I don't want to pay for my "CDL school", so how about......

94nole, I appreciate your input. I have been reading on these boards for a little bit and decided to ask. This is what my 'gut' says to do also. I like that the college trained you for a longer period of time. I am in no hurry right now. I have lots of time on my hands. after 10yrs with Xerox they let a lot of us go and continue to do so. blessing in disguise actually. now I can go back to school and do something I "really" like. Thanks for your input man I really appreciate it.

 

most OTR trucking companies simply will not/can not hire a student driver unless they have a diploma from a trucking school. either that, or you have to be one of these people who have already been driving a truck for decades. theoretically, legally you could drive with a licensed driver if you just have a permit, to get some experience. but even if you took, and passed the road test at the DMV and got your CDL (you'd probably have to rent a truck to take the test,) most O/Os would not be able to employ you unless the company to which they're leased approves you to pull their freight. SO.....the community college you mentioned sounds like your best bet.

 

I keep my instructors certificate from Texas right next to my bounced paycheck from my last instructing job.

 

You can do worse than a CDL mill. There are trucks with little bitty trailers that have "Rent me for your CDL road test" written on the trailers. They have automatic transmissions in them and short trailer that takes no set up talent at all to get around a corner.

I have had several of these "graduates" with a brand new CDL license that couldn't get a job anywhere and had to go through a CDL mill anyway to get the certification anyway. All it did was put off the inevitable for a week or two. And I had to teach them how to drive anyway even though they had their license. A few were even arrogant about it!

I had to provide humiliation.

 

That is grandfathering....I did that when I turned in my old Commercial Chauffeurs license. You know, the one I got out of the crackerjack box?

 

Umm, Xerox let a bunch of you go...... or was it one guy and they kept "copying" him????

Sounds like you've got your answer. Get the best and broadest training you can buy. It will pay off in the long run. Cheaping out here will come back to bite you. Good luck.

 

I wish it were like the old days where you just took someone out for a few weeks, one on one and taught them to drive. It was simple and effective.

There is an old shut down truck stop on 287 North and West of Fort Worth Texas. When I win the mega millions Tuesday, March 2 2010. I am going to buy that old truck stop and convert it into living areas, entertainment areas and start my own driving school. I will offer a quarterly scholarship to one student and will use that as a recruiting tool. I will also pay less for fuel because there are fuel pumps on the property.

The lodging problem will be settled, fuel problem will be settled and the backing yard problem will be settled as this was an old bull haulers stop between Fort Worth and Amarillo Texas with a paved yard.

Dreams are cheap, have plenty of them.

 

I have a question that someone might be able to help me with. I joined the US Army in 1986 and in 92 I finished my contract obligation. I went to a truck driving school and hired on to JB Hunt. After I met their obligatory time for paying for my school, I left and drove for a local company. I have about 4 years experience with van, flatbed, doubles. In 1996, I decided to go back into the Army to finish my retirement. I am now there, I retire from the US Army at the end of May and want to get back into trucking. I am going to renew my CDL with all my endorsements this week, but companies are telling me that my experience has to be within the last 1-3 years. Is there any company that will hire, outside the frightening 5 (JB, Eng, Swift, CRST Sneider) with experience from years ago. I certainly do not want to go back to driving school nor do I want to be in a truck 8 weeks with a trainer getting paid .13 a mile.