Posted: 11/26/2024 12:36:26 AM EDT
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I'm thinking about getting a CDL, and doing that instead of my normal type of job. Lord knows I've been looking into getting into some form of agriculture for several years. That being said, I've never done anything bigger than a pickup and a gooseneck, and have family reasons to not look to be away terribly long, especially if my wife has to travel for her work, as we have large animals on top of the regular things like dogs. So for regular jobs I'm looking at home daily kind of things, even if night shift. Which has me looking at everything from Carvana to bulk fuel delivery. That said, being away isn't the end of the world. And my wife's dad did a lot of bulk fuel delivery, and she spoke well of it. Sadly he hasn't answered any of my questions due to dying a few years before I met my wife.  . Though I have benefited from raiding his workshop. A place I totally would have smoked a cigar with him. Being in New Mexico, the idea of getting into hazmat has appeal, and it looks like at least one of the nearby fueling companies will sponsor CDL training. I guess my bottom line question at the end instead of up front is what's some red flags for either online company reviews or in person interviews? I just left a sour place with a litigatious owner that's burned a few more bridges than what I knew he had. So I'm gun shy about getting into bed with people that put on a good show. Though I still have a few personal connections to explore. Including a non CDL hotshot type thing that may work well delivering for car dealers occasionally. |
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My advice and thoughts after reading your post, in no particular order: - you’re unlikely to be hired for fuels without experience. Your most likely route for fuel hauling would be to get a job with a food grade/water/non-hazmat bulk, or similar outfit, and then with a year or two experience on tanks, a fuels company may be able to clear you with their insurer. - the sort of companies that hire without experience are larger companies. XPO for example hires without experience, for placarded. @JoshinReno works (worked?) for I think, and they’re another good option to get HAZMAT experience as a new driver starting out. - without experience, you’re looking at who will hire you, more than being in a position to ‘interview’ and look for red flags. Some companies are better than others, and I, among others here could offer some advice tailored to your specific area and interests, but starting out, not even yet having the CDL, and wanting to go into an interview ‘looking for red flags’ is somewhat unrealistic. The way most application processes work for the companies that hire without experience, you won’t have an interview, and it’s a matter of checking the boxes, running your background and driving records, and making sure you’re insurable. Finally, everything said so far is to set realistic expectations for the industry in general, and now I’ll get to the part that relates to this particular job you are looking at: - if you are eligible, and the fuel company will sponsor your training, it would be the chance of a lifetime, and you need to take that, and get your two years experience, red flags or not. This is the first time I have ever heard of a fuel hauler even considering talking to someone without two years tank experience, much less not even having a Class A. Seriously, this is an highly uncommon opportunity. As far as red flags to look for, more than ask about, general condition of the trucks is the major thing you want to look at. That is where a significant portion of your risk of ticketing and DOT violations will stem from as a driver. Be willing to work long hours, especially as a local driver. You will probably get more truthful answers to questions about the company from drivers, but also be careful of the downright poisonous attitudes of many drivers. They can be toxic to new drivers with constant complaining about non issues, and setting unrealistic expectations. Even if you ask questions from t he recruiter or hiring manager, expect them to lie to you. Even if they don’t lie, they aren’t going to be totally honest, and definitely are looking out for themselves, not you. Take care of yourself. Learn the laws pertaining to your work, and stand up for yourself if you are told to do something illegal. |
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I'm looking at home daily kind of things Be careful with "Sponsored" CDL training, how long do you have to obligate to the company, how long does it take to reimburse them for the training, what happens if you quit early....? Big freight liked to create indentured servants with "Free" CDL training, room, board and training (that they charged an exorbitant price for), it would take many drivers 2 years to pay off their training. If you left the company they wanted the remaining balance paid immediately which could be tough for a driver working for shit pay. Get all of your endorsements even if you don't think you'll need them, they're not hard (well, HazMat take takes a bit of studying for) and may open up some opportunities. As newly minted CDL holder you'll find the number of companies that are willing to take a risk on you is limited. Most companies are looking for a minimum of 2 years experience for insurance and liability reasons. There are companies that will hire new drivers but you may have to take something with a schedule and type of work you don't want. A lot more doors open up once you hit 2 years experience. |
USN Retired: APR 1988 - MAY 2008
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
