Aspiring Truck driver

Story:
Two years ago when I was 18 years old I decided I wanted to fulfill my life dream of being a truck driver. I've wanted to drive ever since i was a kid, well, younger kid anyway. Every trucker I've talked to at a truck stop or rest area have told me the same thing, "Find a different job kid". This still didn't stop me or weaken my determination. After talking with my Uncle who's been driving for Walmart for the past 20+ years, he gave me the best advice, "If you believe it will make you happy, do it, I don't regret it one bit."

So, I began looking at schools, I live in Palatka, FL and National Training Inc. in Greencove Springs isn't but 10 miles from my house. Once a month they have an open house at their facility where you can talk with current students, drive a truck around their 1.25 mile track, and talk with a recruiter. I was very happy with the school and my recruiter. So after finding out the price of the school, and that I could finance it I signed up.

They have great online classes that you start out doing, for the basic CDL prep it's 32 lessons. If you go for O/O Class, its 77 lessons, also it costs more. Anyway, I did the basic CDL prep, got my Class A CDL Permit from the DMV, got my DOT physical done, got a copy of my MVR, and filled out all the paper work for the school. You pay $250 to get started. $50 registration fee then $200 to get started on the online classes.

I finished the online classes in about 2 weeks. The place i worked had internet and a lot of down time, so i would do the lessons when i wasn't working. Anyway, I finished the classes, called my recruiter and got the ball rolling. Unfortunately, now being 19 with only one year of credit experience i couldn't get approved for financing for the school. So they told me I could send in payments of $200/month and prepay for the school. All i had to prepay was the online classes and then they would finance the Resident training. So I've been doing that, I still have $600 left to pay on the classes. Ill have that paid the end of this month.



Current:
I currently work at my local Sheriff's office as a deputy in the Jail. Im now 20, bout to be 21 in October. When I turn 21 I'll be going to the school in november or december since I'll have enough vacation time saved up for three weeks off work. So I'm pretty excited for it. I definitely want to do OTR if possible. National has job placement assistance, and they have pretty good ties with US Express, Central Refrigeration, and many others I'm told by a lot of former students who now work for those companies. So I'm hopeful. I'd like to get out on the road, see the country, and be a part of a very important system in our economy.

Any advice Would be helpful, I love this forum and look up as much info as I can that way I have a better outlook on what to expect in this Career Field.

 

I mostly want to pull box or reefer. I was thinking about getting the hazmat and tanker endorsements also just in case

 

I've found some companies that will substitute experience if you just graduated from a good trucking school. Don't quote me on this but I believe I remember a Company that said in the driver requirements that 3 months of OTR experience required, or if you recently graduated from a trucking school than that 3 months can be substituted for the schooling. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Thanks a lot

My recruiter is Rob Nelson. Well, he was two years ago lol. So hopefully he'll be the one I talk to in a month or so

 

So, I went ahead and sent an e-mail to a few Companies. Waiting to hear back from three companies. I explained to them I was only 20 and will be going to national in about 2-3 months, and also will be 21 years old by then. I'm hoping to hear something back.

 

I've only been there once. My brother goes a lot though. Honestly, every time I have a chance to go I have to end up working. Working at the Sheriff's Office, on my days off if someone calls out I have to go in and work Overtime. People always call out to go to Hogwaller lol