Need to know what company to start with

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by Buckeye91, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. Buckeye91

    Buckeye91 Road Train Member

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    I will be turning 21 in February and want to go right into trucking. My whole family has been in trucking and my Aunt and Uncle own their own trucking business. I need a company that can train me with no cost to me if I stay with them for a year or longer because I don't have 4,500 dollars to fork out. I don't really care about hometime, as long as I can get home maybe once a month, if not, no problem. I just want to work for a couple years and put up with whatever crap I'm given until I turn 23 and I can go drive with my Aunt and Uncle. So far I have looked at a few companies, and two stick out, Roehl and Prime Inc. Any opinions/experiences on these? Any other companies in mind? I'm based out of Findlay or Lima, OH. I would prefer a company that I didn't have to slip seat with.

    Thanks,
    Chris
     
    tcmanuel Thanks this.
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  3. Nycmex77

    Nycmex77 Light Load Member

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    swift,stevens transport,prime,FFE,conway,werner,millis,crst,cr england etc.
     
  4. Buckeye91

    Buckeye91 Road Train Member

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    I can't do CR England because I don't have a perfect driving record. But Prime and Roehl said they would accept my record. I have heard that freight is real slow for vans at roehl, is it the same for prime right now? How about roehl's reefer freight? My aunt and uncle are only doing flat right now, so I don't know from them.
     
  5. gt4jk

    gt4jk Light Load Member

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    Hey Chris! I'm in the same situation with you minus the family own'd business, and I'm in California; I would check out the EDD office in Ohio (http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/JobSeekers/index.stm) and go with a local school (Reason because If you do get fired or quit for any reason you'll owe the company couple grand, So let the state pay for the local trucking school if they can/will) ...

    I'm heading to United Truck Driving school here in Cali, and the State will help a whole lot (I only have to fork up very little) and then I'm thinking of going with Watkins and Shepard or Roehl or KLLM and few others All of them are typically recommended throughout this forum and I've done thourough research on them and talked with a lot of truckers that are at the Truck stop just down the road.

    Roehl does have a "School" though, and I heard few good things but it's just that fear if you get fired or quit you have to owe them the money for the schooling they put you through. (Thats with many companies)

    I wouldn't choose CR England at all.
     
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  6. Buckeye91

    Buckeye91 Road Train Member

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    Yeah, same here, I will not choose CR England, I've heard good things about Roehl though, and so so things about Prime. the office that you mentioned can't help me though unless I am unemployed. So that is out of the question.
     
  7. gt4jk

    gt4jk Light Load Member

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    Have you called them? and Told them your situation?

    Roehl is good, Prime is good as well but I don't like the idea of getting another truck everytime your home for a week .. Thats kind of stopping me from going with them.
     
  8. chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

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    Make a list of your wants and needs and find a company that is going to best suit you. One driver may bash a company and boast how bad they are and you may find they are the perfect company and have a long lasting career with them. Once you have narrowed your search down to a couple dozen companies then start calling them to see what else they have to offer and what their criteria is.

    You can also try for government funding too. At 21 it is going to be hard to match all of your requests. A lot of the mega-carriers want you to be 23 at least. Central Ref is a good company and has a school but not sure what their age requirement is.

    Whatever you do don't make your career decision on some else's opinion.

    Good luck!
     
  9. gt4jk

    gt4jk Light Load Member

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    True!, Swift is one of the companies that you have to be 23 unless you have military expierence then you can be 21 but other than that do what he said as well

    :biggrin_25514:
     
  10. 88M on 287

    88M on 287 Bobtail Member

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    I am also looking for a company to start with...of course, I'm not 21...but I still want to know who to start with. It's hard to know when you've got advice coming from every direction. Some say "go with this company" others say "avoid them at all cost!" If you call the company, they're going to tell you what you want to hear, right? (Except Schneider who wouldn't answer my questions because they said "if I say you can make X amount, you'll expect to make that much & I can't promise you anything...")
     
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