Starting Training in a week-need advice

Porsche9xx2,

I am taking a local community college CDL Truck driver course.
We are doing the bookwork, 204 hours of hands on driving instruction with a loaded tractor-trailer 78,000 pounds. City , highway, freeway and mountain 6% grades.
Our instructor is a Million mile accident free OTR driver, very knowledgeable and instructive.
So I will end up paying about $400 for licence, tests, DOT physical to complete the course, the cost of the schooling is provided by a federal grant. And then go find my own company to work for, many out there hire CDL students and put you on a 6 week training program for trial with pay.

Now I know you may have to get a loan if you followed the same route of getting yourself trained like I have, but you would not be endentured to servitude to a single company for 1-2 years to repay the training costs, or similary dismissed by said company and promissary note due and payable upon termination.

But you will be free to pick from offers of employment to start rather than stuck someplace that was not your choice...........


Just my way of looking at things,
Good luck and good roads !

 

Porche -

Going to a carrier sponsored/provided school is your last resort. If you do that, you will have to work for the sponsoring carrier for 12 to 24 months - or, if you leave them sooner, will have to pay back at least a portion of the cost. Further, it seems (and I'm not sure about this) that those schools are.. um.. over priced by a good bit.

Community college or some other third party school is the better choice. If you can't afford it on your own, or get a loan, go take a look at your county unemployment office. They have access to grants and loans you might qualify for.

Thus, when you finally DO get your CDL, you have a much wider choice of companies for whom to work. You still may end up at Werner, but you could leave in 4 months and not owe them a thing

 

If you have to have help paying for the school, apply with Conway Truckload.

With those guys they cover all but 1000 bucks of the school which is one hell of a deal, then you do their trainer time which is 7500 miles and you have to deliver ONE load for them and your debt is paid in full.

No 6 months to 1 year like the majority of the BS companies out there want, one load and that is seriously it. I did it, worked for them for a while. They aren't the best company in the world but they are miles ahead of any Werner/Swift/JB/CRST out there. They will pay you fairly and you will be in a nice truck. It's a good place to get started.


I have never met a happy Werner driver, that's all I can say lol.

 

I have gone through Western Pacific Truck School in CA for my CDL and by far it has been the best way. I was lucky and got a lot of one on one training.

 

Living in south florida. you have Mcfatter which is vocational and I think Miami Dade college puts on a vocational classes for CDL.

 

Hi ace, I am going to western truck school on the other side of town soon, why did you pick western pacific of the the other on and are you driving for someone yet, Thanks for the reply in advance.

 

know of any good schools on the east coast - north... like main, or ontario area?

 

I have to agree with nomad and lurch. It will cost you out of pocket going to a third party for training.
Porsche, if you already have a job that is making ends meet. My advice is to keep it and kind of avoid the trucking field for right now. In the past few weeks I had talked to drivers that have been sitting at truck-stops for days waiting for a load. As far as Werner, I had only talked to one personally. He was interested in joining the company that I drive for. He told me he was getting plenty of miles but very little home time.
When I started driving, I paid for my own training. I believe at the time that I made about the best choice at the time as far as companies goes. I joined a company that delivered to dollar general and stayed with them til they lost the account. It was hard work but it paid well. And I did got great experience on backing.
I wish you well if you decide to start a driving carreer

 

This is what happened to my in-laws. Cost of loan for training 3900.00 each. Then they have to complete a 2 year contract with payroll deduction for payment of it. I would say it was ok, but since they are now stuck with SWIFT for 2 years. It seems that schools are all charging close to the same for the training. Some people are capable of taking the easy path and some are not.

Like I said, my inlaws both got their cdl's by renting a CDL help truck and then taking the test in it. When they got their interviews at Swift and were given the road test they failed and had to attend the academy.

My wife, went the same route several years ago. She passed the initial road test and was put into their 6 week mentor program. So, as you can see, it depends on the person. Since she did not have any financial obligation she was able to leave when she was ready.