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Originally Posted By Seabee_Mech: Be careful with "Sponsored" CDL training, how long do you have to obligate to the company, how long does it take to reimburse them for the training, what happens if you quit early....? Big freight liked to create indentured servants with "Free" CDL training, room, board and training (that they charged an exorbitant price for), it would take many drivers 2 years to pay off their training. If you left the company they wanted the remaining balance paid immediately which could be tough for a driver working for shit pay. Fair point. I didn’t go through one of those programs to get my CDL, so isn’t something i considered in my reply. Most of the places I’ve seen that offer sponsored training require a 9 month to 1 year contract - check and see what the fine print says. See what the ‘buyout’ is if you quit before the contracted period is up. If you have the cash to cover the buyout, I wouldn’t have an issue with that, as long as it’s inline with the cost you would pay to go to a school on your own. Having said that, if you can’t stick with your first company for a year (minimum), I’d say that is an issue to look internally for resolution, barring extreme circumstances. Getting your one to two years experience really makes a huge difference in options available to you, and if you can do that with ONE company, you will have a much stronger application to a better company down the road, versus the typical six-month job hoppers. It’s kind of an interesting conversation telling someone not to be afraid to stand up for themselves, but at the same time not be a job hopper. Knowing when and how to pick your battles is a key part of staying in the industry, in my opinion. |
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I'll look more into that fuel hauler, but does seem like they train up. I'm not looking at being in a box under a bridge, but certainly need income, so putting in a year in a shitty company isn't unrealistic. Especially given that I'm apparently failing at what should be my industry. And the fuel hauler "reviews" I could find online reference low pay, but I'm assuming relative to other similar companies. Something for the school district or local transit company seem to be much lower pay. So be worried about commitment lengths, and equipment condition. First one is easy, the second will certainly be harder, as I don't know the details, but have dealt with plenty of road vehicles, and some ag equipment. Everything breaks, and what I plan in the morning is simply my point of departure. Never walked into a job knowing how things work, but been able to work out the system eventually. Even if I'm slower than the normal people in the beginning.  One other option I'm aware of is occasional contract delivery (single vehicle transport), but I don't have a truck for that, and my trailer is pretty lightweight. Something with an established company has a bit more certainty. I'll talk with the guy I know that does it since I know he's looking to get out of it. May be able to work something with him. Could be a decent bridge option. Is it a positive if you self-fund a school even without experience? Seen a few listings that talk about a school being equivalent to a certain amount of experience, however most training I've done is mostly along the lines of getting you to the point of not killing yourself, vs being proficient. Being proficient requires enough time to be exposed to all the little gotchas you'll never get in condensed training. |
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Is it a positive if you self-fund a school even without experience? Seen a few listings that talk about a school being equivalent to a certain amount of experience, however most training I've done is mostly along the lines of getting you to the point of not killing yourself, vs being proficient. Being proficient requires enough time to be exposed to all the little gotchas you'll never get in condensed training. I paid for my own CDL School (at the time Michigan wouldn't convert a .mil license). It allows you to walk away from a bad company free and clear. I drove for Stevens Transport for 3 months, once I saw how they treated their drivers and figured out how little I was actually going to make in a year I drug up. Drivers that were obligated to pay back the in house CDL training didn't have that freedom. A CDL school is going to focus on one thing: Getting you to pass the DMV test. It's up to a company that takes on a newly minted driver to actually teach, train you and give you the experience that you'll need to drive commercially. |
USN Retired: APR 1988 - MAY 2008
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
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Originally Posted By haveTwo: So be worried about commitment lengths, and equipment condition. First one is easy, the second will certainly be harder, as I don't know the details, but have dealt with plenty of road vehicles, and some ag equipment. Is it a positive if you self-fund a school even without experience? Seen a few listings that talk about a school being equivalent to a certain amount of experience, however most training I've done is mostly along the lines of getting you to the point of not killing yourself, vs being proficient. Being proficient requires enough time to be exposed to all the little gotchas you'll never get in condensed training. Equipment condition - for a fleet, and without working for the company to know how actual maintenance is handled, are they kept clean inside and out? Do the trucks have broken fenders, or mudflaps that haven’t been fixed? Mismatch/off color doors, wings, fender flares, etc can be easy visual clues of the safety culture of the company. Once you’re working for the company you’ll be doing daily pre-trip inspections looking at the equipment, such as brake shoes and air lines (which you’ll be taught what to look for in the CDL ‘school’ in order to pass the test anyway). Look up the DOT number of the company - the number of citations, equipment violations and driver qualification violations are public information. Self funding - it’s a good option, and I would not discourage it if you can afford the cash outlay. Having that certificate from the school will open a lot of doors to companies willing to hire you, versus looking for a company that will sponsor you or train in-house. Having said that, if you have the cash to buy yourself out of a contract if you decide it isn’t for you, I’d consider investing it instead of forking it out for the school. Typically, the certificate you receive upon completion of the school is recognized as equivalent to one year of experience for insurance purposes. So much of the decision revolves around the details of the offer you have, and what other options you have at your disposal. As you get further into the process, specific questions can be answered easily, you’ve got access to some really good resources right here in this sub forum. |