choices choices too many choices

I was wondering which one of these companies is better for their CDL training.

Roehl
stevens transportation
Schneider
CR England
pam
prime

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

From everything I have learned, it is not so much the training as it is going with a company that is the best fit for what you are looking for. All the companies you mentioned will train you, but they differ in what they offer

 

I am looking for the best home time possible and next to free training. I also have the GI Bill available which will pay me every month that I am working. I know that stevens transport is offering free training for veterans but you have to work for them for 4 years. I know Schneider and CR England also have the apprenticeship program. I just don't know which company is better to train with and which offers the best home time. None of the companies are even returning my calls or emails.

What stinks for me is I was a tractor trailer driver for 9 years in the navy and army and none of the civilian companies will even accept that driving experience. So I am pretty much starting all over again.

 

WOW! If you have your GI Bill, Go ahead and find a school that will train you with 160-210 hours of training and then pick your company that you wan to go to, That way you don't owe the company anything! And can pick where you want to start your next career, The Military skills may not be accepted but it will look good on a Resume, Whatever you do go to a school that is accredited, and then stick it out at the company you go with at least a year the longer the better, once you have a year of civilian driving experience then you can move up pretty quickly. Good Luck Thank You fopr your service.

 

My son was an EO in the SeaBees; even though the company didn't recognize his driving time as OTR, they did recognize it as experience they trusted & he went right to work running coast to coast with a reefer outfit; don't remember the name of it now.

Go with Prime and try to get the tanker or flatbed division; that's where the money is in your future.

 

I have used my state training in the past to obtain my CDL back in 2008. Right after the school was over all the trucking companies told me that I could not drive for them because I was over qualified. and I could not get a job in the industry. Now I am going to try it again and have to go back through the entire training course again because I never got to use my CDL after I got it. I just want to support my family and get out of this fixed income crap that I have going on with VA. I currently make too much money for the OJT programs but not enough money to pay my bills. They have me in a catch 22 kind of thing.

I also cannot use my Gi Bill to attend a school on my own because I cannot get a loan due to having bad credit now. In order to use the Gi Bill you have to pay for college yourself and then while in college the VA pays you back either full time 12 credit pay or part time 6 credit pay.

 

how good is the money in these divisions and how good is the hometime? thanks

 

Wolf, I believe you have incorrect information. Your GI Bill and the VA apprenticeship programs are different things altogether. You do not have to have school loans prior to using the GI Bill. You need to get accepted to a GI Bill approved CDL Program and the school will tell you what they need from you to prove eligibility. Your GI Bill percentage is based on the number of post 911 deployments you have. I had one deployment post 911 so I qualified for 60%, meaning the GI Bill paid 60% of my tuition, books and BAH off the bat for the school. That also meant that I qualified for 36 months of school. That is 36 actual months in school, not 3 calendar years. All I had to come up with was $1800 to the school to cover the rest of the payment.
The Apprenticeship program is run by the VA and they pay you monthly in your new job for the first year on graduated payments that get lower as the year progresses. You have to work for a company that is VA approved apprenticeship (ie: Werner, Con-Way, Schneider etc). Some of these companies specifically have a Veterans affairs contact just to help you out.
The company I work for now will pay back your school over 3 years even if you went several years ago, so I am getting reimbursed for the 1800 I put in.

 

Send a PM to ironpony about the pays; he drives for Prime & has for a long time.

If you live in Bowling Green, check on Averitt; they have a terminal there. Averitt has been hiring new CDL grads lately.

Another option is Greatwide in Goodlettsville. The terminal is at the Associated Grocers warehouse right beside the interstate. Great money working in that division. Go there and just walk in and talk to the terminal manager. You already have a CDL and you drove "X" number of years in the military, so they might give you a shot at it. It's a reefer outfit and you could possibly be home every day or 2 or 3 days a week. It's about a 50 mile drive, but the money there is worth it.

You probably have a good chance with Averitt though; ask about their refresher course and a job. If the terminal manager in Bowling Green doesn't help, then apply online & the corporate office in Cookville will take care of you.

Best wishes.
Ex-Navy, USS New Jersey (BB-62)

 

Check with Con-way Truckload about their GI apprentice program. I think your out of pocket should be next to nothing, but the recruiters have the answers. Thank you for your service to our country. I want to see you back on your feet soon!