Driving a truck is my dream job, will do whatever it takes to get my foot in the door

Great advice, job hopping is not the thing to do so research your choices and you can stay healthy while on the road.

 

I gained 40lbs in 2yrs and also had a heartattack back in April..keep an eye on ur blood pressure and try to stay away frm the greasy food..I also came down with diabetes which occur when you hav a heartattack..but the main thing I stress is HEALTH..can't make money in a pine box..

 

You will most likely get a million different answers. My personal suggestion would be to go through company sponsored schooling. For example a company like Central Refrigerated has their own school in which you can go through for no money up front. They will also pay for your transportation and lodgings and a few meals. Only thing you have to pay for is the cost of getting your license when you pass the test. Should be under a hundred dollars though. You will have to sign a contract though for about a year. For some reason a lot of people have a problem with this. Personally I would rather be on the hook with a trucking company than a bank or financial institution or worse yet the government! If you default with the trucking company or quit they aren't going to take your house! The biggest advantage in doing this is that provided you pass the test at the end of your training you are guaranteed a job! This is a no brainer!

There are many other ways of obtaining your CDL and becoming a professional. You just need to decide which route will best suit your individual needs.

I can tell you for certain though in that nowadays you really must go through some type of schooling, whether it be company schooling or regular truck driving school. The days of just going to the DMV are past. Insurance companies now dictate what companies can and can't do and nowadays they are only accepting drivers who have completed a certain number of hours through an accredited school. So don't screw yourself by trying to take a short cut. I am sure you can find a lot of horror stories on this website from drivers that have tried that route. Do it right the first time and it will save you lots of time and money!

Good luck man...

 

Stay away from company sponsored training . If you fail to meet the employment obligation (and the majority don't ) not only will they sue you for several thousand dollars but they will refuse to give you your training certificate until you have paid that amount .

 

First thing....get pre-qual'ed so you know you meet their hiring criteria.
Some starter companies might not hire you because of your age, ie - lack of work experience.
(They make exceptions if you're ex-military.)
You don't want to pay and go thru school only to find out no one will hire you upon graduation.

 

True. Just make sure the "BS" filter is engaged while sorting the wheat from the tares.

 

I have a number for a Nabors recruiter in west texas who will talk to low-time-in cab ....

 

FFE is advertising one their "career" online thingie that they will take that and as well placing those statements in ads in papers in several towns + I had the SNI recruiter tell me to call their career contact 1.800 # for nothing more than passing C.D.L. driving test with a 92 with decades of actual work in related environments, I suggest avoiding the really big operations to start due to what FEELTHEWHEEL says but I was looking for and continue to look for what road_runner speaks of as that is where I can sift the only real competitors I have ~ speaking of which I talked to the yard-manager for a major recently - who confirmed what I have as "valuable" for the companies who have what I am looking for