Young guy; best course of action

I've always been a fan of paying for your own training - just my opinion. The path to better income is easier and faster, after the initial sticker shock.

 

There's not a thing wrong with some of the trucking company CDL schools. If you're money is tight, go to a trucking company school that hires at 21 yrs. old and get started in your new career.Here's some that hire at 21; maybe some more will be posted.

Millis Transfer-has their own school; need $500.00
KLLM Transport-pays for community college CDL school, lodging, meals.
Earl Henderson Trucking-pays for community college CDL school, lodging, meals.Trucks have Tripac APU's.Lots of West Coast runs.

Southern Refrigerated Transport-pays for community college CDL school, lodging, meals.

Central Refrigerated-has their own CDL school.
Midwest-coast Transport-lots of West Coast runs.
Maverick Transportation-pays for community college CDL school, lodging, meals.
Prime Inc.
Knight Transportation

OK, pick one and get started.

 

If you are already working locally, why would you want to do OTR?
That whole "get paid to travel" line gets old real fast.
If you really want a CDL, there is plenty of info on here as far as which companies to avoid. Most of them put you on contract for 2 years or you owe them money. I think being young is an advantage. Over 21 and you can do interstate like everyone else.
I have heard KLLM is a good one.

 

I paid for my own training would not have done it any other way.
Class B is good. Class A has more options, however I will say this about that, I'm a Class A holder, however I've applied for some Class B jobs and we talked about this over on the garbage haulers section, sometimes the Class B companies want Class B holders. This can before a variety of different reasons. Garbage truck companies some will hire anyone and some like Class B holders it has to do with backing. Garbage truck companies feel that some, not all but some Class A CDL holders are not very good at backing straight trucks, I can I guess see there point a little.

Having a Class B though would certainly put you in the running and would be good if you wanted to work for a utility company. A friend of mine works for a cable construction company and the company was training guys to get there CDL's he took them up on there offer and is training to get a Class A however the company he works for only requires a B.

See you're in a good position you could get a city job with a Class B. I wanted to get on at my city and the problem was because I have a fairly alright paying job (not great, but better then what the city paid by about $20,000 a year) at a beer distributor they felt they could not compensate me enough and did not want me. They liked that I had a Class A because the city I work for has a couple semis and by a couple I mean 2 semis that they use to haul garbage to the landfill, but the rest of there fleet is all Class B stuff.

Had I come straight out of truck driving school with a Class A or B I probably would have had a job at the city.

You would probably be in fine shape if you walked into the railroad, electric company, city, city transit bus authority and said I can weld and have a Class B CDL and all this stuff.

My opinion is if you're looking to work in utilities and real vocational type stuff Class B probably would be fine.

What I would do is get a Class A, but then go straight to all the Class B utility type jobs. The problem is you get a big time Class A job and then you want to switch over to something that's all Class B and sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't but they go yeah when we said we wanted straight truck experience we really did mean it.

 

Many careers require Class A not just Drivers. My sister is an Operating Engineer Journeyman and had to get her Class A. What you invest now, will open more doors in your future. Let's say a Class B is $2,500 and a Class A is $5000. Why invest $7,500 over 2 years, when $5000 would get it done? That is money in your pocket. Protect that CDL, it is much more than a piece of plastic. It will continue to open doors the rest of your life if you keep it clean. You may not use it in the way you think, but it will always put you a step ahead of anyone without a CDL. Do what you need to do to get the extra money to pay for the Class A.
Good luck! I can tell you already have diesel in your veins and we need more young drivers like you!

 

Adding to what Chinatown posted, Earl Henderson just started their own school in Troy, IL. No upfront costs, but they take out $50 a week from your check for a year.

 

I first started out driving a straight truck for a moving company when I was 19. I got my class b when I was 21 without going to any schools. At 23 I then got my class a, again without any schools. I studied my states dmv cdl study guide and had access to company trucks. Sounds like yor in a similar situation and use it to yor advantage while sill being a professional. Good luck to you

 

And for what it's worth, I'm a class a who is better at backing than any garbage man. I can thank my days as a mover in a straight truck for that

 

When I came off the bigroad, I applied for a job at a construction company. They had a bunch of Fords, Internationals and Mack dumptrucks. And they had two seven axle rigs for delivering the heavy equipment. I had applied for the dump truck position. The guy that was driving their lowboy only had a class B. When they found out I had an A, the supervisor wanted me to take the lowboy around the block. Apparently, the other driver couldnt float gears either. I applied for the dump truck job, but I got the lowboy job. Yeah, it ticked some drivers off, but I dont make the rules.

Anyways, get your A if you're going to do it. You never know what doors it may open for you.