2 Job Offers! Please tell me what to do!

I have been on 1 of these threads about how these company sponsored schools r!! I stated that I wouldn't do ANY of them!! Trust me go 2 CDL school on your own!!!Pay 4 it yourself or finance it whatever works better 4 u.REMEMBER these companies that provide school want alot in return!!!if u have 2 go out of state for these schools then YOU HAVE 2 TRANSFER your license for the state the company school is in.I never wanted 2 do that because I see no perpose.I personally wanted 2 have my CDL license from my OWN state.ALSO I have stated that if you go to training school with one of these companies they make u sign a contract stating that u promise they will pay your schooling.SO now they have a hold on u and u have to put up with their bs.Meanwhile u could have gone 2 a private cdl training school in your hometown or the local community college.If money is a problem try to see if they can finance u with little or no money down thats what I did.

 

My son choose Prime company paid route, if he went to Truck Driving School here locally it's $4,800 if he goes to a company sponsored school with Prime it's $3,700 But the nice part is if he stays 6 months and leave he only pays back $1,800 if he stays a year it's FREE.

So what's the big deal about the contract. Plus his instruction is One on One for 3 months with an experienced driver at $600+ week minimum guranteed. During the winter with $600 gaurantee is a good thing.

Why come on here and bash company sponsored programs when you haven't been through one.

So what if a person has to pay it back if they leave. So what if you have to commit to a year.

I wouldn't hire you just because your attitude tells me you plan to job hop, grass always greener on the other side type guy.

Your typical of so many drivers who come on here whinning about companies, and they have worked at 5 or 6 companies in 2 years or less. That's truly what's wrong with this industry.

 

Well said, Vulcan. I went through a company sponsored training program when I first started in Aug. 2003. I drove for PAM for 2 years, but my commitment to them was only for 1 year. I have made rebuttals to people bashing the company training route on this forum many times. When I went to CDL school, I had to borrow $500 from my grandma just so I could eat and pay my initial school/licensing fees. There was no way I could've paid for school on my own. For anyone who is in a similar position and chooses a sponsored CDL program, I say go for it. Your first year is going to suck no matter which company you go to, and if you job hop in that first year you are black-marking yourself. That first year is CRITICAL.

Another thing to consider. Sometimes people are getting into this industry because they know it's a field where you CAN make a decent living of around $35K your first year. Some people don't have $5K laying around to put on a CDL school, nor do they have the desire or the credit to go in debt that same amount. There is truly nothing wrong with a sponsored school, or a shared tuition plan which requires someone to actually show a little dedication for a mere 12 months or so.

 

Scarecrow03
Say you give a lot of sound advice though out this forum. What do you think of Watkins Shepard training and them as a company? I'm signing up for their Nov26th class (berr) . I figure on some good winter/mountain training from them . I know you don't drive for them but maybe you would have some insite or your regular good advice. Thanks Sal

 

First of all, thanks for the compliment. I just call 'em as I see 'em. I reckon it's all just about common sense to me.

I'm sorry to say, Sal, that I don't know a thing about Watkins-Sheppard other than what their trucks look like. However I can tell you a thing or two about this industry I've learned in my short time out here. The one thing I always tell people, and people tell me, is to keep it simple. Don't make this job more complicated than it is. Is it intimidating the first time you climb in the cab? You bet! Does that mean it's insurmountable? Absolutely not. ALWAYS do nothing more than you are comfortable doing. Winter driving, as with any inclimate weather, requires a lot of focus on your part. Increase your following distance, slow down to whatever speed your comfortable doing, and PAY ATTENTION! Something else to keep in mind regardless of the weather. NEVER allow the traffic behind you to dictate how you drive. What I mean is that you should never worry about those behind you who might have to <GASP> slow down a little bit. You'll hear it over and over again before you drive your first mile, but safety is the biggest concern you should have. And safety is something only you can control. Drive your truck as safe as possible at all times in all conditions and surroundings. I don't care if your climbing Elk Mountain in Wyoming, or crossing the desolate deserts of NM and AZ, don't let your focus on safety be swayed by anyone or anything for any reason.

