Well I have to start over...kinda...

Keep looking, call Swift, US Express, Armelinni, and everyone else you can find. Seriously you do not need to take a full course.

Let me ask you, can you pass a driving road test? I know it has been a while, but can you shake some rust off and pass a road test? If so I am certain you can get on with a company and do the 1 to 5 week 'training program' and save yourself the time and money. Even if you take the driving school, you will still need to spend 5 weeks with a trainer, cut out the middle man and save yourself some ca$h..

Good luck

 

I feel your pain brother. I went and took my driving test for my CDL A a month ago and had no problem blind side paralell parking or backing but no school/no job. Looks like I'll be spending 5 large for a school after the holidays.

I just took a job with a local construction company driving a dump truck/ pulling equipment. The companies are telling me that will not count towards experience for OTR either. If nothing else, the truck i'll be driving has a C15 with a fuller 10 so I'll be getting some practice double clutching which I understand they all want on all the road test.

I'll be following this thread as well.

 

Swift not hiring in Florida???So why are they making attend oreintation?I told them I live in FL and they said no problem.

 

Contact JBS Carriers! I am very happy there and we have lots of Florida drivers, including me!

 

There are over 450,000 trucking companies in the US. I think maybe you are just focusing on the top 10 mega-carriers. You need to do a little more research. Try these:

http://www.newtruckdrivingjobs.com/student_%20driving_%20job.php

http://www.truckdrivingjobsin.com/

 

Swift is a great starter company and might even take you in with minimal refresher training. They have 40+ terminals all over the country, including one in Ocala. With 16,000 drivers nationwide, it's worth a try.

One of the companies, FFE, requires that every new-hire driver go through their driver academy, CDL or not. They're trying to fix some pretty bad OOS numbers and I guess that's their way of doing it. You don't have to pay for their training but you do have to sign a $2,500 promissory note; if you work 12 months, it's cancelled.