WannaBe looking for a ride to see what it is all about

Hi,

My name is Ray and I am 55 years old. I am seriously considering going to CDL school and breaking into trucking. I would be most interested in going on a round trip with a big rig and seeing what it is all about. I live in Portland Oregon and am free most of the time. Any hints on how to get that intro would be appreciated.

I can afford to pay for school and from what I have read, that would be money well spent rather than be a slave. Of course, slaves are probably higher on the list of people they want to hire?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Ray

PS - Love the forum and all the first hand experience being handed out. This is exactly what I need to begin making decisions on how to get started.

 

Got it and lesson learned.

 

Good advice and thanks for the push back 'thedrifter'. I see IITR training trucks on the road around Portland all the time. Any chance of you providing some feedback on why IITR?

What I am trying to ascertain is whether it is advantageous for me to pay for my training up front and try and avoid the scams or am I trading one problem for another. A job opportunity to earn my way into a trucking job is as important as anything since a CDL is rather useless without a job. I.e., does a company sponsored training program give the company a vested interest or are all of them requiring the student to sign their life away. Trying to get a straight or complete answer from some of these schools is like pulling teeth.

I contacted Elite Trucking school in Hillsboro Oregon this morning. Any feedback on their program? They claim a 96% hire rate after graduation. Does that sound credible and does anyone have direct experience with their training program?

I'm hoping if I do my homework on the front end, I can avoid the pitfalls and create a positive experience while taking advantage of all the opportunities afforded to me here in Portland Oregon.

Thanks again for the feedback and this forum.