newbie want-to-be

I've had a truck in the yard for years now. That said, I wanted to go over the road and had no Class A. I chose to attend a school and then make an attempt to choose the company I'd work for. W/O documented experience, most companies aren't too interested.

The school you choose should be based on a few different things imo. For me, I looked into cost and distance at the top of the list. Then I attended the three schools at the top of my list so I could see what they do and how they go about it.

That visitation was the best thing for me. I would've gone to the 1st school I visited if not for having made up my mind to visit others. Once I did my online investigating and my visits, my choice was EASY.

Community College seems like a good choice, but if you aren't looking for college credits, that may not be the best choice, though it will almost undoubtedly be the least expensive and may well be the most comprehensive. It may take the longest.

The average 3wk school is there for a single reason. . . To get you a Class A license. They tend to push people through like the military, hoping you will figure it out as you go. Most people do(just very poorly).

Now there are the versions like I went with, Accredited schools. The one I chose required any student to complete a 33 lesson book before graduating the class. They required 28 of those lessons be completed before beginning class. You get to keep the books when you're done, so you can continue to learn or brush up later(haven't used mine, but they are waiting- and I should!)

And then the companies who hire those who graduated from their shool. I don't like those because they force a contract and you'll be stuck with them whether or not you like the situation. . . Or you can pay them a fee to let you go. Seems like a bad idea to me.

Most locals won't hire inexperienced drivers because of one simple fact. They don't have to! They get to choose because most people can't stand OTR forever. The driver with more than 2yrs exp. will cost less to insure. . . Well, that's their story anyway. I drove a dump truck for ages, but can't get hired by a local company, even though they know me! They stick with the insurance policy. So it's sticking with status quo for now, for me.

Best of luck making your decision.

 

Hello Mr Italian Guy.

I can make this really simple for you.

If you want to go local. You do not need a certificate of training for a school and there is plenty and I mean plenty of local jobs that will take you with a CDL and no experience (school, no school, no experience at all). It will only be a bit more of a process finding local work than going OTR with a certificate from a school.

Why? Because OTR companies are completely setup to recruit you, and most local companies are just one or two guys that are appointed to hiring drivers.

OTR. There is nothing wrong with OTR at all. Choosing this direction is quicker and easier than going local. You can get your training through schools or companies that will send you through school. And it is easy to switch companies if you have the certificate.

Pay. You can make a very close percentage locally as you would OTR your first year or two. So treat those first two years as those words you always hear "putting in your dues" which really should be called "building your experience / seniority".

Hope this helps.

Ray James

 

Good luck Italian guy, on your pursuit
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RobW had some good words for you. If you owned a local company who are you seriously going to give a job too? Keep in mind you put a lot of your hard earned money into buying your trucks and you want to retain your customers at all cost. So, would you hire a stranger that doesn't know how to drive a truck, or would you hire a stranger that went to school and has lived his life in a truck for the last two years and has a proven record backed by an MVR and DAC history report? HUH! Not really a head scratcher is it! I know who I would choose to drive my $200,000 rig with its million dollars worth of content! I see your dilemma ItalianGuy. If you are not into traveling and leaving your family for long periods of time then trucking may not be for you. It is a good career, you can make good money but it is not as simple as holding a steering wheel. Now, there is a chance you might get hired locally. There are some people that luck out and land their dream jobs. Right place, right time I guess. Times are a little different right now though and a lot of people are looking for jobs. Just the fisherman alone on the gulfcoast probably make a good chunk of that population. If you are still interested in over the road driving keep doing your research. Don't be afraid to call these companies and talk to the recruiters. Keep in mind when doing so that they get paid by the number of heads they bring to orientation. Same with the trucking school recruiters. If you go to a private school at is going to run you anywhere from $3500.00-$10,000. They will push a loan thru for you so that you may attend their school. A lot of companies will pay this back to you if you work for them for a length of time. The other advantage of private schools is that you will be at your home while attending for the three weeks. If you find a company that you like and it has a school you might want to consider that also. You sign an agreement saying that you will work for them for so long to pay back your schooling. This might be a better option if you do not have a lot of cash flow. The companies will pay to get you wherever they are located and will pay for your lodgings and usually a meal or two a day. After your schooling you will be put with a trainer for 4-6 weeks and paid a salary ranging from $300-450 a week. Your trainer usually pays for meals and such since you are making them a ton of money driving. After your trainer passes you, you will be assigned your own truck and usually sent toward your house for a couple days. Sounds like a long process but it goes by quick and is a lot of fun. Pretty much like a paid vacation! Keep the questions coming there are a lot of helpful people on this website. Oh Yeah, Welcome!

 

I can't believe i just did that!!!! Read the dates dummy, read the dates! Toro you got me! Well maybe someone will find that info helpful!

 

Chompi, It happens to us all :smt046
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