGuy]

Like said above, LTL is the way to go. I've been pretty successful sucking up the local freight that requires extra customer service.
...
It can be tough to find that niche and be able to make money and stay home at night, but it is out there.

I still love driving ...pete.jpg

If I had an ounce of sense, I would emulate what you have apparently done. Too comfortable where I am in the ladder at the moment.

[lysander]

You're only going to find it hard if:

You can't pass a drug test.
You can't bend over and touch your toes.
You can't hear well out of an ear, or both.
You can't lift 20-50 pounds.
You can't complete menial tasks that do little to nothing for commercial driving.

You forgot one:

Can't drive . . .

[SilverBullet432]

I’ve had my class A with Tanker & double/triple for 6 years now, I haven’t driven a truck in 3, but I’m definitely hanging onto it! I went through the program at my community college. Cost me $4k but it was worth it. They supplied everything. Maintaining it is easy, just pass the physical every two years and submit the paperwork to the state. The only gripe I have is I have to renew it or even change the address in person. (Texas) If you lose CDL status, you’ll have to re apply and re do everything like if you never did it in the first place. Unless you really plan to take up trucking, I would say it’s not worth having. If you have one, and leave trucking for something else, I would say it’s definitely worth keeping as a plan B!!!