Paid CDL training companies in the east (SWVA)

You'll enjoy trucking. I enjoyed reefer trucking running coast-to-coast. Lots of night driving with the interior lights turned down low and listening to some soft, easy listening jazz on the open road.
I don't care what anyone says about refrigerated trucking OTR, I was a great fit for it.

 

The team/training is where you learn the 95% of this job you need to know. CDL school only teaches you how to pass the state road test. There's a lot to learn to survive going OTR.

I took my dog with me for 3 years OTR. It is good or great for staying sane. But, having a dog is also a PIA if your truck breaks down or you have accident, or go to hospital. Not every hotel or shop waiting room allows pets. During training there's little chance you will be able to have a dog. A few companies won't allow a pet until you safely complete 60 or 90 days solo. If any recruiter says their company allows pets, call the trucking company later and speak to Safety Dept, or Risk Mgmt, or whatever name they call the rules and regulation enforcers. Verify with that department your specific dog in your specific case is allowed to come with you. MOST people saying company A, B, or C allow pets say that because they saw a dog in a truck from A, B, or C. Some idiot drivers sneak a dog into a truck of a no-pets-allowed trucking company. NEVER DO THAT. That can get you immediately fired a long, long way from home. It's same type of violation as carrying a hitch-hiker. Someone can see you at truck stop or driving down road, see your dog, and ask company why can Fred bring his dog but you said I can't bring my dog?

Having a dog means you may want to only work where the trucks have APU, small auxiliary engines that provide heating/air-conditioning and electricity when the truck engine is shut down. It's OK to make a driver freeze or swelter, I guess, but it's cruel to force a pet to do the same. Also, most reefer customers may not allow pets on property so avoid refrigerated trucking, which also makes your day less stressful, IMO.

 

I guess recently trucking companies that hire newbies are trying to overcome the horrible incident rate of new drivers and are enforcing a post-training team driving period, like you describe. Sharing the limited space of a truck is hard. I found it hard to sleep during training because the almost constant bumping and banging of driving on imperfect roads and the shaking of the truck when hitting potholes, etc would wake me up often. I guess I sleep light.

Far too many newbies just accept they are going to back into things and damage the truck or trailer in normal operation, which is crazy. It's not easy to work this job without damaging the truck and trailer, but that's what you are paid and expected to do. That kind of "oh well, whatever" attitude is probably why this mandatory team-driving is happening at some companies. You should have the attitude that ANY damage to ANYTHING is almost the end of the world. My training period at the employer was 8 weeks. Trucking helped me turn my life around.

 

How the heck do you put up with this? Reefer and sitting.

 

If money is not on your list of priorities as a company truck driver, then go with dry van.
If you prefer more cash each payday, then go with reefers.
Ignore all the crybabies; this isn't about them, it's about you.