Program Instructions
Congratulations on being accepted into FreeWorld! This is a step-by-step guide with written instructions and video. Please follow these steps thoroughly. The faster you complete these steps, the faster you will get your career started. Please communicate with us on any challenges that you might be facing. If, at the end of 2 weeks, no meaningful progress has been made, we may decide to remove you from the program for the time being until you are in a better position to focus on getting your license. If you have any questions, please call our Success Team (408-668-3608) or message us on Slack. Slack is typically the best place to reach us. If you are working while studying for your permit, please keep your job until you are ready to go to trucking school. We will pay you a total of $1,500 to go to school full time for 4 weeks. We know that it won’t pay for everything, but hopefully this money will keep the lights on until we can get you into an incredible job in the trucking industry. We have online classes 5 days a week (Saturday included), so please see the instructions below on how to sign up for online classes. Once you earn your permit, you will receive a $100 bonus.
Your Career Starts Now
I hate the word ex-felon. From now on, I will refer to you as Free Agent. How to be successful at FreeWorld:
Communicate with me regularly if you have questions or if you're facing challenges. I can only help you if I know that there is an issue. Send me an update on where you are weekly. Remember, "closed mouths don't get fed."
Read through each step and follow the directions. I wrote and created these videos to help you be successful after seeing a ton of people fail. Save yourself time by not repeating everyone else's mistakes.
Check slack daily. We regularly post classes, events, and updates on slack. There might be times where there’s opportunities to win money! If you're not active on slack, you'll end up missing out on the fun.
Step 1: Download and setup Slack
Download and setup Slack. Connect to wifi. Watch the video below to set up your Slack Account. Once you have watched the video and set up your Slack account, please:
When you are entering your name, put in your city/state that you are currently in in parentheses. Ex: Free Agent (Stockton, Ca).
Introduce yourself in the #general channel. What do you want to accomplish while in our program?
Read our Slack Rules of Engagement
Step 2: Download and setup PayPal
This is how we send you money. Connect to wifi. Watch the video below to set up your PayPal Account. Once you have watched the video and set up your account, please:
Send O'Neal Heard (Success Coach) the email address that you used to create the account through a direct message on Slack.
Request a debit card from PayPal. Send O'Neal Heard (Success Coach) a direct message on Slack when you have received your PayPal card.
Step 3: Sign up for classes and study for your permit
Connect to wifi. Watch the video above to schedule your classes and to download the CDL A apps.
Download the CDL A study buddy app. ONLY focus on studying the General Knowledge, Combination, and Airbrakes tests. For iPhone: CDL A App For Android (any phone that is not iPhone): CDL A App
(Different states other than California may require you to focus on an extra section. Message me if you're not sure.)
Sign up for a minimum of 3 classes with FreeWorld. Click this link to schedule your classes.
If you fail to attend 2 zoom classes that you signed up for without any notice beforehand, you WILL be removed from the program. Please keep communication.
Once you have attended a minimum of 3 classes with FreeWorld, I will pay for and help you get your documents: Birth Certificate, Driver's License, Social Security Card, Proof of Residence. If you have all of your documents already, then keep studying.
Getting the money for your permit
We will give you the money and guidance that you need to take your CDL A permit test. When you feel comfortable that you can pass the General Knowledge, Combination, and Airbrakes permit test, direct message me on Slack. I will then send you a link to take a pre-test. If you pass all 4, I will send you money to take your permit test.
Getting your permit
Once you have received the money to get your permit, you now need to complete a DOT Physical and take your permit test at the DMV.
DOT Physical Tips and Tricks
Your DOT Physical will cost between $50-$100. Please use the money that I sent you through PayPal to pay for this. Do not take an exam that costs more than $100.
They will check your blood pressure during the appointment. If you smoke, please do not smoke before the appointment as it can raise your blood pressure.
You will need to pee in a cup. This is not checking for drugs, only to see if there is blood in your urine.
It is incredibly important that you pick INTERstate and not INTRAstate when asked.
At the end of the appointment, you will receive a signed document with a pass/fail. If it is a pass, please keep this for your DMV appointment. If it is a fail, please let me know.
