Acquiring out of state CDL, will it affect my permit?

[tnhawk]

Seems to me you would have to qualify as a resident of MO in order to get a MO DL with CDL designation. I would surmise that if you go that route and do qualify, you are in effect giving up your tn residency and therefore your permit.


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Most states require permanent residency to obtain a license from that state.  I'd ask the company providing the training about how this is handled, as state income tax, voter registration and driving license could be affected.

[rugerla1]

I'm sure gonna keep this info filed for future use. While I want my time with Prime to be good, I know no matter how good it is it is going to suck missing the next year of my daughter's life. I am looking forward to getting into a job with lots of home time.

I feel for you on that, leaving my daughter would be the hardest part too! Hope the time passes fast brother! And I'm sure you know, we all wish you the best in this endeavor! 

[TripleDigitRide]

I wish I could be more help, but I didn't go through a truck driving school. My father was an owner-operator, so I took advantage of the free training. I had been around trucking all of my life, so I was able to get my permit without cracking the book. I then went over the road with him for a couple months, so I could get some real world experience under my belt. After I was comfortable, I paid a local truck driving school $200 for them to administer the pre-trip and road tests. Be prepared to be away from home for weeks at a time. Many companies like to promise certain amounts of home time, but most won't follow through. Even if they do, many drivers quickly realize they can't make enough money by being off on the weekends. I guess it all depends on your situation. Living out of a truck can be very expensive if you're not careful. You'll have to learn to make sure you do as much shopping as possible while you're home, because you'll go broke buying stuff in truck stops. Getting to a Wal-Mart on the road isn't always easy or convenient, especially while driving a truck. Just remember, most companies are not your friend. Most won't hesitate to lie straight to your face. You're little more than a hired steering wheel holder. Take advantage of the education and experience, then consider moving on. I was fortunate enough to never be forced to work for a large company. My first driving job was OTR for a friend of the family who was an owner-operator. After a little over a year, I found a local job, and I've been here for 11-12 years. I only drive in TN and KY, so I carry every day. Edited June 28, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[Chucktshoes]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have done a lot of research and also have plenty of family in the industry so I am going in with fairly open eyes. It's gonna suck for a bit while I am paying dues. Short term sacrifices for long term gains is my mantra. As far as the permit goes, it occurred to me that I should just give Lisa Knight a call and ask her. Edited June 28, 2014 by Chucktshoes

[TripleDigitRide]

If nothing else, a CDL is nice to have. There is no shortage of truck driving jobs. Even if I quit driving a truck today, I'd keep my CDL, just in case I ever needed a quick job.

[glowdotGlock]

I do most of my shopping at home. I have an igloo 12 volt thermo-electric cooler and it keeps things really cold. If I havent moved for a few hours it will freeze the bottled water. I would assume prime uses Qualcomm and e-logs. I have never dealt with them but I hear they are a PITA. I got my class A when I was 19. I was too young to go out of state so I drove a dump truck for a year and drove a lowboy for a construction equipment rental company for a while hauling dozers and excavators. It was fun but the pay sucked. The week after I turned 21, along with applying for my HCP I went on the road with the company I am with now. I did go to a school in Murfreesboro for 3 weeks just because nobody in my family drove a truck. My dad has his class B for work buy I didn't really have any resources to use. I wish now I hadn't gone because the company I am wiyh now didn't really look for that. I would definitely keep my eyes open for other routes. I hate to discourage you but I sure would hate to see a fellow TGO'er out there for 6 weeks at a time in a 63 mph truck with e-logs. Edited June 28, 2014 by glowdotGlock

[Chucktshoes]

I will be using Qualcomm el-ogs. I will also be in either a Cascadia or Prostar lightweight truck. A lot of drivers have the passenger seat yanked and install a fridge in its place. I really dread the thought of packing on the pounds so I plan on shopping and doing my own cooking as much as possible.

[TripleDigitRide]

I do most of my shopping at home. I have an igloo 12 volt thermo-electric cooler and it keeps things really cold. If I havent moved for a few hours it will freeze the bottled water. I would assume prime uses Qualcomm and e-logs. I have never dealt with them but I hear they are a PITA. I got my class A when I was 19. I was too young to go out of state so I drove a dump truck for a year and drove a lowboy for a construction equipment rental company for a while hauling dozers and excavators. It was fun but the pay sucked. The week after I turned 21, along with applying for my HCP I went on the road with the company I am with now. I did go to a school in Murfreesboro for 3 weeks just because nobody in my family drove a truck. My dad has his class B for work buy I didn't really have any resources to use. I wish now I hadn't gone because the company I am wiyh now didn't really look for that. I would definitely keep my eyes open for other routes. I hate to discourage you but I sure would hate to see a fellow TGO'er out there for 6 weeks at a time in a 63 mph truck with e-logs.

Unfortunately, it has become extremely difficult for anyone who hasn't completed truck driving school to find a driving job, unless you already have verifiable experience.

