Not much time and only one shot at this. Please help.

BrothaTrucka513 · Sep 3, 2025

Jennyspete said: ↑

You can get your CDL permit before going to school. Your local DMV will have a manual sometimes the DMV website will have it online. Study it and take the required tests. (There's more than one). Then you have to complete federally mandated Entry Level Driver Training. You will not be allowed to take the skills test until training is completed. Some trucking companies do have their own schools but there are many stand alone CDL schools that the mega carriers recruit from. If you go to a stand alone school and get your CDL then you go to a mega carrier and they usually have some additional training of their own and they put you with a trainer for a few months before you're let loose on your own.
Our local school has a short and long program. In my opinion, the short one is a waste of time. The long one is 540 hours. If you went full time 8 hours a day/ 5 days a week it would still take 13.5 weeks to complete just that school. I've know 4 people who went to school and all of them needed extra time. But let's say you do finish is 13.5 weeks then there's at least a couple weeks of company training and approx 3 months of running with a trainer where you won't be making crap. Even after you can drive alone you still won't make much. I dont know what you need to make but search YouTube for videos of "what you really make driving for...(fill in any mega carrier name). I've also know several people who got their CDL and went to work for a mega carrier and quit trucking after a few months because it wasn't for them. They all said the same thing. The recruiters lied it's not what they make it out to be and it's not. They figure if they can get 50 to learn to drive maybe a handful will stick around and that's fine with them.
It's not a job it's a lifestyle and it's not for everyone and that's OK. It's hard on the driver and hard on the family especially kids.
You mentioned hauling your friend's pickup truck. It's not the same. With the pickup truck you could stop anytime you wanted, if weather got bad you could stop, tired? Pull into a rest area and nap. Can't do that with a big truck. Almost no where to stop. Load has to be delivered on time. Bad weather? So what, you're a professional keep going.
I understand you're in a difficult situation but I think your time crunch might be causing you to act impulsively and rose colored glasses about trucking.
Sorry to be Debbie Downer but I have to agree with Opus. I don't think this is your best option right now. Others have mentioned Door Dash and that's a great idea to get money quickly. If you're serious about trucking then do Door Dash or something until your financially stable again then go to school for trucking and take your time. It's not something you want to rush. In my opinion most schools teach nothing more than how to pass the test but if you're serious and ask questions and take your time then you'll learn.
My info about schools and training may not be 100% accurate. I never went to school so my info is second hand and I admit I'm bias. I've been around truckers and trucking almost my entire life. I was taught old school. I like to say I was raised by wolves, it's pretty much the same thing lol. I started out by just riding along and leveling loads of bark mulch and I worked my way up from there so by the time I was actually driving I "knew" and had seen a lot so I don't have a high opinion on the current schools.
I feel for you and your situation but I would be lying if I said that learning to drive was the solution you are looking for. I know it's not the answer you want to hear but I sincerely feel it's an honest answer. Good luck to you, life sucks sometimes! We've all been there.
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He has already obtained his CDL. He's currently working on getting the experience up.

Jennyspete · Sep 3, 2025

Turdzthaword said: ↑

He has already obtained his CDL. He's currently working on getting the experience up.
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Opps didn't see the date of original post. It was under new postings. Hope everything worked out for him.

James G · Sep 4, 2025

Jennyspete said: ↑

Opps didn't see the date of original post. It was under new postings. Hope everything worked out for him.
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I appreciate your input on your previous post. I already have my CDL now and even got all the endorsements including hazmat. And I've already been crapped on by a mega on my first attempt at getting a job. (see posts 295 and 296 in this thread for the detailed story). I'm currently at home weighing my options. At least I have my CDL now.

LH98 · Sep 29, 2025

Dam dude, just read through the whole thread and it sucks, I had a not to dissimilar experience at Swift when I first started (lied to by the recruiter about orientation and pay) but was able to tough out long enough to get on a better route with better pay, because I don’t pay rent or have any real obligations. Wishing you the best, and I hope you find something you really like, I’d wish I could recommend Swift to you, they have been good to me, but you really do live and die by your DL, and i have personally not had the best experience with them in the SE region, but based on what my friends tell me they absolutely do have good people down there, it’s all just luck of the draw. If you already have your CDL, they only make you do a two week ride along orientation, where they just make sure you know what your doing. Something to consider, if you get your TWIC card, you can do port routes (mostly in and out of Panama City) and it pays .65 cpm

James G · Sep 29, 2025

LH98 said: ↑

Dam dude, just read through the whole thread and it sucks, I had a not to dissimilar experience at Swift when I first started (lied to by the recruiter about orientation and pay) but was able to tough out long enough to get on a better route with better pay, because I don’t pay rent or have any real obligations. Wishing you the best, and I hope you find something you really like, I’d wish I could recommend Swift to you, they have been good to me, but you really do live and die by your DL, and i have personally not had the best experience with them in the SE region, but based on what my friends tell me they absolutely do have good people down there, it’s all just luck of the draw. If you already have your CDL, they only make you do a two week ride along orientation, where they just make sure you know what your doing. Something to consider, if you get your TWIC card, you can do port routes (mostly in and out of Panama City) and it pays .65 cpm
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Thanks for your reply. If you read the entire thread, you can see how I jumped on getting my CDL and endorsements with both feet. Everything went well until I had that very bad experience with the first trucking company I tried to get on with, US Xpress. That certainly left a very sour taste in my mouth about the whole thing. I still have my job investigating utility accidents, but it doesn't pay quite enough. Struggling to stay above water with the bills and support my family. I've been doing a lot of thinking and I realize that my CDL is valuable, especially with all the endorsements on it. I think I'm going to hang on to my CDL and keep the job I have for a while and put feelers out on local driving jobs in my surrounding area, even if it's a straight truck that pays hourly. They make decent money and are home every night. I didn't slam the brakes on the whole thing, I just slowed it way down. Thanks again. Take care.

RumbleDumble · Oct 8, 2025

I worked at Melton, had a fantastic experience. I know you said you’re 59, (I’m 28) so maybe flatbed won’t be for you (I’m not sure how much physical work you want to do)

orientation was wonderful, the recruiter I spoke to didn’t BS me on anything. The pay was good. I went in with experience already, so I had .65 per mile start, and would genuinely run 2500+ miles a week. If I ran hard, I was seeing well over $2,000 gross a week. Only reason I left was the home time. You get 1 day at home for every week on the road. You got options to earn more, such as the “Road Dog” program. Which offers a day of hometime, for stopping by CDL schools and just talking to students.

Orientation is in Tulsa OK, the hotel I was in was very nice. The orientation was 8 days, and if you’re inexperienced, you’ll spend 4 weeks with a trainer. Load security training was also very thorough.

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