Although marijuana is legal in some states, trucking companies will give you a urine test. If you test positive for marijuana (or any other drugs), you will not be able to get a job.
You can find a DOT physician by clicking this link. The video below will show you how to use the website.
Once you have passed/failed your DOT physical, send me a direct message on Slack to let me know.
Permit test tips and tricks
!!If you currently have a job, please continue to work and save up money while you are studying for your permit. We require each student to not work and go to school full-time when you get into trucking school. Get your permit quickly, to get it out of the way, but do not feel pressured to quit your job until you are absolutely sure that the $1,500 stipend we give you while in school will be enough to support you for 30 days while you are in school!!
You are required by DMV to bring the following documents: DOT Physical Results, Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, 2 Proofs of Residence, Drivers License
California residents - Do NOT go to Stockton DMV. The lines are too long. Go to Tracy, Lodi, or Manteca. Tracy and Lodi are open on Saturdays.
Plan to spend your entire day at the DMV. Eat a good breakfast and bring water and snacks.
Tell the person in the front that you are here to take your CDL A permit test. Connect to DMV wifi and take practice exams on your apps while you wait.
Your written test costs on average between $75 and $85. DMV will NOT accept credit card as a form of payment. Please bring cash, check, or use a debit card. Use the money that I sent you through PayPal. Your PayPal debit card can be used here as well.
Only take the General Knowledge, Combination, AirBrakes, and Class C exam. If the Class C exam is not available, ask the person to give you the test because you cannot get your license without it.
Once you have paid and are given an access code to a computer, you can leave whenever you want and come back to the computer without having to wait in line. Feel free to take 1 test per day if you'd like.
You only need an 80% or above to pass each test.
Once you start a test, you cannot leave the area until the test is completed otherwise it will count as a fail.
If you fail 3 times, you will have to pay the written test cost again out of your own pocket. FreeWorld will not pay for more than 1 exam.
Read each question thoroughly to understand what it is asking. You will have 3 answer choices. If you are not sure what the answer is, eliminate one question to give yourself a 50/50 shot.
You can skip up to 3 questions per exam.
General Knowledge has 50 questions. You can miss 10Airbrakes has 25 questions. You can miss 5. Combination has 20 questions. You can miss 4. Class C has 18 questions. You can miss 3.
Pay it forward contract
We will go over the contract together once you have your permit. You are required to sign a Pay It Forward contract if you are looking for us to provide funding for you to go to school.
Trucking School
!!In order to ensure that you earn your license the first time you take your drive test while in trucking school, we are requiring each person to take a leave of absence from work while they are in trucking school. ONLY do this if you feel comfortable that the $1,500 that we give you while in school will sufficiently take care of your needs for 30 days!!
Trucking school starts the first Monday of every month.
We must have a minimum of 4 people with their permits before trucking school starts or else no one goes to school that month. When you get your permit, please help others on Slack.
You will be in a truck with 3-4 other Free Agents. Each of you will rotate driving the truck. There will be lots of time waiting around. Keep motivating each other and studying during these times.
Week 1 will be exciting, weeks 2, 3, and 4 will not. Please encourage each other while you are in school.
You will receive 2 pre-tests while you are in school.
Trucking School lasts 30 days. When you are not in school, you will be training with FreeWorld on Financial literacy and Career Services.
You will receive hands on trucking training primarily from the trucking school instructor and online instruction from one of our Instructors at FreeWorld.
Hands on trucking classes begin the first Monday of every month from 9am - 3:00pm in your time zone. Please visit the Student Portal to sign up for online classes.
You must have your permit with you at all times when you are in school. If you do not have your permit, you will not be allowed to drive.
You need to dress appropriately. No open toes sandals. Wear shoes or boots.
Stipend
You will receive $375 through PayPal at the beginning of every week for 4 weeks. This is a total of $1,500.
In order to receive this funding you must: Show up to school on time, every time. Being late or missing class without informing us hurts the learning experience for other students. If you are late or have to miss class, please direct message me on Slack to let me know.Be respectful. Do your homework!
Graduating
Once you successfully graduated with your license, be sure to pick up your 3-Year DMV record. You will need this when you interview. If you would like to order one online, you can do so at this link.
Contact
Phone: 408-668-3608 Email: [email protected]