I live in Fl, could throw a rock and hit the Ga or Al state lines.
No verifiable experience, nor CDL.
Local community college does offer classes, but doesnt supply a truck/trailer when you go for your skills test.
What are my options for a company hiring new drivers in my area?
Thus far, Schneider seems my best option with training through TDI out of Milton/Pensacola which is 2+ hrs away.
Any other suggestions?
New Driver Options
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by torquewrench08, Nov 2, 2011.
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I think 'Pumpkin' is a good bet and is local.
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Look around for CDL Schools.
Call Millis Transfer see if they will hire you from there, they have their own school. Only $500 Down the rest you work off in a year.
If they wont hire you but you can find a school, check out WEL Companies they hire out of FL and have a terminal down there too with local work. They have Nice trucks too.
American Trucker -
Swift is another option as they have a terminal in Ocala.
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@ Dryver - Thanks for the input
@ AT - According to Millis' website they're not hiring out of Fl. Al & Ga are included though so may be worth calling about - as I said Im approx 3mi from Al & maybe 25 from GA. WEL's requires drivers to be 23 according to their site, Im 21
@ Dieselgrl - Any chance you drive/have driven for Swift and could offer insight on the company? From what Ive read here they seem to be 50/50 or so with driver satisfaction.
Thanks to all. -
I started my career with them. I won't lie, my first year I struggled but stuck it out. Browsed around for greener pastures for a while (and the only company I found that was a better fit for me was Arrow, but they went under in 2009), but always ended up back there in a Swift truck. I was a mechanic for them at Ocala for a while too. Before I took the office job I'm in now, I was running for their flatbed division up to March of this year. Loved it. On the flatbed side I was *never* a number, but I also knew their system really well by that time.
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MAY is close to you. There are also a bunch of chicken houses around you. Tyson, Central, JCT there are a ton of them that run through there. Also at the other end is the Winn Dixie warehouses, save a lot, Walmart. There's no shortage of companies in those parts. Go to a rest stop or truck stop and just writing down names you see to call. Maybe talk to some drivers. You are actually in a good area.
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hey i live in bainbridge, ga about 1 hr from u our college has a cheap cdl program with the trucks and the instructor is the one who gives u the road test
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Just make sure they are an accredited school. Might want to call around to a few different companies and see if they accept graduates from there. Also need to make sure they are giving you the right amount of hours. Hate to see you waste a bunch of money only to find out no company will hire you from attending that particular school.
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Thanks for the info Dieselgrl. I expect a rough start regardless of where I begin. As always, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. What was the roughest part if you could pinpoint one?
@Chompi - Tyson doesnt hire out of FL. But Al & Ga are listed as hiring areas so worth looking into but if they require an adress in either, then Im out of the game. JCT doesnt list their hiring requirements, so Ill look into that. Central Freight is the same. Central Trans requires 12mo exp for OTR, 6mo for "city." May requires a CDL before hire. Once again I run into the fact that Ive no truck nor trailer to take the skills test.
@shanet60 - The Bainbridge school is listed on Schnieder website as an acceptable school but living in Fl I dont believe I could get a Ga CDL, and I doubt they would be willing to Marianna just for me to take my skills test.Their website, bainbridge.edu lacks any useful info on the program other than actual testing costs. Will look into it regardless.Last edited: Nov 2, 2011
buddy_bill Thanks this.
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