Best way to study for the CDL-A permit?

Your permit is for trucking school. You have to get a actual CDL A License with the endorsements and no restrictions etc plus a medical exam among other things in order to be hired on to a company.

First things first grasshopper. You just worry about picking up a Permit at the DMV, at that point you should already be going to trucking school so you can use that thing. Those are usually time limited.

Ask all the questions you want. You are fixing to embark on a journey of your life.

 

How I did it. I downloaded the CDL manual and read it. I then started taking the practice tests for General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes. Yes, you must take and pass all three. I did it before going to school. I also got my DOT physical before attending school.

I would suggest every who is able to do it that way. While everyone else is studying for their permit test, you can do like I did. Study for your endorsements and take those while other students are taking the permit test.

You can also apply for the HAZMAT and TWIC background on your first weekend. TSA locations generally have Saturday hours. You will leave school with endorsements and a TWIC card which opens your option.

Take the HAZMAT test. They are good for 90 days. When your background approval letter comes in, you just need to bring the letter to the DMV and have it added to your new CDL right after graduating school.

DMV genie is also another place to take practice tests.

That is what I did, and it was worth it.

 

Uncle Sam will pay you the money, (Direct to the school) I did at your age, showed up at the school, signed two forms for 2500 student loan and was in class the following saturday. Boom done.

What I should have done was paid that student loan off in first couple of months making money hand over fist in bulk tanker. I cleared net 2500 each month. But nooo I partied. heh.

It's probably a bit more for school cost these days but a investment against your life time of trucking where you will potentially run 3 million miles at .50 or better. You might be out there 43 years until you retire, should your body and mind hold up. Some dont. Others killed and some bad hurt. And so on.

If anything, your first year will be the most dangerous after school. You do not understand just how much you don't yet know. And how much people want to teach you, if you pay attention. Your very life might depend on you doing trucking RIGHT in a raging winter storm on downgrade somewhere....

 

Getting a permit before you have the schooling wont achieve anything. The schooling is going to charge you for the fees required for all the learning you need and then some. You are better off learning with a local school than with a truck company. Truck companies want you to learn 4 weeks of schooling in 3 days. With that in mind it is little wonder why so many candidates suffer from burn out with the mega carriers. So get your schooling locally. Dont worry if the company you want to work for approves the school you go to. The school will help you learn the basics better than the mega carrier. Get your license first. Then drive for whom ever. Good luck driver

 

Google : CDL Practice Tests Michigan
Now, memorize as much as you can, word for word.
Sygma Network hires drivers with only a cdl permit and the rest is OJT with another driver while running freight.
You should apply right now with companies that train 21 yr. old drivers.
Sygma Network can be the first.
I don't know of any company that has in house cdl school in Michigan; you will have to attend school out of state.

 

Go to your local DMV station and pick up a cdl book free of charge.What you'll need to study is general knowledge,combination vehicles and airbrakes to get your permit.You can also download those chapters from the DMV website.

 

If you s
choose school you can decide which company to go with after you graduate.If you choose company sponsored training then you sign a year contract in exchange for the svhooling.Whatever route you go get your permit first which I'm pretty sure the school would encourage you to do but ask school to make sure.

 

If there is money to borrow, I rather do it with Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam with student loans that small for trucking school... easily repaid in 6 months if you put aside 500 a month and boom done. Uncle Sam knows that 21 year old people are our future, the young ones. He is willing to invest with a few thousand dollars on demand to that 21 year old going into school.

Who knows that 21 year old will be 50 some day in charge of 400 mph hyperloop delivered freighting by a thousand in a dedicated group across the USA and wonders yet to behold long after Im gone. The economic impact of actually going to learn something right out of high school and continue to evolve and learn particularly with the computer techology that is handy with the young ones... it's precious to the Nation and worth the investment of a few thousand dollars.

He said he did not have money. I worked once for a good fast food joint slinging seafood on trays that I washed with dishes all night every night 6 nights a week for 3 months. Walking home 3 miles each way. Cleared about a thousand net cash. That allowed me to move from Maryland to Arkansas with just that much money to start a new life. And what a life it has been these last 20 years. awesome. Not the best life mind you but way better than what it would have been if I remained in maryland.