Putting Off Trucking School

Interesting

 

It sounds to me like you lucked out. You're probably already making more money than CRST would pay you.

 

I work for US Foods as a non CDL driver. Freightliner van, Fuso box truck or a larger one is my routine depending on the day and load.

I just signed up, finally..... for NETTTS. My own dime and not beholden to anyone.

Hard work doing DSD but I am doing 70% of what the regular drivers do daily, I am not driving a 28 or 36 foot trailer or using the pod and their version of the Qualcomm. I know how to use both though.

Starting pay for trainee with a fresh CDL is 21.50 an hour. After training with a series of seasoned drivers nd on my own it goes up to 24. At 1 year it goes to 28.

Lots of overtime, especially from May to Labor day. Even as a non CDL am doing 55 a week some weeks but in this season it is more like 48. A and B drivers are doing about 52.

Money is good but it is heavy work and not for all.

In a nutshell, if they will help you get your CDL, then go for it. US Foods does not sponsor but they do have tuition reimbursement. Even if they did not, at between 75 to 110k a year, I think I can handle the 6k outlay

 

if you like it and are making good money, thats fine.

I know a guy that is making fantastic money as an owner operator driving a cargo van hauling expedited cargo, 3 pallets max, since thats all that will fit in the van, and usually its less, but he is clearing, after fuel, 80 cents a mile.
he grosses almost the same as an 18 wheeler, but gets 19 MPG

hes making alot more with a used Sprinter van he bought at an auction for almost nothing than alot of people who own a very expensive 18 wheeler.
and he doesnt have to have a CDL, no DOT medical card, no logbooks, no weigh stations, no roadside inspections, etc etc.

I also know of a heavy haul company that will hire people under 21, with no CDL and no experience,--- IF ---- the applicant can pass a secret military security clearance background check.
you can then go to CDL school on your own dime, while waiting for your security clearance to come back., but apparently not many people can pass the background check.

no back child support, no liens, no foreclosures, no DUIs, no arrest record period.
no history or adderal or other ADD meds .etc and the security clearance application is 98 pages long......

it was funny to watch the recruiter, at a CDL school.
the students were all interested when he talked about the average wage
$40K first year, $80K second year, $100K+ after that.

the low turnover rate, fleet of brand new kw with a 72" high top sleeper, 650HP engine and 18 speeds

then he said you cant have any unpaid child support, and a couple students walked out,
he said cant have any recent foreclosures or liens, and a couple more walked out.
cant have any criminal convictions, and a couple more walked out,

cant have more than one or two minor traffic violations and no serious violations, and most of the rest walked out,

three students were left and then he pulled out the 98 page application and dropped it on the desk with a thump, and said you gotta fill this out and wait at least a month, and two more walked out,
one guy out of the entire class stayed, spent an entire day filling out the application,
this guy was under 21, with zero driving experience other than being in the CDL school,
he got hired the day after his background check cleared.
and hes gonna be team driving a 13 axle heavy haul rig soon.


they can train you to do heavy haul, but if youve been busted for drugs or DUI or shoplifting or whatever, they cant fix stupid.

your Drivers license is your paycheck, protect it.
dont get any tickets, if you do get a ticket, hire an attorney to handle it, get it reduced or a suspended sentence or whatever.
stay out of trouble in the legal system, and most companies will consider hiring you,
this goes for other occupations as well,

right now the economy is booming big time, and every single industry is really struggling to find employees, not even qualified employees, but employees that dont have a criminal record and are willing to learn and work hard,

i know a guy that just finished getting a history degree, I asked if he was planning on being a teacher, and he said no way, but history was the only classes I could pass, I flunked everything else,

he just got hired by a major accounting firm, who is training him to be a consultant and auditor.
a few years ago, they would have required an accounting degree and a CPA license for that position, now a guy with a degree in history, is getting the offer of $65K a year for the job.