There’s still time to hit the road for a new career at the new location for C.D.L. Training Services and Consulting, Inc.
Ernie Walters, admission representative for the commercial truck driving school, said the next round of classes starts Nov. 5 at 1917 Lake Land Boulevard. C.D.L. Training Services moved earlier this year from the Workforce Development Center Building near Cross County Mall. Classes started in August at the new location on Lake Land.
“No experience in trucking is needed. We take you through the whole deal in a few weeks,†said Walters.
The training facility can assist students with arrangements for financial aid and job placement. About 50 trucking companies work with C.D.L. Training to provide jobs after students complete their training. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the classes.
“The demand is huge for Trucking. And companies are offering different deals. The salaries for new truckers can average 47,000 per year and up,†Walters said. “We have students going right into jobs when they graduate.â€
Night classes are offered if trainees need to continue their sources of income before completing the schooling, which covers 160 total hours, ranging from driving safety, inspections and basics on on-road and yard delivery skills.
The program is in demand as well, Walters said, with trainees driving across a few counties to attend classes. Daytime and nighttime classes are offered to accommodate different schedules, he added. The nighttime courses cover eight weeks, about twice the duration of daytime sessions. Experienced truckers provide instruction in the classroom and on-the-road or yard sessions with three truck rigs used by the school.
“We have all ages of students. Most of them are looking for a career change. Or they are fulfilling a dream. There can be a lot of freedom in driving a truck compared to other careers,†he said.
Thomson Delmar Learning, a provider of learning products and services for the health care, technology and trades and career education markets and part of The Thomson Corp., today announced that after a collaborative effort between Thomson Delmar Learning and the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), the PTDI Web site www.ptdi.org has been successfully updated and enhanced.Since its beginning, PTDI, which is affiliated with the Truckload Carriers Assocation, has promoted minimum training standards for those considering entering the truck driving industry and schools that value quality training. PTDI officials said the new and improved Web site proves that this remains true even to this day.
They said that in addition to its fresh new look, the Web site offers much more information, such as a summary of curriculum guidelines, as well as user-friendly navigation. These changes enable the site’s visitors to find the answers they need quickly and with the greatest of ease.
Thomson Delmar Learning is committed to giving truck drivers and school personnel the information they need to stay current with the latest safety and compliance regulations, the company said in a news release.
Even if you can not afford to enroll in a private truck driver school it doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your dream of becoming a truck driver. Not all private schools cost the same to attend as some can be much cheaper than others but if you have been looking for a long time and still can not find one that is within your budget you should know there are other alternatives out there which doesn’t cost nearly as much and some training can even be done for free.
The other alternatives you have besides the private truck driver schools are the public schools and the training you can get directly from a truck driver company. Like any other schools or training, enrolling in their programs can be both positive and negative but if finances are the issue then these are the options you have and bottom line is that you will accomplish the same as you would in a private truck driver school, namely getting your CDL and becoming a truck driver.
The public truck driver school is normally owned, operated and funded by local governments and this is part of the reason these are somewhat cheaper than private truck driver schools. At a publicly funded school there are also many other programs available besides truck driver training something which means that no program is being given special attention. Public truck driver schools also tend to be less flexible than the private school and missing some classes may cause you to have to start all over.
Public truck driver schools generally tend to last longer than the private programs do and this can actually be quite positive if the instructors are thorough in their teaching. On the other hand, if you are out of work and would like to get working and earning a salary as soon as possible this may not be the right type of school or program for you. If this is the case then there is just one answer left for you and that is to go directly to the truck driver companies and get your training thru them.
Motor carrier training is what this type of truck driver training is called and can of course be good for someone desperately in need of a job. Your training may not be as thorough here as at public and private schools since the purpose of these programs are to get as many drivers for that company as soon as possible something which naturally ends with cutting corners on training.. Companies normally offer the training for free if you commit to working for the company for at least a year.
Contrary to what many believe the truck driving business do not only offer jobs to people wanting to drive heavy tractor-trailers across the country. Behind all the big rigs you see along Americas highways and interstates there is an elaborate network of workers who help this industry run like clock work. Truck drivers and driver/sales workers who ensure the safe delivery of cargo to its destination on time only occupy 45% of the trucking industry. Many other positions are available within the field of trucking.
Laborers such as stock, freight and material movers are all people who help load and unload cargo and move it around warehouses and terminals and in order to do so they may use things such as conveyor belts, fork lifts, hand trucks or pallet jacks. Most of these workers are often unskilled.
