Have Military Driving Experience, Going for CDL - School or no School?

I'm sure other drivers who have been in your situation will chime in, but I really dont think you will have a choice, as in the civilian world the insurance companies run everything and the will make this a requirement in most situations, regardless of your skill level. I would save you GI Bill and find a local community college.

 

High chance you going have to go threw trucking school,so yea you better off.As for truck driving training look into Road masters or also google SAGE truck school its a reg trucking training program that should be know by mega carriers.Also look into your local tech schools or community colleges they may offer truck driving training.

 

I've read posts about people suggest not using your VA benefits for the school. Not sure why, its only 3 weeks tho I know you have a yearly limit on how much you can get. However, I will be starting Sage in CO on monday, and I am using my benefits to pay for it (im just about out of benefits so figured might as well). Think theres another post with someone also asking about the schooling. The main thing is not really having the CDL, but having the hours. the companies, for insurance reasons, want to see that 160 or so hrs of training.

 

Is there no longer a lifetime benefit? The school you mention are 4K-5K depending the the location, my PTDI 220 hours of training at a local community college was less thea a $1000. Sure... if you can get unlimited funds from the VA....go for it!

 

If you want a driving job then school is pretty much a must these days. Like the other poster said the insurance companies are dictating to the companies that they want drivers going through a certain amount of hours at an accredited school. Don't sell yourself short by taking a short-cut.

You may also want to talk about this more in depth with your other half. You are just coming home from being enlisted and you are going to be gone away from home for long periods of time as a trucker. If you guys have no kids I highly suggest team driving. If not, you have forklift experience and such it may behoove you to get a job at a warehouse instead.

 

I went to SAGE truck driving school while on terminal leave this past summer. TA paid for half ($2500). Also check with Florida DMV to see if they waive the skills testing portion of the licensing as long as you have the endorsements on your Military license. Wyoming does; all I had to do was pass the written tests.

You sound like you have the same type of experience I did; lowboy/flat bed, Buses, 4k up to 13K AT forklifts, tactical vehicles, etc. I didn't want to go the OTR route, so I sought out local Oilfield companies. I have been driving various types of vehicles since June; Water Tankers, Hot Oilers, Frac Heaters, Frac Heating trailers, Flatbeds, Frac tanks, and most recently Propane truck. Most of the units are custom built at our shop in Rock Springs such as our Hot Oilers, and frac heating trucks/trailers. Some are bobtail units, tandem or double drive axles, and others are built on trailers to be pulled by a normal tractor.

You can follow a post I made a while back in the "Favorite Trucking Companies"
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...igh-desert-services-cheyenne-wy-oilfield.html

Currently we are not doing water hauling in Cheyenne, except for the occasional production water load down to disposal. This time of year Frac heating is our bread and butter. I would type more, just call a call...have to head out and refill our frac heaters down in Colorado with propane.

Later...

 

lifetime? nah, you have 10 years to use your benefits, and you have a yearly 'allowance'. with gibill and navy college fund mine was like 17k a year. I thought you had a monthly type allowance and since schools are like 4300 I called to find out if i could get them to pay that much in just 3 weeks, they said as long as I didnt go over the 17 i was ok, so they are paying for the whole thing

 

I was in the same boat. I retired from the Navy as a Equipment Operator out of the Seabees with lots of experience OTR and operating construction equipment. I had only three jobs before I found the dream job where I stayed until I retired. On all the jobs they did NOT consider my military driving as experience. I had to show them that I had three years OTR as a casual driver with a civilian company ( casual my ###, I was gone every thurs,fri,sat,and sun. then back to the military) and then I had to explain my two years hauling specialized heavy equipment all over the states. The last driving job I had to show then that I had to rent a tractor to pull a three axle lowboy and I followed all the requirement as anyone else. I just didn't have to pay for permits but still had to have them. My last job did accept that as experience. So you don't know unless you try.

I would say on the general you'd have a better chance if you have a good school on your record. If I were you I would stay away from any school that's operated by a company. You don't want to be forced to sign a contract into driving for them to pay back for the school. Then when school is done and you're out looking for a job really look and don't follow the crowd. Get some contacts of good companies and go see them. Just shooting the bull over the phone about your military with another vet might get you into the door if you go out and see them. Plus there are some companies that prefer vets. Just be careful and look at the company for what it is. Get the whole picture and not just the pay. I'll be more than happy to help with whatever I can just PM me and I'll try. Good luck.

 

I started driving the day of my retirement parade, I had been driving Army trucks for 22 years, and sevel times hile I was stationed in the states I drove as a casual driver from local to regional. I got my Class A on and Army truck along with my DD form 314.
I started out with Swift, No school, but with a trainer for a few weeks. I was told it was to learn the Qualcom, which was fairly new 20 years ago.

Transition from the service to trucking is easy. You will know what to do, because you have been doing it your whole carreer, now it will just include driving a Big Truck. You will do great.

I wish you Good Luck, A great Holiday Season, and Safe Miles........Most of all I thank you for your Service.

Larry