All carriers with in-house CDL schools suck, right? So, which one SUCKS THE LEAST???

Man, if you don't do it soon, you're going to be 'newoldwasgonnabe'

Seriously, though, all the listed companies will teach you at least the basics. And no school will get you completely ready for what's out there, no matter how long it is. You just have to get that 1st year of experience out of the way. You can research forever, but you still won't get all the answers.

Most commercial schools, and some of the cc schools, won't teach you much more than what a company school will teach you. Most will just get you up to speed to get your CDL. The time with a trainer will be of more value.

Read up on people's experience with that aspect. Do the trainers expect to run team as soon as you get into the truck (CR England used to be notorious for that, not sure about now)? Do they just take you along for the ride just to get the trainer's pay, but don't bother teaching you anything? That's been known to happen, as well.

As far as safety scores, none of the big mega companies, especially those that take fresh grads, are not going to have great scores. The companies with good scores, and happy, or at least very satisfied drivers, are the ones who only have to advertise in the local paper when and if they do have a opening. They don't spend big bucks for ads in all the free so called magazines. Many don't even have a actual recruiter, just someone in the office who processes aps, when needed.

But those are the companies that generally a newbie doesn't get on with, due to lack of experience and the fact that they don't do training.

Not out of choice, but because they will take me on without me having to go through school again, or take a refresher (neither of which I can afford), I'm going with Swift. I'll only have to go with a trainer for the 6 weeks. Funny thing is, it's possible that I will have loads more experience than my trainer. But I'll bite the bullet and keep my yap shut and do my time. I'm also going in with the idea that I might actually like Swift as a employer and stay on with them. If not, I'll give them at least a year, before I apply to one of the 3 companies on my 'best' list.

For the record, if the only company that would take me on, instead of Swift, were CR England, I'd forget the whole thing and go get a job in a c-store!

 

ps: Can't vote for more than one in the poll.

 

Oldnewbiegonnabem, Here is my 2 cents. You might try Willis Shaw Express. 3 of my customers drive for them, and claim it's a no bovine scat company. I don't know if this is 100% true, but I found speaking to the company recruiter different. He did not!: promise $100 grand a year w/home time every 2-3 weeks, & a free lot lizard biggrin_2559:joking about this one,wife will kill me) After asking about H & Wife teams I was told "If you are looking to make what it's worth for you and your wife to forsake home you should look into H&W team focused company like Con-Way." Not: The both of you need to sign on now and get your 2011 Condo BS! like every one else so far. Good Luck & Good Hunting.

 

Regardless of where you go to school you can be a good driver if you commit yourself to being safe and knowledgeable.

I'd say anywhere you go they should teach the Smith System and if they don't you can look it up and practice its principles. In addition to implementing the Smith System principles into your daily driving habits I'd advise any newbie to use GOAL - get out and look- anytime you're backing into a dock or into a truck stop parking spot. After a year or so of experience GOAL isn't always necessary as you may reach a certain level of proficiency that it's not needed unless you're unsure of your trailer's position. The Smith System is a set of lifetime discipline's that will keep you out of trouble your whole career if you commit to them.

 

IMHO, all any school will focus on is how to get your cdl. Anything more will help you become more familiar with trucking but may only confuse you. School may say one thing, a trainer another, but true learning will come when you do it no matter what shool you attend.