Truck driving career

I'm in the same boat, doing my research and sifting through it all

 

I just read one here that they went to roehl and had a very good experience, I think they are more a flat bed , but I think they do dry van also.

I'm going to school right now, but it's through a local company and the school district.

Maybe the schools do something there like that

 

Me too, actually addicted to this forum from all variety of topics and opinions about the companies and such

 

Let me give you guys some input.Companies that have there own trucking school can be great or bad,the good is most of them you dont have to put a cent of your own money.The bad, well you may or will have to sign a contract stating you have to be be enployed thru them for a amount of time.It can be any where fron 12 months to 24 months.Now if you go that way,you may or may not like the company.Now also, if you pay on your own for trucking school,you can drive for any one you like.Must of your starter companies do get bad rap about them time to time,but you gotta start somewhere.You need at lease 6 months to 1 year exp any where else.Once you have at lease 1 year exp,doors to better companies will open.Like my dad sed to tell me 'start from the bottom and work your way up'.You cant realy tell if you will or will not like a company until you try them.I personaly think the first year in truckin is the hardest,but it does get better down the road.I hope this will help a little.

 

Your right! But guy's let me point somthing out to you...If you go through a school your first Co. will offer tuiton re-embuersment right? Ok, so in order to get that you will have to bee with them for about a year to 18 mths. ok? If you go to a training Co like Roel or Sni. you have to sign the contract.... Same thing!!! Now if you go to school and dont like your firs Co. so you go to someone else that co. will not pick up tuiton payments.... To me it's 12 in one and a dozen in the other... the schools will tell you, You dont want to sign the contract.. well lets say you go with the training co. , and you get your cdl and 3-6 mths you dont like it, thats ok you Can leave you just have to pay them for the training just like you went to school.... So in my opinion it really does'nt matter I like the Traning Co rout, you dont have to worry about your credit , Financing, yada yada...

 

I went to a local driving school and used my VA to pay for it. I then went to Roehl. I have read some bad posts on here about them, but I can honestly tell you that I had nothing but a positive experience with them. I drove for them for about 5 months and ended up getting a job here at home. I’m not driving anymore, but totally enjoyed the time I had behind the wheel. The only bad part was the amount of time away from home. It is not for everyone. I didn’t mind it, but my wife didn’t like it at all. She put up with it as it was paying the bills, but she didn’t like being mom and dad 11 days out of 14. Roehl was a great company in my opinion and would go back to them if I ever went back to driving. I was in the Honor program and on a salary. I didn’t get paid by the mile. That being said, they ran me, even as a newbie. I was averaging between 2500 to 2800 miles a week. I didn’t drive for them in the winter though. I understand freight slows down this time of year. All companies have their ups and downs, but from what I experienced, Roehl is the way to go.

 

My wife and I had a pretty good run with Central Refrigerated. They have a good training facility, nice trucks, and plenty of miles. They have gone to paperless logs, but as new drivers that will probably be a benefit to you. They have terminals all over and are pretty good about getting you home. They require you be out a certain amount of time though. Most of the people there were pleasant to work with except maybe the owner/op department. You wont have to worry about that for awhile anyway. They have pretty decent equipment and if you mind your business and dont give your dm a hard time you will get more than your share of miles.

 

Big, Your right again, those are very good points to mention. Thats why I like the Training Co. Rout.

"well lets say you go with the training co. , and you get your cdl and 3-6 mths you dont like it, thats ok you Can leave you just have to pay them for the training just like you went to school.... So in my opinion it really does'nt matter I like the Traning Co rout, you dont have to worry about
your credit , Financing, yada yada... "

But to the rest of you, Really a Vocational School would only run around $2100 and those are state funded so there is probably some asisstace available to you. Look them up online, give them a call..
Another bebi. to the voca. school is there training is gona be longer, Here in FL. its 290 hrs not 160 like roadmaster. So the Companys like that.