That being said, your trainer is probably going to give you some little nudges as your with him. He's going to want to see you make progress. There should be a huge difference by the end of your training period from the first day. This will most likely just happen without your noticing it, however, your trainer might see something your still "stuck" on and try to push you to progress. If your not comfortable with whatever that might be, DON'T DO IT. We all have different comfort zones that become larger and/or smaller as time goes by. You've got your entire career to learn how to eat a cheeseburger, smoke a cigarette, drink your soda, yak on the CB and drive 70mph down the interstate with your knee.

That last line was just a joke, in case my sarcasm wasn't interpreted by anyone reading this feeble lil post.

 

From what I have heard about Watkins Sheppard if they were hiring in my area as a newbie I would go to work for them in a heartbeat.

 

mindbender I think you made the right decision. I've driven vans, flats, doubles, trips, and tankers and I like the tankers the best. It paid the best too. But I would not recommend tankers to a new driver. I'm not saying that new drivers are not skilled enough to drive tanker, what I am saying is I believe there are alot of regulations you have to know and right out of the gate I think you might get into trouble. That is of course if you're hauling Hazmat all the time. Hazmat in the tank is a little different than hauling Hazmat once in awhile in a box trailer.

What I think about the schools is mixed. I believe that the real training starts on the job and if you land a job where the company is using drivers with hardly any experience I believe you're getting robbed. I don't think much about any school because they are not there to teach a person about professional truck driving but only to pass that student and obtain a CDL. There might be a few that are good but what I've seen of new drivers they lack alot of skills. Simple skills like taking care of the equipment. So whatever school you pick you should look to see if it fits your needs. Some drivers have had good luck with company paid schools and some haven't. I have personally seen what a company can do to a driver that is trapped to that company. And I have also seen companies actually force a driver to get tickets so he or she is trapped at that company too. So there's good and bad everywhere. It all depends on the driver and how he or she does the job. I say protect your record all the time.

I honestly believe it's part of the job for good experienced drivers to correct and teach their fellow employed drivers. I would like to see another endorsement on the CDL and that would be for driver trainers. They could set a minimum number of years experience like 5 or 10 years and have a test that could be followed by all drivers. They could then require companies to have a stardard training and safety program and follow up with inspections. Like the Smith System or any other program along those lines. I think it's a joke to have a driver with 6 months on the job teaching any other driver. I also believe if a driver does take the added responsibilities as a driver trainer then he or she should be paid more ALL the time. Just my opinion.

 

I think it's ironic to hear people say they should go with a CDL school just so your not indentured to the company. My son just left with his instructor today at Prime on their first load, his instructor has 28 year behind the wheel with an excellent saftey record.

I drove for 3 years about 20 years ago and I'm starting back in November myself, I also have to go out with a trainer. Their training is for 3-4+ months with a trainer first 3-4 weeks he's with an instructor watching his every move sitting in th passenger seat teaching him. To me that is worth thousands of classroom hours that a CDL school can give him.

After 4 weeks he comes back takes his CDL driving test and then he goes out with another trainer for 2 /12 to 3 months running team it allows another experienced driver to be there to give him advice, keep in mind the trainer has a vested interest because he is either a lease operator or owner operator as my sons trainer is. This person has a vested interest to see that my son is doing a good job because it' his truck.

Some people say well that's along time training. They give him $240 week pay advance for the initial 3-4 weeks he will pay back $25 a week, don't see many CDL schools loaning you interest free money while you learn. Then when he goes with a trainer he's getting a minimum of $600+ week during the winter, can't beat that to start. I hear drivers from other sites and this one complaining they have trouble making $400 week gross pay.

So what if you have to committ to 1 year or 18 months as with SNI, their training you and if you quit you owe for the training, just like you if you go to school. Some people argue that you can go to community college alot cheaper, well in our case not one around that has CDL school and if they did how many people have the time to go to school for 8-16 weeks without making money. Closet CDL school $4800

I think it's awesome that there are companies who take longer to train people.

 

I agree. Thats not bad at all for training and being winter. There were a few summer weeks I didn't come close to $300 and that was as a seasoned driver. What a horrible company that was.