Once I obtained my CDL, I called every single trucking company who had an ad listed in the classified section of the Sunday paper. Not a single company - big or small - would give me the time of day. Every single one of them said I didn't qualify, because I didn't have verifiable experience or complete driving school. Every single company blamed it on insurance regulations. I had far more experience and knowledge than most of the guys fresh out of driving school, but that didn't seem to matter. If it wasn't for my Uncle's roommate getting into a serious motorcycle accident and needing someone to drive his truck, I'm not sure what i would have done.

 

I had been around the business my entire life. I learned to drive, shift, and back a semi before I got my regular drivers license. Rather than going to a 3 or 4 week school, I got my permit and spent months on the road with my Father. Trust me, I couldn't have had a better teacher, because wasn't allowing me to half-ass anything. I definitely didn't appreciate him being a jerk and embarrassing me in the middle of truck stop parking lots and loading docks at the time, but I was extremely thankful while I was out on my first solo run. He did everything in his power to ensure I didn't hit the road as a rookie, only to make some of insane rookie mistakes we hear about on a regular basis.

My first solo run was from Nashville to Salinas California, Salinas to Detroit, and Detroit to Nashville. I was scared to death, but I was confident that I had more than adequate training. Far more than anyone who goes through a driving school.

 

Edited June 28, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[TripleDigitRide]

I will be using Qualcomm el-ogs. I will also be in either a Cascadia or Prostar lightweight truck. A lot of drivers have the passenger seat yanked and install a fridge in its place. I really dread the thought of packing on the pounds so I plan on shopping and doing my own cooking as much as possible.

Many sleepers have an area to put a mini fridge or electric cooler. Hell, I have a friend who has a fridge, microwave, electric griddle, flat screen TV, and a PlayStaytion 3 in his sleeper. 

The Cascadia will have a better space for a fride, if I remember correctly. I think the Prostar would require a fridge that goes under the bed.

Edited June 28, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[TripleDigitRide]

While doing some research on the subject....
 

I went through Primes training and you have to get a Missouri drivers license... The address on the License is Primes Hotel that they own... Then once you get back to your home state you transfer the license... I got screwed by being lied to from the recruiter, My state doesnt allow you to transfer a CDL... You have to do EVERYTHING over again, including written tests, pre trip, backing, driving... Had I have know that I wouldnt have ever gone to prime... I live in Illinois... I would call the Tennessee DMV and see if they let you transfer out of state CDL...

 

[TripleDigitRide]

I just got off the phone with my Uncle. He said Tennessee does not make you retake any tests. You'll basically be getting temporary residence in MO, then you have 45 days to get the CDL transfered to TN. He had no issues with his HCP.

He also strongly suggested that you obtain your CDL permit before going to the driving school. 

Edited June 28, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[Chucktshoes]

Illinois is a known special case along with a couple of other states (Mass?). TN will allow transfer of the CDL. The LW trucks that Prime use have about half the bunk space of a normal model of those trucks. There is zero room for a dorm style fridge in the bunk area. That's why folks have the passenger seat yanked to make the space useable. The trade off for that is a 5 cpm increase in pay. Edited June 28, 2014 by Chucktshoes

[Oh Shoot]

Prime does both company drivers and lease operators. I want to stay Company for a year or two to learn he job first. Being a L/O or O/O is setting up my own business. It would be wise to understand the business first.

 

Can assure you that if you do decide to buy a truck you do not want to finance it through an over the road trucking company and especially one who you're contracting to work for.

 

Prime and many others make a lot of their money selling trucks. And reselling them as their drivers fail.

 

The only reason they can rope folks in is because they'll do it for folks with crummy credit who can't get one any other way. The payments and pay will work out such that at best you'll run your heart out for years and come out of it with a free and clear decrepit truck that you'll then need to throw a pile of money back in to keep running.

 

- OS

Edited June 28, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[TripleDigitRide]

Illinois is a known special case along with a couple of other states (Mass?). TN will allow transfer of the CDL. The LW trucks that Prime use have about half the bunk space of a normal model of those trucks. There is zero room for a dorm style fridge in the bunk area. That's why folks have the passenger seat yanked to make the space useable. The trade off for that is a 5 cpm increase in pay.

You're a much better man than myself, or a lot smaller. Being cramped in those LW sleepers would not be easy for me. 

Can assure you that if you do decide to buy a truck you do not want to finance it through an over the road trucking company and especially one who you're contracting to work for.

 

AMEN! 

 

Prime and many others make a lot of their money selling trucks. And reselling them as their drivers fail.

Yep! There multiple class-action lawsuits against trucking companies for violating federal Truth-in-Leasing regulations. C.R. England was one of the worst. There are still countless other way they can screw a lease driver, so this was a only small victory. The companies can still decrease your mileage, tack on more and more deductions, etc.

