Hey, Guys

If you've got the money pay for your own CDL school/license. That way you will have more options. Regardless, stay at whatever company you join for at least the first year. These are the things I've learned from the "experts' here. I'm going with the company school. But only due to my financial issues.

 

I agree with @FLtoOKBound. Stay a year. That's part of the reason why don't see what difference it makes. Most of those companies that offer paid training are in existence for drivers solely to gain experience. I'd recommend staying a year regardless.

 

I’d go with the paid training. The theory that you’ll have more options sounds great, till you realize it’s really, REALLY tough to find anyone to hire you with no experience. Insurance being what it is and all. They may want to hire you, but often times can’t.

I’d go with paid training from one of the companies that offer it, keep my nose clean, take the runs they assign me, and not hit anything. Stay there a year (or longer), all the while perfecting my trip planning, learn to develop a great working relationship with my dispatcher, and get the hang of making the clock work to my advantage. That’s how I’d handle my first year of trucking if I was to do it all over again, 27 years earlier. Lol. I’m old.

 

I always hated the idea of signing a contract for a year or more to "pay for" my cdl training. What if you choose poorly, and the company you chose sucks, and you're miserable? Theres no easy way out when you owe them for training.
I have been glad I got my cdl training seperately and then chose a company. I got a grant from a govt retraining program, thru the unemployment office. There were a few hoops to jump through, but they fully paid for my school. The company I work with is still hiring noobs in the middle of this pandemic, overbooked for team trips. And the bonus is, they pay me 100 bucks a month to "pay back" my student loan.

 

agreed. There are the same number of starter Megas whether you go with one that has a school or not. Freymiller doesn't have a CDL school but takes new drivers. Plenty do, but don't have their own school. So OP it really is up to you. Both are viable options. Just one you pay the bill. The other they pay the bill and you indenture to them for a year or two. I don't say that later part snarky. As again that is what I am gonna do and I accept it as part of the cost.

 

This is a pie that has more than 2 pieces. Stop limiting yourself to pay for it yourself or going the year of indentured servitude route. Check and see if a trade school near you has a CDL program. Do your leg work!

 

Community colleges have it too. Many are going online right now, which would work for the book part of the test anyway. But check with unemployment and see if you qualify for the grant program

 

Also, this notion that working for a company for a year is nothing more than “indentured servitude” isn’t quite accurate. If you can turn the miles, they’ll feed them to you. Trucking companies don’t make money if the truck is sitting at loves.

if you perform, you’ll make money. The name on the door (or trailer) is irrelevant.

 

I wasn't meaning to imply you couldn't make any money that first year with the mega. I was being semi-funny with the indentured. But in a way also truthful. After all you are "working off your debt" to them. Which is indentured service.