I want to be an OTR driver and unsure which path to take. I am trying to determine if I should go with company training or private. I got all the info from SNI and all sounds good but the cost, 5000.00 loan plus 18% interest plus pay back for 30 months. If I do go company training any suggestions as to who to consider and who to stay away from. Also has anyone heard of R E West out of middle TN. I seen that they train new drivers but I can't seem to get any info on them. Thanks alot and hope to see you down the road some where.

Of course Schneider sounds good...you were talking to a recruiter who is well versed at making this sound like your dream job. Remember, these guys stay awake at night thinking of new ways to glorify their company and its opportunity. $5000 is way too much, and 18% on top of it is ridiculous. Figure out the interest and you can add another $3 - 4 grand on top of the 5K. Paying 8 grand for a CDL is just robbery in my book. But, drivers keep paying the nut. If push comes to shove you'd be better off putting it on a credit card at a community college or Vo-Tech in your area. If you still want to go the company sponsored route, find a company that isn't going to rape you for the cost of the license. Granted, the big starter companies have bad reviews, but to have to pay that kind of money on top of it is ridiculous. There is just no way you will be able to make up the loss in the first year paying a company that much to work for them. There are other starter companies with way cheaper schools that dont charge interest. None of them have great reputations, so why pay more than you have to? It's pretty much a crap shoot either way. You may go to a company that has a bad reputation and luck out and get a good trainer...or good company and get a crappy trainer. There's alot of variables that can happen during your first year, so don't expect too much. Just don't get in over your head (in debt) with these high priced (over-priced) "opportunities".

as far as company sponsored training goes check out USA Truck they will train you and you are paid off after only 1 year. out of pocket you only end up paying 495 bucks,i have been happy with them so far (only been out solo for 4 weeks)

__________________
tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.
"if you don't HAVE the money to buy it, YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT"- DAVE RAMSEY

Go private if you can and if AT ALL possible. It's practically a lock cinch guarantee that the price of a private outfit will be miniscule by comparison, and you won't owe anyone anything.

I did, and I only paid about $900 after all was said and done.

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Z-Lady's devoted hubby.

I also vote for a Vo-Tech school. Hopefully one can be found in your area.
I am going the Vo tech route and am currently waiting to see if I am apporved for student aid.
Good luck!

You should get training at a community college. It'll take longer, but you'll be better off in the long run. 5K is way too much to pay for a simple CDL. I know that's true, as I made that mistake once. Every day of the world I want that money back that I dropped at the driving school, not to mention the opportunity cost (the money I missed out on because I was at the school and not working) or the simple costs of living away from home for a month.

Today, given I know all about the trucking industry, I'd make sure my training would be free or cost at MOST 800 bucks. There's no way I would pay even a dime more than that for training. If I had to pay more, I'd learn how to drive a dozer. I know there is a school in Las Vegas that will train you to drive a big D-9. I'd definitely do this today before going the trucking route anyway. Yeah, I'd get a grant and go learn to drive a dozer instead of getting a CDL.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

Wow, where can you get CDL training that cheap? In our area we only have one technical college that offers commercial driver classes and they want $1,500 for eight weeks of training.

Unfortunately, since the classes are fulltime (7 a.m.-3 p.m.) and the college is 100 miles east of where I live, I'll have to quit my job and add roughly $3,000 loss of income for those two months.

That's still cheaper than the local CDL mill who charges $6k for three weeks of school (they'll knock off $1k if you pay cash - what does that tell you?!).

I graduated from a 5-week program I had to pay 5K for, and then I went to work at Swift. In my first week, I ran into guys there who had paid only 5 HUNDRED for training, and they could drive as well as I could. Their programs were shorter, too, meaning their opportunity cost was lower, as they spent more time working before going to training. I was out of work for at least 7 weeks doing the training thing, as after I graduated it took about two weeks for me to get going on a training truck at Swift. My true opportunity cost was more like 7 weeks x 700/week or nearly the cost of the training itself. Yeah, I spent more than 10K on a CDL and was standing exactly where those 500-dollar guys were standing when we went on our training trucks. I had a CDL. They had a CDL. I could drive well. They could drive well. I had a job at Swift. They had a job at Swift. The only thing different was my wallet was a LOT lighter than it should have been.

Look around out there. Cheap schools can be found. Also, see what kind of government aid you can get to help you pay for the training. Don't go spending big money out of your own pocket to learn how to drive a #### truck. Check with your state labor board and welfare office. I sure wish today that in 1995 I would have done that. I could have saved a big wad, a wad I wish I had back in my pocket in 2007. Preferably with interest.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.