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I actually have a Class A permit, but recently found out the hard way that I have to do manual. That did not go well. So downgrading to class B is fine with me. I will eventually go back to Class A one day,but it will be with a company that trains in automatic. I refuse to touch a manual again. I also plan to get tanker and hazmat as well so I won't be very limited on the B.
Do everyone a favor and forget a CDL unless you just want to drive a school bus. Manuals aren't going anywhere and they make up the bulk of most fleets so what exactly do you plan to do?
There are just as many manual class B vehicles as A so why downgrade? You need to look into truck driving school or something.
Do everyone a favor and forget a CDL unless you just want to drive a school bus. Manuals aren't going anywhere and they make up the bulk of most fleets so what exactly do you plan to do?
There are just as many manual class B vehicles as A so why downgrade? You need to look into truck driving school or something.
You will never get a cdL with out knowing how to drive a manual. Most semis are manual. Automatics are mostly for local and city deliveries. But in order to drive cross country you better learn to drive a stick. Most drivers I have talked to rather drive manuals, better torque when hauling heavy loads. And you better learn how to back up a 53 foot trailer into a dock well. To me you better give up trucking as a living don't think you can cut the mustard.
I actually have a Class A permit, but recently found out the hard way that I have to do manual. That did not go well. So downgrading to class B is fine with me. I will eventually go back to Class A one day,but it will be with a company that trains in automatic. I refuse to touch a manual again. I also plan to get tanker and hazmat as well so I won't be very limited on the B.
That's the hardest part for most people to get the hang of but it's a good skill to have. Many of the bigger Class B trucks have the same heavy duty transmissions that grind if you don't time the shifts right also.
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If you plan to be a commercial driver; get the experience / training to drive a manual (~$2000 short course), As mentioned... it is all about 'timing' / Match engine and road speed. (clutch is very secondary)
Don't restrict to Class B automatic (bus / trash truck career) $9 = $16/hr.
If you plan to be a commercial driver; get the experience / training to drive a manual (~$2000 short course), As mentioned... it is all about 'timing' / Match engine and road speed. (clutch is very secondary)
Don't restrict to Class B automatic (bus / trash truck career) $9 = $16/hr.
But don't think you are going to make a ton of money driveing for someone else. Remember most get paid by the mile. If truck is broke down means no $$$. Everyone says truck driveing is a way to get rich well it's not. It's tough new rules make it harder for drivers to make money. Also talk to some truckers th have been driveing for awhile, that's were you will here the good and the bad about driveing for a living. It took my daughter many many years to get we're she is now. So don't expect to make big bucks driveing for jb hunt, or scnider, or another company. The driver turnover is very high at freight companies. Only drivers that are teamsters make the big bucks. And to get hired at one of those jobs you need many yrs of driveing experance.
Or you can become a owner operator but then you have to pay for everything.
It won't make you rich but if you're willing to sacrifice and put the time in you can go from flipping burgers for minimum wage to making $60k+ within a relatively short period of time.
That being said you really have to like trucks and being a driver because it sure as hell won't be the people you have to deal with or the 10,000 rules you have to follow or the industry in general that keeps you coming back...those things are more likely to chase you away. You just have to like the job in spite of all the other crap.
Lets not forget, dealing with all the other idiots on the road. I've had my CDL A in California since 2001, but have not driven since 04. I still keep it current though. Can Someone explain, how in the hell do you get a commercial drivers license with a Automatic Restrictions only
It serve no purpose, unless you plan on driving that same Automatic Semi into the Afterlife
I Remember My Hr she was let go because, she hired a guy for one of our open Driver positions and he had CDL Class A, Automatic only.
All the Trucks in yard were 9, 13 and 18 speed manuals
I remember a friend of mine getting his class B though the local School District. A lot of the bigger School district will train you to be a back up School Bus driver.
It won't make you rich but if you're willing to sacrifice and put the time in you can go from flipping burgers for minimum wage to making $60k+ within a relatively short period of time.
That being said you really have to like trucks and being a driver because it sure as hell won't be the people you have to deal with or the 10,000 rules you have to follow or the industry in general that keeps you coming back...those things are more likely to chase you away. You just have to like the job in spite of all the other crap.
$60,000 were nat at JB Hunt, or Schnider, or other big fleet carriers. I have not yet meet a driver from one of these carriers that was making that kind of money. If you leased on with them and had your own rig maybe. If that were the case to make that much why is there a shortage of experience drivers. Like the old saying what do you call 100 JB hunt drivers in a room, answer one year seniority. The real money is driveing for companies like UPS, FedEx, USF holland, Roadway. But they only take experienced drivers. Because they are teamsters they get paid over $25 an hour. JB hunt and the others pay anywhere from 19 cents to 44 cents a mile. If that truck is not moving you make nothing. So if you have to wait 5 hours to get loaded or unloaded you make $0 money.
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