 

The only reason they can rope folks in is because they'll do it for folks with crummy credit who can't get one any other way. The payments and pay will work out such that at best you'll run your heart out for years and come out of it with a free and clear decrepit truck that you'll then need to throw a pile of money back in to keep running.

At last check, an OOIDA study showed an 87% failure rate of these sham leases. 

 

- OS

Edited June 28, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[Oh Shoot]

...There are still countless other way they can screw a lease driver, so this was a only small victory. The companies can still decrease your mileage, tack on more and more deductions, etc.

 

Yeah, plus run you ragged on short hauls and difficult deliveries, more deadhead, whatever, to where you spend much more time than average for the total mileage payment coming in. Then you find you have to basically stay out there all the time to meet the nut.

 

Stuff that a normal leased owner operator wouldn't put up with, but since the company has you by the balls on the truck payments, you swallow it or walk, and if you do that you further ruin your credit to where even another sleazeo company might not finance you one, not to mention your credit rating in general.

 

Prime, btw, used to mostly haul refrigerated stuff, which for various reasons seem to require a lot of deliveries in the wee hours of the morning, so your Circadian sleep rhythm might take a beating if that's still the case and that's what you wind up doing.

 

- OS

Edited June 28, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Chucktshoes]

[quote name="Oh Shoot" post="1163533" timestamp="1403987797"] Prime, btw, used to mostly haul refrigerated stuff, which for various reasons seem to require a lot of deliveries in the wee hours of the morning, so your Circadian sleep rhythm might take a beating if that's still the case and that's what you wind up doing. - OS[/quote] It will be. To my understanding, Prime does not run dry van. Reefers, flatbed and food grade tankers. I haven't decided whether to go reefer or flatbed. Though I have to have a tanker endorsement because of some of the bulk refrigerated liquids, they want you have at least a year in the seat before they will put you in the tanker division. Edited June 28, 2014 by Chucktshoes

[TripleDigitRide]

It will be. To my understanding, Prime does not run dry van. Reefers, flatbed and food grade tankers. I haven't decided whether to go reefer or flatbed. Though I have to have a tanker endorsement because of some of the bulk refrigerated liquids, they want you have at least a year in the seat before they will put you in the tanker division.

Personally, I'd choose the reefer. I did some low boy/flat bed stuff for a while, and it can get filthy. Not only that, but you'll have to climb all over and tarp those loads in the rain, snow, sleet, heat, etc. While that may not be to awfully bad for a local driver, it wasn't very fun doing it OTR. Showering and laundry always turned into a much bigger chore. I couldn't seem to find a shower fast enough.

[Photoguy67]

Yeah, I am aware of the pitfalls of driving for a major carrier. They are training me for my CDL and I will be under contract with them for a year. They have the best paid apprenticeship/training program that I have found. I'll probably give you a ring next year as we view this time as a short term sacrifice for a long term gain. I greatly appreciate the offer as that sort of job is our goal.

Are you sure about that? Company I work for sent me through a company school at their cost and I have never gone over the road, home in my own bed every night and making .54 mile or 22.93 hour depending on what I am doing. your call though. :)

[TripleDigitRide]

[quote name="Photoguy67" post="1163574" timestamp="1404006844"]Are you sure about that? Company I work for sent me through a company school at their cost and I have never gone over the road, home in my own bed every night and making .54 mile or 22.93 hour depending on what I am doing. your call though. :)[/quote] Another truck driver? Who do you drive for?

[Chucktshoes]

[quote name="TripleDigitRide" post="1163582" timestamp="1404013950"]Another truck driver? Who do you drive for?[/quote] That! For real. Who do you drive for photoguy?

 

Actually, it doesn't matter at this point. While I am curious, I have made a commitment to Prime. They have offered me a spot in their training program and I have accepted it. 

Edited June 29, 2014 by Chucktshoes

[Photoguy67]

Another truck driver? Who do you drive for?

Yes I am a driver. I driver local P&D for con-way.

[Oh Shoot]

Oh, btw, as far as your original question regarding HCP.

 

I don't know exact legal answer, but if I were in that situation I guess I wouldn't really worry about it. I mean, you haven't really changed your residence, you're just in training out of state.

 

But anyway, worst that could happen would be you'd get notified by TNDOS if the DL change comes around on the database guitar or something, at which point hopefully you can simply explain it, and you might already have swapped the CDL to TN one anyway by then. I'd be surprised if TNDOS wouldn't just say "okay, you're still good".

 

Not anything you can do about it in the meantime anyway, seems.

 

- OS

Edited June 29, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Chucktshoes]

Finally made it through all the training and was just issued my truck. Should be heading in the general direction of TN in the morning. I managed to land a dedicated account for Walmart out of the Shelbyville DC.

[Garufa]

Congrats!  If you haul a load of .22 to Knoxville let me know. 

[DaveTN]

I managed to land a dedicated account for Walmart out of the Shelbyville DC.

Oh good, now I have to share 231 with someone crazier than me.

Good luck with the new job.