Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire CDL jobs

I had a Class A CDL with Hazmat and tanker endorsements several years ago when I was on an oil fracture crew but gave it up when I found work back in the wine industry. I lost my winemaker position in March and am considering getting a CDL again. We would kind of like to stay in Arkansas and there are not many wineries here.

The problem with getting a CDL job is that it seems most employers require recent experience. Do any of you know any employers that would hire and train someone (other than Swift)?

Any mines or quarries in your area? Around here, guys hauling rock for the quarry are always looking for drivers. Clean MVR, able to pee clean, and show up on time.

Thanks Orion, I will look into that.

yes good advice right here. I deal with dump trucks and dump truck drivers daily. good drivers are hard to find. other suggestions would be staying in the construction industry dump trucks and dumps concrete trucks and such.

I bet Roger’s Group will hook you up.

I have had a Class A CDL since I was 21. I maintain it even though I haven't driven for a living in years. A CDL is a lot harder to get now than it used to be. Never know when it will come in handy. The hardest thing about having a CDL and not using it is remembering to keep the physical current.

I forgot about the physical. They said that I needed to use a CPAP and back then I could but my sinuses tend to swell up such that I cannot use one. In 2019 I had turbine reduction surgery and was able to use the CPAP for a couple years but then it got to the point again that I couldn't. I don't know that another surgery would be wise. I will need to think all of that through.

To get a CDL these days you might have to go to a school. Seriously.

Ag except….

It's frigging retarded.

The big carriers love it.

Most of the big carriers will put you through their school for "free", and all they ask is for you to be their slave work for them the next couple years- otherwise you'll have to pay back "their cost". Last I knew, most of them say that if you don't have "recent experience" (no longer than the last 6 months) they expect you to take CDL school again.

And the schools.

Montana held out for as long as they could from what I understand.

3k-10k? Give or take.

Think of school districts, they are already short staffed for drivers.

The local grocery store chain, Ingles, will hire a guy with no experience and put him through CDL school. They say the pay will start at $70K. That is unreal for a rookie driving a day cab, but I bet it is true. You might check out your local grocery store chain, obviously Ingles is desperate for drivers for some reason.

Unfortunately $70k now is like $50k a few years ago. Doesn't go as far as it used to.

That isn’t my experience.
I was commercial for around 40 years, retired almost three years ago, but people keep trying to lure me back.
Here is CA they are hard up for drivers with any experience, especially if they are running trucks that are still manual transmissions. My last eight years I was in automatics, fleets were transitioning to autos because they couldn’t find any drivers who could shift gears.

In N. Alabama the concrete companies are begging for CDL's to operate concrete and dump trucks.

Ya I’m in your camp, let my green card expire, but you have to have a current physical when your license comes up for renewal, or you lose it all.

I did 33 years in a redi-mix truck, I could go anywhere and get snagged up. Problem is, here in the Bay Area they are making $50 an hour great pension and medical through the Teamsters, can’t see working non union again.
I’m living on a Teamster pension, retiree health, I know it’s popular to hate unions, but are the only jobs providing pensions and health.

You don't need to go to a school. Go to the DMV and pick up the medical forms, then go get a physical. If you don't pass the physical there's no need to go any further. If you pass the physical, go back to the DMV and file that and take the written test. If you pass the written test, you'll then need to take the driving test and DMV doesn't provide the truck, so you'll need to have someone provide you with the type of truck you want a license for at the DMV, They'll need to go with you since you are not licensed yet. Pass the driving test and you're all set; you'll get your license and be able to drive the truck back to wherever that came with you.


Phil

It used to be that way here....now you don't test through the dmv. It's 100% contractors.....and it requires going through their school.

Well, can't speak for Washington, but California and Idaho are still the same. Hell, usually it's the prospective employer that provides the truck.

Phil