CDL School starts on Monday!

Choose a good company; don't let the school or other students choose for you.

 

Excited... yes, that's good/expected. No need to be nervous. It's like driving a car, just 50 foot longer!
Look forward to you filling us in, as things progress.

 

Henderson is awesome I love it.. doing the class now. They treat you like family they really do.

 

Be a good girl and tell texasbbqbest what A.I.M. means.

 

Best of luck to you.

 

A few points to consider:

1- Don't believe everything any recruiter tells you. Fact check for yourself, even if that means talking to more than one recruiter.

2- Don't go to any "CDL Mill" school and stay away from schools that teach on automatics. Check your school's credentials and find out how many hours of training, AND miles of driving you'll get for your money. Pay the least for the most. The curriculum at the school where I went is 9 weeks, 320 hrs and 1,000 miles of driving, and costs about $2,100.00. inclusive of books and materials.

3- Pay attention in class and do your homework.

4- Show initiative. In my class, I was the "dispatcher." No one got truck keys without getting them from me. Instructors tend to show a bit more respect for students who want to do more than sit in a classroom, or a truck.

5- Don't be a clown, but be an extrovert. You'll find more classmates are willing to help you out, if you get in a jam, when you joke or chat with everyone.

6- Try to be the 1st student to show up to class every day.

7- If it's not given on the first day of class, get your instructor(s) cell number on the first day of class and be sure to update him/her/them with any information related to you and school, no matter how trivial.

8- If you haven't done so already, start researching potential employers now. I graduated 2 months ago and before I even started school I had 2 pre-approval letters. By the time I was into my 2nd week of school, I had 7. By the time I was 1 week from graduation, I had 12. Then it's just a question of "innie, minnie, mynie, moe."

9- Don't fall in the trap of "this company pays more per mile than that one." Usually, you will drive less for companies that promise you more $$ per mile, and vice versa. IOW, don't expect to make a whole lot of $$ your first year. Also, remember that sign-on bonuses are NEVER paid in a lump sum.

10- If you're borrowing the money to pay for school, give greater consideration to companies that offer a tuition reimbursement program, pay the most during training, and have the shortest, yet most comprehensive training program. Do the same if you're paying out-of-pocket, BUT don't close yourself to working for a good company, just because it may not have a tuition reimbursement program, especially if you paid as little as I did. AND, STAY AWAY FROM COMPANIES THAT REQUIRE YOU TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT FOR LITTLE OR NO $$.

11- Don't expect a local job right after school. Most companies that offer local jobs require a minimum of 1 year experience. I've seen some that require 3 years, and one that required 10 years experience.

12- Get a good pair of leather work boots with oil resistant rubber soles. Sneakers are ok, but you're likely to tear them up quickly. These are the ones I bought for school, and they still look pretty new; http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00195FZF0...lid=15YSO1B6S4IXE&coliid=I3MYFA424WYJXP&psc=1

Above all, don't be nervous. Have fun, but keep your head on a swivel. Also, don't be afraid of screwing up and don't take it personal if an instructor yells at you. None of us were born driving a truck

 

Good luck! Maintain your excitement and positive attitude and things will work out.