Roehl paid CDL training... what are your honest thoughts?

I have a female friend who just took a job doing OTR dry van with Roehl in May. She's been driving about a year, so no need for the school. So far she's been pleased - she said that she's been treated with respect by everyone she's encountered in the company and hasn't felt uncomfortable or treated differently because she's a woman. I can't speak to her wages etc - just that she feels safe and likes the culture and equipment so far.

 

The school is 3.5 weeks of no pay. Costs $100 to reserve a spot in class and then $400 on your 1st day of class. Bfast is free at the hotel and lunch is provided by Millis while in school. Then you go with a trainer for 15,000 miles and you'd have a paycheck your 2nd week on his/her truck. Once on a trainers truck you will get paid .43cpm for every mile the truck is dispatched on doesnt matter if its you driving or your trainer. My students are bringing home $900+ while on my truck.

 

I have a thread on this forum detailing my time at Ozark. They do not pay for training but will hire you fresh out of CDL school. Not sure if they have tuition reimbursement, they might, I don't know.

Here is the thread. I go into great detail about everything I could think of. Good, bad and ugly.

A year in with Ozark Motor Lines

Their home time is phenomenal. Out 14 in 3 full days. Out 21 in 5 full days. Out 28 in a full week. I heard you can also do 10 days out and get 2 full days off but I never did that. What I mean by full days is if they get you home on the day you put in to be home at 1am, that day does not count. So if they get you home at 2am Monday morning you have the rest of Monday off, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off and go back on Friday morning.

It's not a perfect company but from what I've heard about others, for a newbie, it's pretty darn good. Millis is ok, but not if you have a dog. They have no pet policy. No animals allowed. Ozark does.

 

I don't know much about Roehl other than they're another one of those medium haul (aka stays east of I-35), irregular route outfits, but I'm with Brandon. I REALLY advise you not sign a contract that traps you into driving for an outfit in exchange for training. Ask if you can pay for your training and how much it is. It seems I recall they used to charge around $3500.

 

Check out the Roehl thread, if you sign with them and don't complete the 120,000 miles you're on the hook for over $7,000 at least. There's another site that a guy just posted they sent him a bill for over $8,000 and he didn't complete a week of school or get his CDL. It was an interesting read. Do your research and choose carefully who you sign with. Check all paperwork before you sign. Good Luck.

 

Roehl

 

120,000 completed DISPATCH miles + "Your Choice" pay plan? Pass.

My ex-girlfriend got her CDL through Roehl. Those last 6-8 months were pure H E Double Hockey Sticks for her. Low miles, lots of sitting around twiddling her thumbs, VERY small paychecks.

And she was on the "National Flat" fleet. As soon as that 120,000 contract was guaranteed complete, she bolted like her hair was on fire!

I drove for Roehl (very briefly) on the 7/4 7/3 dry van fleet, and I can say from personally witnessed experience that the treatment is very VERY different between a veteran driver like me and the rookie/student drivers. The rookies are basically treated like slaves due to that blasted contract.

Roehl would be an absolute last ditch, I'm already homeless and starving option for me. There are far, far better options available.

Heck, cut yer teeth in drybox and get the driving part down, then make the switch to open deck work. Dry van/reefer offers more training options for brand new drivers, and it isn't COMPLETELY horrible! Just bad enough to make you want to jump over to flatbed as soon as possible!

 

I'd go with Schneider

 

GoodMorning, Can you PM or send me information on Millis? I live in Jacksonville and looking for a refresher course.