What's a good "free" company sponsored training program to go to?

With Central Refrigerated being gradually folded into Swift, perhaps you might as well go to their school in Tennessee.

 

Check out Prime as well. $200 a week for the 1st 2-3 weeks until you're ready to test for your CDL. Once you pass you're bumped to $600/ week guarantee. (I actually averaged closer to 750 last year when I went thru the program, 600 is just the least you'll get). Once you accumulate 30,000 miles with your trainer (combined) you'll be able to go solo in your own truck. Starting pay once you're solo is. 42 cpm + up to 6cpm xtra for hitting certain mpg #s. Which is why many of us go 55-58.

All in all took me little less than 3 months to go from no experience to my own Cascadia. Didn't cost me a dime, but you will need tosign a 1yr agreement. But hey, I'll take a free CDL, get paid while training, and now bringing home $1k paychecks as a company driver and I'm happy. With that fuel bonus I've been averaging about 46cpm. Sometimes it pays to go slower.

 

If you don't mind my asking, is that $1,000 net? That would be pretty good rates right out of the box.

 

I went through Driver Solutions which gives free cdl training sponsored by PAM and USA Truck. They have schools in Fort Wayne,IN and Indianapolis, IN. You will have to stay with one of those companies for a year to clear the cost of the school.

 

Roehl last I heard was covering lodging cost for students traveling in. Call and talk to Kim. I am going to their school in June. She told me lodging would be covered. Just need money for licensing.

 

False. Absolutely false.

When you go to a company sponsored school, you (and their representative) sign two contracts.

The first is for them to provide the schooling.

The second is for you to pay for the provided schooling.

Most companies have a provision in the second contract that the company will pay for the schooling if you work for them for a specific period of time. Most companies do so in one year. Others do so after a certain number of miles driven. The recruiters can give specifics for their company.

 

nothing is free, all of the company sponsored programs require indentured servitude to pay the school back, or a HUGE cash payoff.

 

Good ideas so far posted. Here's another one:

Southern Refrigerated Transport

furnish hotel room and 3 meals a day
will send a bus ticket to Texarkana, AR

 

That would be net, on an average typical week. They pay the rookies incredibly well, which is the main reason I chose them initially. I probably won't be at Prime forever but it's a heck of a place to get a good start. I'm on the company side, approaching my first year. Id recommend against leasing, but they do allow you to go that route if you so choose. I forgot to mention, Prime also covers your bus ticket or reimburses you up to what the cost of the bus would be if you elect to drive yourself or fly to springfield, MO. Free room and meals all week until you wrap up orientation and go out with a trainer.

Prime is big on maximizing MPG. As I mentioned before, many of us drive in the 55-58 range to reel in the mpg bonus they offer. As much as it annoys other drivers, that fuel bonus alone in the summer can bring you an additional $100-$150. I averaged about 2800 miles+ a week last year solo. This past winter dipped down a bit to around 2500 but that's to be expected with the barrage of blizzards we seem to keep getting.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Feel free to check out ouur company forum on here. You'll find more info from the "vets" than I can really offer.