Positions relating to installation, maintenance and repair are often occupied by workers coming from similar jobs within other industries than the trucking industry and have often received some form of specialized training. Service technicians and mechanics are people who perform preventive safety checks and also do some routine service and repairs. These sometimes advance to part managers who monitor the inventory and therefore require computer skills, mechanical knowledge and purchasing procedures.
Office workers and people in administration are who perform the recordkeeping for the warehouses and transportation and while these people keep records of everything dispatchers are the ones who coordinate all movement of cargo and trucks as well as assign pick up and deliveries to available truck drivers. They give truckers their schedules and routes and have to juggle drivers in order to best satisfy their clients. Shipping and receiving clerks has to keep record of any and all cargo arriving and leaving a terminal.
People who meet with potential customers are called sales related workers. As they meet with customers they discuss their individual needs and suggest the right services for those clients. Requirements for these positions are that you must be able to analyze sales statistics, prepare reports as well as being able to handle some administrative duties. Traveling is also a part of these positions.
Last but not least there is the managerial staff whose responsibilities are to provide general direction to the firm. They hire staff, supervise and ensure safety. They are also in charge of training workers for the various positions within the industry. These are the people who solve problems such as foreseeing the demand for transportation. Ordering parts and equipment and parts are parts of their duties along with scheduling transportation of goods. These workers are also the ones who map out the most efficient traffic routes.
Over the past ten years, our society has continued shifting towards the digital age. E-books and online newspapers are proof that our society is slowly moving away from the age of pencil and paper. The truck driving industry is no exception to this digital evolution. Modern products such as GPS have greatly enhanced the industry for truck drivers. Truck driver recruiting is the area in which the impact of the Internet is most evident. While recruitment used to be done through newspaper classifieds and door-to-door sales pitches, recruiters are now turning to the Internet to find new drivers. Truck driver recruiters are using three main online methods in an attempt to recruit new drivers: banner advertising, application databases, and company web sites.
Banner advertising refers to the large banners found at the top, bottom, and side of most web sites. These banners are designed by a company wishing to advertise, and then placed on relevant web sites with high traffic. The responsibility of the truck driver recruiter is to use banner advertising as effectively as possible within the limits of the budget. This requires the recruiter to design or have a banner created, research and identify relevant sites with high traffic, and then negotiate with the owners of the web sites the price of running the banner ad campaign.
The second method that a recruiter can use to find potential truck drivers online is creating a database of applications. By using this method, recruiters can build an extensive file of drivers that are available for hire. This allows the company to instantly hire new drivers when positions become available. The recruiter is responsible for setting up the database. They recruiter should be the person to create the application itself, which requires determining what questions are most important to ask a potential driver. The recruiter is also responsible for managing and organizing the applications once they are received.
A database of applications can work well in conjunction with a company web site. Most recruiters create a company web site to provide potential drivers with details and information about the company. The recruiter should create a site that is simple and easy to use, but provides enough information to address all the questions a potential driver might have. Topics such as salary, working hours, company procedures, and equipment information are all examples of important information that should be included on the web site. By combining a banner ad campaign, an application database, and a company web site, a recruiter can use the Internet to effectively find potential truck drivers.
In order for a person to obtain a CDL (commercial driver license) there are several requirements which need to be met. First of all one must show that they are fully capable of safely handling and drive a commercial size truck and while in training a trainee has to be accompanied by a licensed driver at all times until they receive their own. Thereafter exams have to be passed on rules and regulations. A CDL license can not be obtained in any state if your driver license has been revoked or suspended in another.
Most state regulations set their minimum age at 18 years of age for drivers who operate within the state’s boundaries while the age for interstate driving has been set for 21 years old and at this point one must be able to pass a physical examination. It is required that in order to obtain a CDL one must have at least a 70 degree field of vision in each eye and also a 20/40 corrected or uncorrected, nor can one be colorblind. Hearing must also be good and one has to be able to hear a whisper from a distance of at least 5 feet away, with or without hearing aid.
Other things that are required in order to obtain a CDL license is that a driver must have good blood pressure and have normal use of arms and legs. Any use of controlled substances must be prescribed by a medical doctor and according to Federal regulations all drivers will be tested for alcohol and drug use prior to employment and these regulations also call for random testing while on duty. People suffering from diabetes which is insulin controlled as well as people with epilepsy may not be able to get a CDL.
