CDL Training Advice
At a recent conference, who's attendees included CEO's of the top 6 trucking companies in the United States, specific advice was handed down to trucking schools. Simply put, they stated that there were 3 items the major trucking companies looked at when considering hiring entry level drivers.
Since freight has been down considerably in 2009, dry freight is no longer the number one commodity being transported, and the competition among drivers is tougher than it has been in many years. Hence, applications are scruitinized more than ever before, and truck drivers must be able to go wherever the freight is, and haul whatever needs to be hauled. This means you should be able to haul hazardous materials, heavy equipment and freight other than non symetrical freight (flatbed, tanker, etc), and be able to travel across borders.
So, in order to get a "leg up" on the competition, it is highly recommended to do the following:
- Obtain your Hazmat Endorsement
- Obtain your passport for trucking into Canada & Mexico
- Proofread your application multiple times for spelling & grammatical errors
If there are any mistakes on your application, you can forget going to work for any of the large trucking companies. They don't have time for anyone who doesn't make the time to do something right the first time.
Next, a hazmat endorsement is obviously optional - but get it if you have the chance. As a matter of fact, go ahead and get that tanker endorsement as well. Anything you can do to make yourself ready to take any kind of freight makes you more desireable. Don't tell yourslef you will go back and get it later if you need it. That will never happen, and laws change all the time; so the requirements for obtaining endorsements may change later.
Lastly, very, very few trucking schools are going to tell you to obtain your passport. Its virtually unheard of in CDL programs. Do it before you even get into the school. This one item alone will set you miles apart from your competition. Most major trucking companies are going to give you a certain amount of time to obtain your passport, but why not spend the money now, and virtually assure yourself a truck driving job with a major U.S. company?
For about $150, you should be able to get your hazmat endorsement and a rush passport. It will pay off much quicker than you think, and the passport is only renewed every 10 years, and the CDL every 5; years so its a wise investment. Crossing the T's and dotting the I's on your application is just common sense, but again - its something the employers are reviewing very closely and tells much about your personal habits.