Help me please!

I started my career with Prime.. In my opinion they had a good training program. Long, but good.

Long story short, I quit driving for a few years, then wanted to get back into it. Wound up using my GI Bill at Sage Technical Services for a refresher course, and finally got hired on with a company last Feb.

(Sage has a good training program as well, plus like others have said, you're not tied to any one company. The downside, of course, is that you're not guaranteed a job with any company either.)

Leadfoot

 

If you are able to goto a community college to get your cdl i would suggest that route over the big trucking company sponsored schools. then once you've got your cdl find a smaller company that has a training program. I would suggest WestSide Transport out of Cedar Rapids, IA if you live the midwest. They're a pretty good company to work for and they have solid freight in IA,IL,WI,MN,MO area. No matter where you go be prepared for a tough first 6mos financially. I highly suggest to avoid Swift, Werner, Prime or any of their clones if you intend on making a living.

 

It's tough getting started. Some drivers get a better fighting chance than others. I think the best drivers are the ones that started out with those scum sucking companies that's been treated bad and sent to NYC and many #### holes of the northeast. Gotta set goals and don't settle with those starter companies. I stayed in the northeast when I started driving. 21 years old and had no idea about nothing. Unloading trucks and running day and night in all kinds of weather. It was a long row to hoe looking back but nowadays I just get out of bed and make a pot of coffee. Watch the gossip on the news with my other half. Drive to work and flop my fat ### in my truck. Walk inside, grab my bills. Hook to my trailer. Head 1.5 hours to my favorite breakfast joint. Drive another 2 hours to meet another driver. Swap trailers and head back to the barn. Drop my trailer and toss my bills in the dispatcher window. Get in my car and go to my favorite place to have a couple drinks and some kind of salsa with shrimp, steak and chicken in it. Unwind a bit then head home. Still home in time to mow the lawn or whatever else needs done. It's almost like being retired after 20 years of trucking with a $70,000+ income. I pay a dude to take care of my landscaping, house painting, deck painting, etc. Trucking has been good to me but you gotta start somewhere.

 

I have scoured the net and while I am still finding out about companies that train, so far prime has been top of the pile and I may soon be there as well. Their training is long but you get money if you need it as you go and the pay when you get out of training is the best I have seen for just starting out. Good Luck and I hope everything go's smooth for both you and me, LOL.

 

Sounds something like I did. Those were the good old days of trucking. I think it can be done today, but one would probably have to come from a trucking family or off the farm or so..not someone rasied on computer games.

 

You should be ashamed of yourself! Thats too easy of a trucker life. Just kidding, You must be on with UPS or Yellow or the likes I imagine.

 

May I ask what horrific stories stories have you heard about Will Trans. Feel free to PM me. I have only heard great things about the company and my personal experience with them has been fantastic.

 

Will Trans is a completely different company than prime. The only connection between the two companies is Wil Trans hauls Prime loads.

 

They are leased on to Prime.

 

Yep. One of the alikes