Schools & CDL Permit

Hey all, new here, lurked for a bit while day dreaming, ready to stop dreaming and start rolling.
Background: 15yrs Straight Truck 26ft non cdl driver (with current valid DOT med card) just left and doing warehouse, loading trailers causing the urge to drive greater. Zero legal issues, only one driving ticket 25yrs ago speeding, Zero since that 25yr old ticket, one other speeding ticket 35yrs ago, I'm 55yrs old. I take my driving career extremely serious and quit the recent due to lead driver constantly wanting me to violate DOT laws. I refused.
I'm OCD & extremely clean, non-smoker. I currently live in Binghamton NY, own a home, no reason to stay in area other than home, which I want to keep. Driven all over from Caribou, Maine (love Maine) to Ohio to South Jersey, again in 26ft Straight truck. I keep my cab insanely clean & organized, my latest new truck looked as new inside after 200K miles as when I first got it. Always clean the back after each load.
OK, I've wondered
(Q#1) Do I have to get my CDL permit here in NYS before going to a driving school?
I don't care about staying in this region as long as I get time to come back to check home about every 3/4 months. I want to drive non-stop seeing as much of the entire country as possible. I have nothing keeping me loyal to any area hence drive & drive. To be frank, repetitiveness bores me eventually, causing that itch to hit the road. I would like 1st choice dry van, 2nd refrigerated, 3rd tanker.
At this point I'm seriously wondering how many of you are cracking up laughing. So,
(Q#2) Are there any trucking schools / carriers that will train and employ to keep me rolling everywhere non-stop that once every 3/4 months will allow me to "check on my house" and hit the road again? (or am I still dreaming?)
Though I do have many other questions, I'll end with,
(Q#3) what is a good average time to making this happen?
Thanks

 

Depends on the school. Some will want you to have the permit in hand before you start the school others will take the whole class to the DMV to take the test.

Yes, all of them. The usual deal with OTR is you earn one day off for every week on the road. That's not a paid day off, just a day you don't have to drive. There are lead times and minimums. My carrier required drivers to take at least four days off at a time and you had to request home time at least three weeks in advance. Just because you request a day off doesn't mean you'll get that day off. You may be a couple of days late because of weather, load availability or other factors.

It happens fast. You talk with a recruiter, get a quick background check approved then they usually send you a Greyhound ticket for their school closest to your home. You could realistically be in a CDL school in two weeks. School is usually 4 weeks then it's 28 days on a trainer's truck before you get a truck of your own.

 

You're best bet is a refrigerated company to see more states in a short period of time.
There is one dry van company that runs 48 states and you have to let the dispatcher know that's what you want to do.
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Here's the dry van company:
Wilson Logistics
Wilson Logistics offers a Paid CDL Training Program designed for those with no prior experience wanting to become a professional over-the-road (OTR) truck driver. We have two training locations: Missoula, MT and Springfield, MO . We hire out of all the lower 48 states.
I think Wilson also hauls refrigerated freight for Prime, Inc. out of Springfield, MO.
.

 

KLLM and FFE both run coast to coast. Probably will train for either in Burns Harbor, Indiana.
Drivers that train in Texas are Texas residents only.
KLLM owns FFE, so they use the same cdl school in Burns Harbor.
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@Jenn72 drives for FFE
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FFE Transportation

 

Home - KLLM Transport Services
Home - KLLM Transport Services

 

CDL Training & Truck Driving School | Stevens Transport
@Wasted Thyme went through Stevens training program.

 

1. CFI Temp-Control – CFICFI Temperature Control, established in 2021, is the official carrier of CFI freight requiring controlled temperature environments due to varying factors. With the enterprise of CFI behind them, CFI Temperature Control provides a professional, dependable and safe experience for our customers freight from pickup to delivery.
   
   
2. .
   
3. Company-paid Tuition
   With a 12-month commitment to drive for CFI, qualified students can now receive fully paid tuition to attend driving school in Missouri. We’ll even cover your room and board for the duration of the four-week course.

 

Stevens Transport starts a new class every Sunday afternoon.
My guess is you will be flown to Denver, Colorado for school at Careers Worldwide.

 

I got my CDL in Keenesburg. Careers Worldwide is where CRST and Stevens send honorably discharged veterans for training. It's veterans only, an accelerated 3 week program. Things may have changed, but when I was there everyone was bused in.

 

It's no longer just for veterans; anyone can attend.
Recently a potential student, in the Northeast, was told he would be flown in.