How to get into Trucking?

I'd start with applying to companies that hire new drivers. You may have trouble with employment history. Test the waters before doing too much on the school side. They may help you fill any blanks and get things moving faster. Call them for the fastest results. Just be ready to divulge lots of personal info they'll need it for the application.
Good Luck!

 

Some companies that do cdl a training is
Prime
CR England
Schneider
Also look on craigslist you might find a ma and pa one

 

Each company will have a different program. When I did it I paid a company $600 to train me and put me to work. They gave the money back to me after I worked for them for six months. I obtained a CDL in a week, was a trainee for a two weeks, was second seat for a month, and then first seat by my second month. By my third month I was a trainer. (training felons fresh out of prison) I doubt you will go this route today.

You need to find a company with a paid training program. I can't vouch for any of them. I've heard good and bad about all of them. Here's a few to start with.

CR England https://www.crengland.me/ps-generic...rengland.com&gclid=CKaPkdTQgs0CFZRlfgodXnIL5Q

Swift http://joinswift.com/new-to-trucking.html

Schneider https://schneiderjobs.com/company-drivers/truck-driving-career/find-truck-driving-school

Give them each a call and ask them about their programs. Compare them to see which suits you best.

Others here may be able to give a better recommendation to a specific company.

These new driver programs will help you obtain your CDL, and give you on the job paid training. You're not going to make a ton of money up front. The goal is to get your foot in the door and get some experience. Get a year or two of experience and then hire on as an experienced driver with a company that pays well. Play your cards right and you can easily be making $80,000+ dollars a year by your third year as a company driver.

Don't let anybody talk you into buying your own truck until you've been out here a few years.

 

Go to CR England.

A guy in your position wouldn't mind working 6 months for them under contract after getting a "free" CDL.

You only need enough money to survive for two weeks of school

 

Why CR England?? Being in Arizona I would go to Swift. They're a lot better than CRE and won't push a flease or teaming on him.

 

Go to the 'one-stop' workforce developement center in Tucson (Ajo Rd)..They, the county, has paid for 3 friends to go thru school, and are now driving...they were 'down on luck' situations....
I dont know what qualified them...your time off the planet might be an issue, it'll be a free ride tho, so, worth checking out i guess...

 

They have better training, which is what you need the most when you're new. They just don't want to pay

 

Where in Arizona do you live? Swift's headquarters and main terminal is in Phoenix, along with the Swift Academy (school). If you are at all interested in exercise and don't mind sweat, they run a flatbed division there and the one week load securement school is taught there.

As I understand it Swift doesn't charge up front for school. They provide a bus ticket and put you up in a motel during school. I'm not sure what the total cost is for school and motel, about $3,000 or so, but that is taken out on a weekly basis your first year with Swift. If you stay two years they pay that back, so school is free, although it can be argued that getting a job with another company would pay you more and you would be money ahead paying the school out of your pocket by taking a job with another company.

I worked two years at Swift when I got back into trucking, one year as a trainer. You do 200 hours behind the wheel training, at least 50 hours with the trainer in the passenger seat before being qualified to run as a team.

Best money will be running OTR or western regional on flatbed IMHO. Flatbed will also give you experience for higher paying jobs in the future.

Tanker is also better pay. Swift doesn't haul tanker, Chinatown can give good advice for Arizona companies.

 

He will incur the biggest problem with Swift....employment blanks....