I guess It's just hit or miss with these training programs

A year's commitment isn't exactly "tied to them for the rest of your life". If you're not willing to commit to a year for someone who is willing to teach you a profession, and you're not willing / able to pay tuition to go to school, perhaps you need to re-evaluate your career goals.

 

It isn't an issue of being willing to commit . Many with the best intentions of making the commitment and fulfilling the obligation fail because it is a one sided contract . All the carrier has to do is find a petty reason to terminate you and you're unemployed owing them thousands of dollars.
I still can't understand why anyone would pay thousands of dollars to try to enter an industry with over 90% turnover and paying 1980's wages that won't increase for another 30 years unless the carrier pays percentage .

 

DEB, I would look into a school that offers Financial Aid and works with multiple carriers. There are plenty of schools like that, and they typically don't require you to sign any contract. Sure, you will have a student loan, but most companies that hire first year drivers have Tuition Reimbursement programs that will pay you in monthy increments. As for RickG's post...well...how much money do you want to make? $4G a month is pretty good pay where I am from. If you are renting a condo in New York for $5G a month...sure, trucking is probably not the industry for you. Good luck DEB, and remember there are negative people everywhere you turn.

 

$4G a month ? I'd love to see a poll showing how many of the 10% of newbies that last a year make that .
My point was there are careers that pay better and many pay you to train while CDL mils charge most thousands to set themselves up for failure.

 

I see...and, I agree with you about the CDL mills. I talk to many recruiters who are reporting an average of $1k a week for newbies. Now, I'm sure that excludes peolpe who are not willing to work.

 

As a lurker of these forums for a long time and someone who went through training myself, passed it and then decided to leave the industry I will tell you that it seems in 80% of cases people will not stay in the industry for one year. Something will happen somewhere-- whether the training company disqualified them for their BMI in school or that they forgot to dot an "i" on their paperwork all the way to just deciding it isn't for them and leaving.

So if you're a betting person, there you go. The odds are against you. I observed it's about 40-50% chance that you will even get your CDL once you step foot in a training company program as a non-CDL holder.

I would say if you have any doubts you should be honest about them and face them. Don't just be overoptimistic and believe that "it won't happen to me" and "everyone else is lazy or a whiner". Try to be objective about it. Don't romanticize trucking and think it will be something it is not (Especially as a newbie company driver).

That said, I've seen quite a few here go to those company training programs and become a success and happy. They are the ~20%.

Another observation is that it seems those who go through a good QUALITY private school have an easier time and less problems overall.

I don't know everything obviously but I think I'm right on the above, at least.

 

I'd like to piggy back on Flguy's post. I think its very important to find a school that has a longer class length. These 3 week courses focus on quantity of students. These schools work great for some people, but from what I have seen they DON'T work great for the masses.

 

From what I see on here, recruiters always lie. And, I believe it.. their job is not to be your friend, it's to get you to join their school or company. They don't HAVE to tell the truth.

 

Well, I don't subscribe to the idea that everyone is evil and out to get you. So, to say that recruiters ALWAYS lie..............Sounds a bit naive. I'm sure there are plenty of recruiters (and truckers) that don't tell the truth, and leave out details. Its up to mature and responsible individuals to ask for more something more than words...perhaps copies of paychecks, or some mileage reports. But, you do the math of how many miles you drive (x) what you get paid per mile.