I don't know what to do next...

I live in California. Arguably one of the toughest States to be, or become a truck driver. I started local, and most of the drivers I know started local.

There are beverage companies in town that hire new drivers. Lots of dirt haulers in a 60 mile radius of here will hire new drivers. When the season is right, the ag haulers are hiring pretty much anyone with a CDL. And even a small local fuel hauler hires new drivers. A fuel hauler!! They actually have the "Drivers Wanted" sign out right now.

So, your area may be different. But if going from school straight to a local truck driving gig is doable here, it must be doable in lots of places.

 

You could put 90% of companies in a bag and shake it up and reach in a pull one out and it wouldn't make much of a difference in pay or treatment. Sometimes guys read too much on these forums. I see guys who don't even have their CDL looking down on "megas". I went with the biggest of megas, Schneider, and it was a great thing too because without getting that tank experience I wouldn't be here with Trimac today. Trimac is one of those 10% jobs and they are picky. You have to do your time.

You need to look at the real differences to you. Do they have a nearby terminal? Where do they run? Do they have other opportunities, like dedicated. Do they worship the fuel God or can you actually stay comfortable? Look drivers jump ship all the time and lots of times it's not pay, it's freight lanes. When I was a Trainer I always told my students is that the best thing they could do for their career was stay a year. So many doors open. You want to get in to the top, then you have to have a great record and a great work history. If you spend 5 minutes on this board you know who the terrible companies are. Eventually you have to just jump in. Be that at a mega or a smaller outfit. Now I've said this before and I'll say it again, the worst offers I've ever had were from small companies. You can't make broad brush statements about many things and trucking sure isn't one of them. There are no hard and fast rules in regards to small vs big, whether they advertise or not, how shiny the trucks are etc.

You have to start somewhere and most likely where you start isn't where you will end up. Maybe you will get lucky, but even if you don't it's no big deal, everyday counts toward experience and experience pays if you know how to use it.

My specific advise to every new driver is always the same. Pick up the phone call Schneider and tell them you want to drive tanks and off you go. Do your year and then evaluate your situation. Your actual big decision will come at that point.

 

No money out of pocket with Prime except your time. It is an extensive and thorough training program. With anything in this industry you need to be patient and be effecient and you will be fine. Starting out at 3 weeks of training from the orientation ( as long as there are no medical issues that hold you up)you start out with atleast $700 a week until the yr is up to pay back school.
If you want more information let me know or call Grace my recruiter and tell her that I sent you... Bev P you can email me inspirationalady@yahoo.com too.

 

Explain please

 

While on paper this sounds very attractive, I went to Indy for their school and packed my bags and left before lunch on the first day. 200 students and only two working trucks just didn't add up to me. There were students that had been there 14 weeks and had only just passed their CDL. Everyone i spoke to were complaining about the complete lack of time behimd the wheel. It just didn't add up to me so I split. And the food was horrendous. I'm starting with Millis Transfer next month.

 

I dont know where you live but here in Brooklyn they offer free cdl-a training but had I know this was free I would have gone here instead of Swift

ree Class BPS Commercial Driver's Training (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Reply to: redhookontheroad@gmail.com
Free Class B or BPS Commercial Driver's License Training with Job Placement Assistance
Red Hook on the Road is currently offering free training for the Class B or BPS commercial driver's license. Orientations are held each Wednesday afternoon from 12:30PM to 3:00 PM at 151 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. In order to apply for the training program you MUST meet the minimum requirements listed below and provide a recent copy of your New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Driver's License Report (Abstract). Admission to this free training program is competitive.
TO QUALIFY YOU MUST:
1. 21 Years or older.
2. Have a valid NY State Drivers License for at least 2 years at the time of application (or have held a driver's license for a minimum of 2 years in another state).
3. Be able to attend class Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM for 4 weeks.
4. Be unemployed
5. Be legally eligible to work in the US.
6. Live in New York City
7. Have a recent New York State Motor Vehicle Report (Abstract, less than 30 days old). You can not have more than 2 points OR 1 suspension within the past 2 years OR 1 conviction on the driver history with no combination of the aforementioned.
THOSE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED, COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT OR HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR BENEFITS AND WOMEN ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
Red Hook on the Road is an intensive 4 week hands-on training program that will help you develop the skills necessary to start a career in the commercial driving field.
Commercial drivers are employed in a variety of sectors including, but not limited to, school bus operators, M.T.A., charter buses, coach buses, Access-A- Ride as well as various trucking jobs and tour bus companies.
HOW TO APPLY
The first step is to make sure that you meet the minimum requirements stated above and then attend one of our weekly orientation sessions. Orientations are held every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. SHARP. You must arrive with a copy or your motor vehicle report (Abstract) and CDL permit (if applicable) for review to see if you meet the minimum requirements for the program. Orientation lasts about 3 hours. Orientation is conducted in order to answer any questions that you may have regarding the commercial driving field. Orientation is held at 151 5th Ave, between Lincoln Place and Saint John's Place in Park Slope Brooklyn. Please note: No one is admitted after the start time.
DIRECTIONS: Take the R train to Union Street, walk one block east to 5th Ave, make a left onto 5th Ave and proceed 2 1/2 blocks. The office is on the right side of 5th Avenue. For more information please call 718-237-4846.
•Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
•This is at a non-profit organization.
•Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
•Phone calls about this job are ok.
•Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

 

Prime takes care of u r room and meals for the orientation and then when u come back from 75 hours they pay for your room. Contact me.if you want more information. Inspirationalady@yahoo.com Bev P .

 

Have you looked into your local community colleges? Here in NC their CDL programs are 8 to 10 weeks long but their cost "here" is a quarter of what the big driving schools where.
This was one of my options before I qualified for the WIA program.

 

Real good post from Ethos. Struth.