I am thinking of going for CDL A & I can't really afford classes, so i was hoping to learn on my own with the Michigan CDL Manual and then practice driving myself. I do not have a truck. I do not find it that necessary to have to take the full classes if I know I can learn all the other stuff on my own. As for the actual driving, I would like to know anything about how i would go about doing it this way? Is their any places that I could possibly hire for a day or so to "show me the ropes" and then could I possibly pay to borrow a truck from some company or something?? Please, any information would be very helpful.
&& To add to this. Where would I go to get experience if I cant seem to get hired at places because i dont have any experience? Is their some kind of place i could go and work for free (like apprenticeships)??
well if your lucky in some arcades they have this truck driving game
thats basically makes you do parking and race
i played it once or twice
but besides that you need a truck to learn to drive a truck
or you can go to a u haul and rent one of there trucks
there/ not really trucks but they deal with shifting the gears and etc.
If your thinking about getting a job with a trucking company, contact the certan company that you want to get on with and ask them about it. If you are just wanting a CDL A then you will need to use a truck … beyond that I dont know.
It may be easier to go to trucking school for actual experience. From what I have heard if you sign up with a school they will put you in a truck with a trainer for a while, then they will find a trucking company willing to hire you and you will ride with a driver of that company for a while, then finally you drive yourself.
Wouldn't it be illegal for you to borrow a truck and drive it on the road if you don't have your CDL license yet?
That's what driving school is for. To give you a place to practice driving so you don't have to hire someone of borrow a truck.
Think about it!! Sit through the classes, learn something and practice driving with a certified instructor. There are no "short cuts"
1. Get yourself a set of keys, any will do.
2. Some beer a big belly,
3. A gallon coffee cup.
4. Next go to a gravel lot some where. And carefully sit down. Then using your feet push your butt backwards while making that loud back up alarm noise with your mouth. Then without hitting anything back up through the cars parked there weaving in and out. Be sure to blow your horn if anyone gets in the way. Eventually a truck will come to you. The nice men will show you how it works. Then when you get out you will have had some experience hauling A** and pushing rock. If you can't drive a truck, maybe you can get a job as a bull dozer. (HA)
Brittney,
You must have a sort of leaner's permit which is issued by the DMV. it requires operation of a truck only during day-light hours. After you pass a 5 part test. Airbrakes, Tankers, Double tripples/ Pre-trip inspection/Hazmat and a ROAD test, you will be issued a CDl. However, your issue is finding a way into the industry. One smart ass suggested a beer belly and a gallon of coffee. You can at some local truck schools rent a truck and a master driver to test you or refresh your skills, but price varies with Master drivers. I don't know what your financial situation is, sounds kinda dire. I don't usaully recommend the Schnieder school types. They run you at cheap miles while you work ofr a year in a indentured servant contract. All companies PAY BACK Student Loans…I'd recommend checking this first. You will start at a higher pay per mile. But, i really don't know your situation. good luck
If you can't afford the proper training, look for a trucking company that will pay for your training and then put you to work.
You CANNOT learn all you need about driving a transport truck from reading the handbook. You also must pass the written tests to even be allowed behind the wheel. You will NEVER learn how to properly handle and manouver the truck by 'hiring someone for a day to show you the ropes'. Also, no company's insurance will allow you to just 'borrow' their truck to try to pass your road test.
You are sadly disillusioned about how hard it is to drive a transport. Even after a month of the proper training at a driving school, you still don't know everything.
So, like I said at the beginning, if you can't afford the schooling, look for a company that will pay your training and then put you to work. Reputable companies will not even hire you if you don't have proper training.
a lot of trucking co. with train you or sent you school..