Who's been in my place?

Go to the cheapest one sni approves of. Schools are for passing the cdl test. Training at sni is where you really learn to drive.

 

Coach is right. Don't waste your money at a CDL school. Go with the cheapest and Learn to drive at Schneider.

 

I sent you a message about a Dedicated run that might interest you at a mid-sized company. Good Luck!

 

Sounds like you'd be better off going with a company that offers CDL training. Swift, CR England and a handful of others that I can't remember will get you your CDL.

 

Most CDL schools will do financing the ones that dont i would be concearned about. ideally you should look for schools that are PTDI (professional truck Driving Institute) company training is an option as well even though there considered Bottom feeders by most truckers there the one of the only ways to get into OTR as the other good carriers want 1-3 years recent OTR. so most drivers now start out at bottom feeders. you will see tons of negatives about most these companys but you should take into consideration that those complainers are most likely ex-employes that got fired or just didnt agree with company policies. or put in there time and was able to go to a better company.
School for it shouldnt cost more than $6000 as im sure that is the cut off on pay back from companys

I went to A.I.T back in 05-06 for my CDL which is a PTDI when i started there i had no guarented job at first. i went to Aarow flatbed trucking for 6 months but ended up quitting there do to a lousy DM that had me out for 4 months with no home time till i forced her to get me home which at the time was a must as my father had broken his hip. that experience left a nasty taste in my mouth for some time. i tried to get a local job but none would bring me on due to lack of enough experience. I really enjoyed truck driving though. just not my DM. but now i want to get back into it and i am bieng extremely selective of who i will go with.
I have to get another CDL as i let mine expire. i may just go back through schooling at Knight if they will take me or i will just get my CDL on my own if i have to. Knight to some are bottom feeders though but i know a few of Trucker that work there and have been there for several years and like them. i have read the negatives about them but see most as just not liking company polices and some may have just had bad DM or didnt get along with them.

but no matter what company you choose know that home time isnt set in stone. no matter what the recruiters tell you. drill this ideal into your head as i foolishly believed the recruiter. Im sure if i got that lil fact in my head i wouldve stayed in the industry longer.

note: leaving arrow was a good ideal all in all since they closed down in 09 and screwed there drivers over. search Aarow and you will see how they treated there drivers

 

I'm getting ready to join Schneider as well. Family/kids was a big concern of mine as well. Schneider seems to have a lot of dedicated routes (at least in my area). I got on one that will allow me to be home Sat and depart Monday at Midnight. My route is a team route so that may be something to think about. But I'm willing to team up if it gets me home twice a week. Plus, steady paycheck. Same amount everyweek and no worry of freight shortage

 

Would you be better off going to the raiLroad? a pension and better insurance benefits.

 

I drive local, home every night and I gotta tell ya...

The hours that I put in from the time I leave in the morning (usually before they get up) and then get home right about their bed time, in the summer months.

There aint much "family time" even driving local for many companies. TRUE, you ARE home in your own bed to protect your own home at night, however.

I remember one of the instructors at the school I went to told me that his brother drives local.
He said he leaves before the sun comes up and gets home, takes a shower, eats, goes to bed.
Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

I know just being gone 14 hours (sometimes even less) I really miss my family.
Which, my family is my World, so...

Guess what I'm tryin to say is, no matter which route you go, it's gonna suck.
I really don't see, especially for new drivers, that awesome paying truck driving job where you're putting in bankers hours.

Of course, I'd love to be steered into that job and proved wrong haha