Although these are the minimum federal standards for requiring a CDL license, which are often lower than standards required by private institutions, many companies have their own rules and the minimum age for a CDL is set at 22 years of age. Companies also often demand that their truckers have to be able to do heavy lifting and in many7 cases they want people who already have 3-5 years experience. Having graduated from high school is often a plus when being hired and receiving your CDL training through a big company.
Most people who have just completed their CDL training do get regular drivers positions almost immediately while a few will get substitute positions, filling in for drivers who are on leave or are sick. Eventually these will get assigned their own routes as these become available. In the beginning not all new drivers will be put behind the wheel of a big truck but rather given light truck until they prove themselves capable of handling heavy tractor trailers by demonstrating good driving skills.
Each day thousands of trucks are to be found on America’s highways, transporting cargo ranging from automobiles to food. Although many goods are transported by train, ship or airplane, almost all of these will still be transported part of the way by trucks. A truck driver’s job is to provide the only means of door to door delivery and pick up for companies and as consumer demands are growing so is the need for truck drivers.
When deciding to take a truck driver job you need to know that not all jobs require you to drive cross country and be away from home all the time. Just as many local drivers are needed to transport cargo around the city or state something which will allow you to spend time at home although delivery times may vary depending on the merchandise. Local truck drivers generally follow a daily consistent schedule while these may vary from day to day if driving long distance.
By taking a truck driver job there are also some other responsibilities that falls upon you besides driving back and forth, loading and unloading. According to the US Department of Transportation all truck drivers are required to make a full report on the condition of the vehicle after each shift or run. Reports need to be made regarding the circumstances of any type of accident you may have been involved in and the nature of the trip. You will also have to make a general inspection of your vehicle before leaving your terminal or a warehouse.
Local truck drivers are also at times called sales workers because their responsibilities are more than just drivers. They may collect payments, take new orders, arrange the goods in the store, and act as sales representatives as well as providing a variety of other services. These truck drivers’ duties depend largely on the policies of their employer, the particular industry in which they work and to the extent in which they are directly involved in sales.
When it comes to advancements within the truck driving business opportunities are generally limited to achieving routes with better schedules and better working conditions along with better pay. If someone drives locally they can get promoted to a long distance truck driver job especially if already working for a company that already has long distance routes. Other truck drivers reach positions such as managers, dispatchers and delivery planners, just to name a few. Experienced truckers also go into business for themselves by buying their own trucks.
Within the trucking industry there are many different types of truck drivers needed for all types of trucks. Right now the most needed truck drivers are those able and qualified to drive tank trucks. Tank trucks are vehicles used to transport liquid and gaseous cargo over roads and highways. Their storage tanks may be detachable from the truck itself or they may be permanent. Driving a tank truck require more training than diving a regular truck.
Back a few years ago more than 5000 tank trucks were parked because tank truck fleets could not find enough qualified drivers. It is estimated that a minimum of 50 000 tank truck drivers will be needed within the next 6 years just to keep up with current levels of driver attrition in the tank truck industry. The shortage of drivers may even become larger if new changes that are proposed are adopted as written.
One of the main reasons for the shortage of tank truck drivers is due to retirement. Many of the best drivers are aging out of the industry and there are several factors contributing to it being difficult to recruit new tank truck drivers. Some of the factors as with all trucking is the fact that a driver has to spend too much time away from home, truckers often feel that their delivery schedules are unrealistic. In times of low unemployment people feel that they have plenty of options with fewer headaches.
At one point tank truck drivers walked away from their jobs because they felt their wages was not adequately compensated for the amount of skills and knowledge it took to operate such a rig in a safe, professional manner. Drivers also felt that their working conditions were unacceptable, with unnecessary delays at pick up or delivery points. There was also no flexibility in trip scheduling and some felt they were being “worked to death”.
Although many of theses issues are being dealt with but there are still some requirements which prevent many from seeking tank truck driver jobs. Most tank truck companies has set a minimum age limit for drivers to 23-25 years old and in addition to this many fleets require 3 to 5 years of truck driving experience before hiring someone to drive a tank truck. By this time most truck drivers have found the place and company they want to stay with, their pay is good and they have some years of seniority within the company.
For people with some years of trucking experience that perhaps walked away from the trucking industry and now want to get back in, tank truck jobs are plentiful and although there is always room for improvement, the tank truck industry are doing what they can in order to improve working conditions for their truck drivers.
