company provided driver school

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by longrange, Apr 21, 2010.

  1. longrange

    longrange Bobtail Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
    Nashville, TN
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    I've thought about trucking for the last 15 years. Me and a buddy almost bought a truck years ago! Now I'm ready. But, being a newbie, are these company sponsored driving schools really what they're cracked up to be? A couple make some sweet promises. But, if I get hired on, make it through school and training, will I get loads....will I get to work. I can sit on my butt at home and not get paid! It's just that some of these deals sound a little too easy. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is! I'm betting more than a couple of you guys out there have been down this same route. And for me, it's either jump in a truck (my first choice) or go to Alaska and climb cell phone towers. It's pretty cold in Alaska, even in the summer at 1500 feet above a mountain top.
     
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  3. JustSonny

    JustSonny Big Dummy

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    Oct 22, 2009
    Troutman NC
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    I'm a wannabe too. I've been reading on this forum and doing my own research outside the forum for about 6 months. I started a thread titled Hey Wannabes, this ain't no candystore! I've gotten some good response to the thread. There are also many wannabe-centered threads here. I'll post some links to those threads here if I don't forget. I'm a 56 yo wannabe, first goes the mind!!!!

    Update: Yay!! I remembered....
    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr.../108275-hey-wannabes-aint-no-candy-store.html

    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...w-drivers/23658-starting-out-for-rookies.html

    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-important-questions-new-drivers-threads.html
     
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  4. Palazon

    Palazon Road Train Member

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    Feb 5, 2009
    Tacoma, WA
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    Well, to tell the truth, most drivers training schools just want the cash. Company schools such as Swift are getting federal money for hiring new drivers. They want you to graduate, drive some miles. They don't SEEM to really care if you are successful. Think of your local college. You pay for the class, get the knowledge. After that they could care less what you do with it.

    That said, it's up to you to be a success at whatever you do. Example: My goal in trucking was to gain the needed exp to get a local job for hourly pay and hometime. Most locals in my area require 1-3 years OTR. I took an outside school (non Swift, JB Hunt etc), took a job with a learning company ( Swift) and proceeded to bounce in the different job types in the company for 2 years (Heavy Haul, Intermodal, Day Cab local). Now I drive for the Army, 8 hrs/day and make 1000/week.

    You can be a successful trucker if you learn your skills and work toward your goal, whatever that may be. The schools will give you the needed skills (backing, shifting, pretrips etc) to get started. The hiring company will train you with a mentor to knock off the rough edges. Once solo, your DM will give you runs to prove you can do what the company needs. The 1st year is a sharp learning curve of time management while bringing in terrible pay (roughly 35K for me). Soon it will get easier. Your DM (if decent) will start to get you better rigs and push for better paying runs.

    To sum up (finally) you can to do it, IF you bust yer booty.

    Best of luck
     
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