I Search

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorUniversity, Master's November 2001

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The career of truck driving involves obtaining a CDL ( commercial drivers license), and speical training. I find this career intresting because I enjoy driving big trucks and seeing the country. This career requries a written exam on endorsements depending on what type of driving or hauling license. I hope to learn from this how much it pays, how much it costs for the schooling to get the license and how far a distance a driver can work in a day.

I started my seacrch at www.NTTS.com "National Tractor Trailer School" and www.cdl-course.com both of these sites explained to me what you need to know for the test, how much it costs, the different endorsements needed for different jobs and just what types of vechiles you need for a CDL to drive. These two places were recommened to me from a relative named, Bob Olejarczyk who drives tractor trailer for his career.

I also had the opportunity to interivew Bob on this career. He is a professional truck driver of 17 years who hauls wire all over the country. The only "dead end" I had in the seach was with the internet site, www.owlwirelogistics.com. This site is the company that Bob works for and didn't give me any informaytion on obtaining a CDL license, it just gave the background on the company and the services they provide.

I found out that the standerads throughout the united states are all the same for a CDL license. A CDL license is requried to drive a veichal with a gross vehicle weight rateing (GVWR) over 26,000lbs, a trailer with a GVWR more than 10,000lbs when the gross combined weight rateing (GCWR) exceeds 26,000lbs, a veichal that carries more than 15 people not including the driver and any type of vehicle size or type that requires "hazardous materials placards". You must also be 18 years of age if you are only going to be driving a comerical vechical only in new york state and your not going to be hauling hazardous materials, double or triple trailers. You only need to pass the endorsements that apply to the job your seeking, endorsements enclude air breaks, hazardous materials, double and triple trailer, passenger vehicle driving and tanker vehicles rated at over a 1000 gallons. There are many different schools to attend for a CDL licenes and can cost up to 3,600 dollars depending on what you are going to be driving how many endoresment that are requried for your job. A driver can drive for 10 hours at a time then must take 8 hours off but then can start driving again doing 10 on and 8 off for as long as needed. The driver must keep a detailed log of when hes driving, refeuling sleeping ect so that they know where you were at a certin time.