Heard a lot about the good and the bad, but...

A few of the larger carriers ie.. cre, swift, prime, etc.... are still taking students. They will pay for your schooling if you stay with them for a yr or so after training. good luck

 

Read the forums to get the bad and if they pay for your school they own you for ever how long that contract is. I had one DAC entry for 6 months satisfactory service with my first company and it has carried me for 15 years (that and no tickets no accidents) so keep that in mind when the going gets tough, but you have to be accepted somewhere so get to applying.

If you are available to travel you can find the best company that will accept you living in that area. Broke, with nothing holding you back is a good way to start. If you have some minimum income level or hometime requirements then the probems begin.

 

You're in a town where you might have better luck to start out driving local to get your CDL. There's alot of dirt haulers there and they just might take you on. Two companies I can think of that might give you a shot that haul line freight is Anderson and Sons and Las Vegas Trucking. Both companies are cheap and run on the line so be real careful. There's also a few tankers that haul gypsum rock and back haul cement. One company was Nevada Fly Ash but I think they were bought out by Apex. But it doesn't hurt to go out and check some of these companies before you leave town.

You can check the Sunday paper and find the new housing areas and then go out and find the dirt haulers. Ask them where you might be able to start. You can go out west on Cheyenne and when you see the tall hoppers asks the tanker drivers where you might have a shot. Also alot of wallboard is made there but I do believe you might have some trouble with them since they haul all over the west.

 

Whatever you do STAY AWAY FROM THE LEASE deals that these companies will try to push on you. If you thinlk you are broke now wait till you get hooked into one of those for 3 or 4 yrs. Company all the way. If you decide you want to own your own truck later save the money for down payment and buy one.

 

I did a quick search on the forums and I would too if I were you before I applied. I read that they were pushing teams which is not the way I would want to start.

 

Most companies require a certain amount of experience before allowing a driver to lease. The way things have changed recently I cant say thats still true. But it is a good idea. Get some time in with a company to make sure you like working for them. A lease is kind of like a marriage, you wouldnt do that on a blind date either!

 

Some truck driving schools offer financing. So I'd check into that if I were you.