been lurking here for a while, time to roll.
i live in dodge city kansas but im originally from miami florida.
no cdl schools close to here , so my options are:
(a)go to a company like prime or stevens to get my cdl and pay something like 4000 - 6000 dollars for my school and/or have to stay with the company for 1 year.
(b)head down to miami and get my cdl in a school which are mills... you get your cdl in like 2 weeks i think like 40 hours certificate, but only costing 1500$.
what i fear is that once i get my cdl then come back to kansas so i can be in hiring range of most companies(i live in reefer land out here), companies will ask for certificate and will see the low hours and the school which are not well-known like sage or roadmaster, and decline me.
im 24, single, no kids, frugal, no debt, just want to run hard and safe, i can make it anywhere but i rather stay away from werner or cr england, i know they will hire anyone with a cdl.
cdl question
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by BanditTrucker, Oct 28, 2012.
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You have to start somewhere. The "bad companies" aren't bad, just some people can't drive and blame everyone else.
Trucking Popeye and ewill71 Thank this. -
I would save money and do research on which companies I would consider. After knowledge of the training schools they accept, I would then pick the best training school no matter the price. It will definitely pay off to your advantage later in life. Whatever you do, CDL mills aren't an option unless you have money to throw away.
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Yes, you need a good school companies will recognize.
If you're unemployed or underemployed, WIA-Workers Investment Act , will pay for your driving school. Ask about it at your local dept. of labor or unemployment office.
Here's a good reefer company in Kansas :
Fairchild Freight
fairchildfreight.com -
What you need to do is contact Fort Scott Community College in Kansas City, Kansas. Then come to KC and live for 4 weeks in a motel. $179 a week for a nice place. Then start to work. Gully Transportation is a good company to start with. This way you have a Kansas CDL and do not have to change things around.
T...Street Thanks this. -
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First step is to contact the carrier(s) you would like to drive for. Go through the application process (No, you do not need a CDL to do this for most of the starter carriers. Do this for more than one.. they will clear you to work for them. They can and will suggest training schools for you that they will accept as training. MOST if not all of the cdl mills will NOT count as training by most reputable carriers. Attend the training, go to work.. and most of all realize that the main difference in trucking companies is the color of the trucks that they drive. The training period and the whole training process is rough and lowly paid. If you are already in financial trouble.. get that fixed before even thinking about getting into the industry.
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BanditTrucker, I would like to make you aware of more options for training. Try www.CreteCarrierJobs.com/student-driver and click on "Browse Schools". Crete accepts grads from Fort Scott Community College at www.FortScott.edu in Fort Scott,KS along with other schools in other states.
.Also check out www.SchneiderJobs.com/company-drivers/driving-school-programs Schneider approves grads from Fort Scott Community College www.FortScott.edu in Fort Scott KS, Seward County Community College/Area Technical School at www.Sccc.edu in Liberal KS and North Central Kansas Technical College www.Ncktc.edu in Beloit KS along with other schools in other states.
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Some other companies that have their own cdl training schools include Roehl $2800, Swift $3900, Stevens $4200. There are also Millis Transfer, Schneider and FFE. Also check into Con-way truckload which will send you to Crowder College in Neosho Missouri for cdl training.
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.You could also look at community colleges in North Carolina like the one in Smithfield,NC that takes out-of-state students for approximately $3200 for an 8 week school that will actually teach you something not like a mill in Florida.T...Street Thanks this. -
these school u looking at to spent that $1500 and get 40 hours will be a waste of time. while u could put 300 more and go to Mc Fatter Technical Center Or Miami Lakes Technical Center and get all 320 hours for that price. then again the CDL School and Metropolitan these two are CDL seller .the use automatic and u need to learn how to shift u gotta pay an other extra for that.
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Wherever you decide to go to school, don't be too quick to jump in a refer from the mega carriers. I would suggest hauling livestock into those meat plants. The pay is alot better, very little wait time for loading and unloading, no electronic logs, people are friendlier, and for the most part, the only crap you have to deal with is the crap you wash out of the trailer.
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