Best way to get class B CDL?

[Alec McDaniel]

So, me and my roommate are looking to get into expediting, and we are trying to find the best way to get our CDL B. We have looked at trucking school as an option but I don't think it is really worth it since we both already have commercial driving experience. I have 2 years of non CDL straight truck and hes got ateast 1 year of sprinter work. We have both been studying the CDL handbook for our state for months now and we can ace any online test we come across, we just need something to be able to do a physical pre-trip on and my roommate wants to get some experience driving a longer vehicle. We plan on driving a straight truck with a sleeper for Panther or some other OTR company.

I have considered a few options:

1. Have my father with a valid class A rent a CDL straight truck for "the farm" that we can use to test on.
2. Rent a 26ft U-Haul so my roommate and get used to driving a longer vehicle.

Also I was wondering if maybe our local CDL colleges or renting facilities have some kind of option for someone in my senario, like just being able to practice pre-trip or drive it around a parking lot?

I know that trucking school would be the best option but I currently have a fulltime job and my roommate doesn't want to fork up the cash.

 

[Josh]

People are going to start calling me a preacher, but good information is worth spreading..

If you read over the first few pages or so of my thread "nervous newbie" you'll see how my wife and I got started.

I highly recommend giving expediter services a call, can't imagine a better way to get started. They usually have a few trucks laying around at freightliner in ft wayne Indiana (about 130 miles from you). If you opted to get started with them I'm sure they will let you poke around a truck there to get the hang of a pre trip, if not, its really not difficult.

Another option is the place the wife and I took our CDL test. They can walk you through a pre-trip and then "test" you on it. I don't remember it being too expensive. I can check if you'd like.

In all honesty, the wife and I didn't drive a straight truck until we were in one "professionally", By law you need to have 2? hours of training to get a class b, and that's where you can get your pre trip out of the way and whatever "practice" you think you'll need. We were tested on a small flat bed and it was cake. If you have a few weeks (lol) to read through my 25 page thread theres some good info in there.

I have no regrets after 7 months and don't know a cheaper way to get a cdl. I can give you tons of info if you'd like, just start firing questions my way.

 

[Andyinchville1]

I know this may not be the best to say here BUT....

If you KNOW yow will be expediting, you could do like a friend of mine did ..... simply buy a truck and drive / take the test in it (you can also practice driving if need be).

More often than not CDL trucks can be the same size as non cdl trucks....Example a 26' box truck non CDL truck can be basically the same size as a CDL 26' box truck.

That way, assuming you get a good deal on a CDL truck, you'll kill multiple birds with one stone (have the truck to practice driving a larger vehicle in, have a truck to test in, have a HD truck to use later for working and no rental costs / hassles.

Yes, I know it probably would not be good to get caught driving a CDL truck without a CDL BUT I think my friend had that figured out also (you can research in your area).....here in VA, Farm use is exempt from many CDL requirements....carry some hay in the back / some hand tools in the back if you are paranoid....maybe even work out something with a local farmer to get you an alibi "just in case" and drive away!.....There is a distance restriction on farm use in VA so don't get carried away driving super far from "the farm".

I was in the same boat as you years ago.....I passed my written CDL test, just didn't have a vehicle or combination vehicle large enough (well high enough GVW) to test in.....

I let the learners expire which was a mistake....the test is sooo much harder now than "back in the day"....

Anyways, good luck.

Andrew

 

[Hope]

Apparently you have gotten your CDL — but in case someone else reads the thread who cannot do either of the above suggestions, I wanted to add that how a lot of people get a CDL-B is by driving a school bus. It is usually about a week of training. They don’t usually pay you for the training, but they don’t charge you for helping you get your CDL. Most cities ALWAYS need school bus drivers. And they start you as a “substitute” (not with a regular, everyday run). So you have a CDL-B with air brake and passenger endorcements.

 

[RoadTime]

Apparently you have gotten your CDL — but in case someone else reads the thread who cannot do either of the above suggestions, I wanted to add that how a lot of people get a CDL-B is by driving a school bus. It is usually about a week of training. They don’t usually pay you for the training, but they don’t charge you for helping you get your CDL. Most cities ALWAYS need school bus drivers. And they start you as a “substitute” (not with a regular, everyday run). So you have a CDL-B with air brake and passenger endorcements.

That is a good way to get it.
But...But...But, being a sub sucks
Been there, did that

Picking up was pretty easy, just look for kids lol.
But dropping off, a bit more challenging....Stop!