Companies that reimburse training costs, what's in it for them?

Tuition reimbursement is a recruiting tool. It's a good deal and many companies do it. They do monthly payments usually stretched out over 12 months.
Watkins-Shepard has tuition reimbursement and is owned by Schneider.
I wouldn't let tuition reimbursement be a deciding factor though on choosing a company. It's a good benefit, but I wouldn't pass on an opportunity with a high quality company, just for that.

 

I wasn't expecting tuition reimbursement. But at the end of orientation I found it was one of the perks. Same with a "sign on bonus". The tuition reimbursement was in reality only half of what I paid, but I wasn't complaining. The sign on bonus later got renamed to "loyalty bonus" meaning you get it in segments over a year. Keep your options open and don't settle on Werner or Schneider without doing research.

 

Did they take the tuition out of each check or did they cover the whole thing theirselves.

 

I paid for my own private CDL school so that I could pick and choose where I wanted to work (like the OP). The payments were in the form of $300-500 bonuses every 3-4 months on my check. After my 1year mark I had been paid $2500 in tuition reimbursements and $1200 loyalty bonus in segments. Also I got 3 raises. I also now have 1 week paid vacation. Not bad? I think so. That's why I say don't settle for any company at first.

 

oh ya, and that "orientation " was 2 weeks of paid classroom and outdoor instruction. $70 per day. This is all after I already had my own CDL. I talked with different companies while in CDL school..My company won't hire you unless u have a CDL already. But they will give u a hire date and schedule u for orientation if u pass the telephone interview. After that orientation was 3 weeks in a training truck. Also paid. This is all somewhat standard. But I can leave and not owe a dime because I already had my CDL. The bonuses are free.

 

Many companies bend their own hiring criteria for a high quality applicant. For example, a website may have "experience required", but yet they'll hire a new cdl grad in certain cases. You're probably one of those for 2 reasons; your age and stable work history. In trucking, older drivers starting a new career or that have retired are gold.
Here's a few companies to consider, but I don't know about tuition reimbursement for all of them. These hire new grads.
Watkins-Shepard
Leavitt's Freight Service
Northern Refrigerated Transportation
Freymiller
Navajo Express
Pride Transport
Melton Truck Lines

 

Are the companies actually reimbursing you or just getting you to work at a reduced rate and paying you back with a percentage of what they have stolen from you.
I think best to pay out of pocket and being able to pick and choose your employer.

 

Leavitt's Freight Service - haul various types of freight including wind turbine blades. They train the new driver for their specific types of freight.