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Thread: 5 Biggest Mistakes by CDL Students and New Drivers

  1. #1

    5 Biggest Mistakes by CDL Students and New Drivers

    In general, Over-the-road trucking (OTR) has proven to be a living nightmare for new CDL drivers and veterans. New student-drivers entering the industry have no idea about how the trucking business works. So a newcomer needs to be aware of the mistakes and misconceptions that so many newbies make when first starting out in the business:

    5. Believing that you Earn BIG in OTR trucking - After taxes and expenses, most O/O will end up earning very close to what the average company driver will earn and that is between $35,000 and $42,000 per year gross.

    4. Leaving your first driving job too soon - Don't just quit due to lack of miles, etc. Try to stick it out for a year or a couple of years.

    3. Moving too FAST too SOON to Success! - Before you jump into the big rig solo try to ask around if it is a good company. Will they give you consistent miles? Are they supportive of their owner operators?

    2. Choosing the Wrong CDL Truck Driving School - Consider 3 facts: Is the school licensed by the State? Is it Certified? Is it Accredited?

    1. FAILURE to “GET STARTED” ASAP! - Once you receive your CDL license, there is no time for waiting. You must get started driving right away to get those huge job opportunities.
    ********************
    Drive Carefully & Come Home Safe
    Marie

  2. #2
    RT Amateur irishjim's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marie View Post
    In general, Over-the-road trucking (OTR) has proven to be a living nightmare for new CDL drivers and veterans. New student-drivers entering the industry have no idea about how the trucking business works. So a newcomer needs to be aware of the mistakes and misconceptions that so many newbies make when first starting out in the business:

    5. Believing that you Earn BIG in OTR trucking - After taxes and expenses, most O/O will end up earning very close to what the average company driver will earn and that is between $35,000 and $42,000 per year gross.

    4. Leaving your first driving job too soon - Don't just quit due to lack of miles, etc. Try to stick it out for a year or a couple of years.

    3. Moving too FAST too SOON to Success! - Before you jump into the big rig solo try to ask around if it is a good company. Will they give you consistent miles? Are they supportive of their owner operators?

    2. Choosing the Wrong CDL Truck Driving School - Consider 3 facts: Is the school licensed by the State? Is it Certified? Is it Accredited?

    1. FAILURE to “GET STARTED” ASAP! - Once you receive your CDL license, there is no time for waiting. You must get started driving right away to get those huge job opportunities.
    Hi Marie,
    One thing I might add to your list would be to introduce yourself to family owned and small trucking companies because you will find they will take a more personal interest in you and your career and teach and help you instead of "Throwing you to the wolves" like bigger companies.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Marie View Post
    In general, Over-the-road trucking (OTR) has proven to be a living nightmare for new CDL drivers and veterans. New student-drivers entering the industry have no idea about how the trucking business works. So a newcomer needs to be aware of the mistakes and misconceptions that so many newbies make when first starting out in the business:

    5. Believing that you Earn BIG in OTR trucking - After taxes and expenses, most O/O will end up earning very close to what the average company driver will earn and that is between $35,000 and $42,000 per year gross.

    4. Leaving your first driving job too soon - Don't just quit due to lack of miles, etc. Try to stick it out for a year or a couple of years.

    3. Moving too FAST too SOON to Success! - Before you jump into the big rig solo try to ask around if it is a good company. Will they give you consistent miles? Are they supportive of their owner operators?

    2. Choosing the Wrong CDL Truck Driving School - Consider 3 facts: Is the school licensed by the State? Is it Certified? Is it Accredited?

    1. FAILURE to “GET STARTED” ASAP! - Once you receive your CDL license, there is no time for waiting. You must get started driving right away to get those huge job opportunities.
    i worked as an instructor at 2 CDL schools in my state. i was state certified by the Board Of Governors of Education. i have nearly now 40 years into this, and will retire in another year or 2.

    what i found astounding is the lack of actual interest in some people wanting that CDL. you see, many (at one school i taught at) only wanted to go to the school to keep thier unemployment benefits, and expressed to me, they had no intentions of ever driving.

    that sickened me to no end. but not much i could do about it either.

    at one school we had a driver/recruiter come in from Rohel and give a speech about his company. as mentioned, as soon as you get that CDL, get to work.

    Rohel's policy back then was, "you have 30 days to come to us, once we pre approve you. go past that 30 days, and we MAKE YOU go back to school or go someplace else"

    kinda cold, but they have had a waiting list 28 miles long too. easy to dump you than to be bothered by you.

    one school i worked at was not nationally accredited, but we had a VERY HIGH success rate for grads getting thier CDL on the first try

    the other school WAS nationally accredited, but a very poor first time pass rate.

    so in some instances, accreditation is meaningless.

    no one makes the big bucks as fast as any school recruiter tells you.

    you do make a salary, but it goes up and up after your first.

    and true again, many o/o's, especially in lease deals, end up taking home "about" what an ordinary company driver does, but with MORE headaches than an ordinary company driver.

    finally, GET TO KNOW the business and how it works, long before you get into your own truck, and i mean when YOU BUY ONE. as lease deals only really work out for the company that leases the truck to you.

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