Schneider Truck School ?

Hey just to help, if you hit that button that says " reply with quote" it makes it a lot easier for the rest of us to know who your talking to. It on the right side of the screen at the bottom of the post box. Just trying to help.

 

Yes I am from Charlotte, NC and Schneider does have a terminal here but they do not have a truck school. You have to obtain your cdl prior to working for them. And our city has grown tremendously....I love our weather and everything about our growing city including our wonderful panthers....GO Carolina!!!

 

oldB52:

1.) Get a DOT physical. The paperwork is a little different now. But the main reason is that might be the only thing stopping you. Find out if there are any unknown medical issues. Getting the card can be a hassle as well.

2.) Check out milk-haulers. Some pay well and may train you their way.

3.) Schneider is cool. Don't know enough to say about the rest.

4.) Ask questions. Take notes. Things are competitive now. There is about zero growth these days in trucking. Just showing up isn't good enough. Prepare now or prepare later . . .

 

Yes, mike54, as long as you've kept your CDL current. If you haven't, a Refresher will do nothing for you.

 

oldB52, I admire you for coming back! I have that same yearning that you have, to drive again, and specifically, to haul tankers! I'm 50 and desire this to take me through into my retirement years, as you may as well.

I haven't seen anything you've written so far that says you've kept your CDL current over all these years. If this is the case, taking a Refresher course as my buddy ethos mentioned, will do you no good. As far as I understand, a 40 hour Refresher course is for someone who has kept their CDL current, while not having recent driving experience. (Schneider for one, will allow its prospective drivers who have a CDL but no recent driving experience (its been 5 years for me), to take a 40 hour Refresher instead of taking CDL school all over again. For at least one company I know of, my CDL is of no value to them. They would require me to take CDL school all over again. That is beside the point here...)

In your case, it sounds to me like you're either going to have to go to an independent CDL school (which it sounds like from a future post that right now that wouldn't be an option for you, unless you could apply for and qualify for some assistance doing it) or get a company like you've referred to: Prime, to bring you on as a Trainee to earn your CDL and complete 60,000 miles of training with them. This is the route I chose 5 years ago. Its good in some ways and not so good in others. Not having to come up with cash for CDL school is good, however, living on a truck in such a confined space, day and night, for so many miles and several months with a total of two CDL Instructors and one Trainer, was difficult (two CDL Instructors for 5000 miles and one Trainer for 55,000 miles)! All three were ungodly and crude men who had such a level of control over me, when they were not qualified IMHO. I will submit to a Trainer who is fair, and not a severe yeller,... but there is a limit! One was a cross-dresser. Him revealing that to me... was absolutely inappropriate and should have had NO PLACE in trucking!)! God gave me the fortitude to make it through, and I learned a lot, but it was tuff! If I have to go to CDL school again, as you might consider doing, going through the day and going home to sleep in my own bed at night, is of great value! If going back to a company like Prime was my only option (thank God it is not!), as much as I love trucking, I'd probably choose another career path!

The trade off for not having to come up with cash for CDL school, is that a company like PRIME uses their trainees as team drivers over 55,000 miles. That's partly how they can afford to train you, for free - to you.

If you can maybe apply for a grant to go to a community college,... to get your CDL, I'd do that. Then, go to Schneider. From what ethos has said in multiple threads, Schneider is great! He's making good money with them and basically has no complaints. Tanker training in the truck with a Trainer is only a couple of weeks! That is so much more bearable than 60,000 miles, if you're not the teaming type, which Prime requires!

I truly wish you the best oldB52! Persevere, man! Do what ever it takes, cheerfully! At least I try to do these things cheerfully. And stay on here. Don't disappear. Keep us informed as to what's going on, so we can encourage you!