Unemployed more than 3 years

Southwest will finance the school and first payment isn't due until 45 days after graduation.
2323 S. 51st Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85043
Here's a few companies that probably hire from that school. They all hire Arizona drivers and new cdl school grads.
Freymiller Trucking
Navajo Express
H.O. Wolding
IWX Motor Freight
Pride Transport
Western Dairy Transport - milk tankers. You'll be seeing lots of dairy farms.
Butler Transport
Danny Herman Trucking

 

If you go to a private school and get your CDL, there's a not-great company called CTI that is always hiring, and sometimes has a sponsored training program in certain places., so you get more training and get hourly pay for it.

It's all day cab, no sleeper, you'll either be "home" every day or they'll run you until it's time to get a motel, and their dispatch knows every motel in AZ. You can also park your truck anywhere in AZ if you have some land.

I have been to the Knight school, delivered a classroom building there, do not recommend, the students are not terribly happy and it's like a driver factory. Find a little school where you get individual instruction and road time.

A big part of being happy is knowing how to operate the truck, and that comes with driving time. Knight drivers are not good examples to follow.

 

Plenty of companies have automatic transmissions, so you will be ok. Make sure the recruiters you talk to know you must have an automatic.