Trucking in PR? Banking in PR?

2POSTS

12 years ago

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum so forgive me if this has already been answered. I've been a long haul truck driver in the continental US for 3 years. I'm a US citizen and I hold an Oregon Class A Commercial Driver License. I was wondering how hard it is to find truck driving work in Puerto Rico? In the states as far as long haul goes, it's very easy to get a job. There's such a high turn over in the long haul industry that most companies will just hand you a job if you have a good driving record.

Does an Oregon Class A CDL transfer directly to the equivalent license in PR or will I need to re-do the written or even practical test?

Also, I'm a very detail oriented person and before I set off to PR to look for work, I want to know about banking. Do the major mainland banks have a presence in PR (BoA, Wells Fargo, etc)? Is Puerto Rico considered international as far as a mainland bank is concerned? ie transaction fees. The reason I ask is that I noticed Banco Popular de PR seems to operate differently than a typical US bank, in that it apparently ONLY caters to people in PR or VI. Is this true? If it is the case that banking in PR is separate from US banking, can I set up a regular checking account (not a non-resident account for non-citizens) with Banco Popular BEFORE I actually move to PR or do I need to have a PR address?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

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Gary ViP

1845POSTS

12 years ago

drew2k14 wrote:
I was wondering how hard it is to find truck driving work in Puerto Rico?

In general it's hard to get a job; many Puerto Ricans move to the mainland because over there they have a better chance to find work. How the job situation in trucking is I don't know.
There's no long haul trucking here, the longest (one way) trip would be 100 miles.

drew2k14 wrote:
Does an Oregon Class A CDL transfer directly to the equivalent license in PR or will I need to re-do the written or even practical test?

Oregon licenses can not be exchanged just like that. You can find out at the DTOP (http://www.dtop.gov.pr) which exam you would have to take. The site is in Spanish, If you don't speak/read it, now would be the time to start learning if you really want to move here.

drew2k14 wrote:
Do the major mainland banks have a presence in PR (BoA, Wells Fargo, etc)?

Not really. They may have some presence in the financial district (Hato Rey) but I've never seen any branch offices.

drew2k14 wrote:
Is Puerto Rico considered international as far as a mainland bank is concerned? ie transaction fees.

I don't think so, banks are in the ABA system.

drew2k14 wrote:
Can I set up a regular checking account (not a non-resident account for non-citizens) with Banco Popular BEFORE I actually move to PR or do I need to have a PR address?

I think you need a PR address but the best thing to do is ask Banco Popular (www.popular.com)

Good luck!

GreggK Serial expat

509POSTS

12 years ago

Most often getting a job is very difficult at best. You almost always have to know someone. Truck drivers are a very tight knit organization and strike frequently for higher pay and it's REALLY difficult to get into it if you don't know someone.. It's a tricky business to get into if you are an outsider. How's your Spanish? I have a loan with Banco Popular and live in the states. Every time I have to deal with them for something I almost always have to have my wife take care of it. I don't speak Spanish and it's very difficult to find someone to talk to there that does. You would think that an organization that size would have more English speaking employees, especially through the office in San Juan. That's one of the reasons you can't rely on those who say" come on down,, everybody here speaks English". Take a good trip around the island and then tell me if you want to make a living driving on some of those roads and in the heavy traffic(tapones).

Gary, you are one of those that got a good roll of the dice concerning your power. I had problems with my meter after the tenant before me hooked up their power illegally but the power company refused to come out and check my meter. Stuff like that a lot of times comes down to who you are dealing at the power company at that moment. Depends on how they feel

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

12 years ago

Gary and GreggK give wise advice. In addition, I have been told that truckers are paid in PR based on the weight of their loads v. truckers getting paid in the US based on mileage. I don't know if either of those assertions are true but it would explain why so many truckers in PR violate the weight limits in their haulage, which causes greater damage to the roads and more deadly accidents. And the truckers are very much a cartel in PR. It would be very difficult to break into that market.

drew2k14 Member

2POSTS

12 years ago

Thanks for all the replies. I guess trucking is out of the question in PR. I'd still love to live there though. I was thinking about possibly sticking with my current long haul company in the US and maybe taking my time off in Miami and flying to PR. I mean it's only a couple hours away and flights only cost $250-300 round-trip last I checked. That's really not bad on my salary. I only go home for a few days every three weeks or so. I could see if I could get more days off in a row by taking time off a little less often. The only problem is that I wouldn't think a PR heavy vehicle driver license qualifies as a CDL as far as trucking in the US goes. But I could keep my Oregon license and consider my dad's house (where I currently live on time off) my "primary residence" and that solves that problem. I mean I will still be staying there some of the time.

I know it sounds kind of silly and pointless to work in the US and have an apartment/car in PR that I'd have to buy a plane ticket to get to every month. But it's not to me and it's well within my budget. I'm sure there are quite a few people who work in Florida and live in PR or vice versa, considering how close they are.

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kvk5 Member

1POSTS

2 years ago

@drew2k14

Hi there, I went to P.R. for a few days I leave in CT and I have some family in the Island And I'm considering on going back. So Went to Banco Popular and set down with the teller and she asked me the meaning for the account. I said I'm planning on coming back and I needed to start to have a bank relationship so she asked me for my information but used Ct address, and a deposit and that's it but if you have questions call they speak English....Good luck.