Hi everyone, I'm working on getting training to start trucking! Unfortunately I am out of work due to covid but it might be a blessing in disguise! The government has offered to pay for professional driver training! I have completed most of their requirements except talking to people working in the industry. I don't actually know anyone who drives truck so here I am asking you guys for help!
Same here , lost job due to covid and I took up truck driving this year. At 4.5 months of experience now. My first month out alone didn't go so well but after that it's been okay so far.
@Primal_Breath Go to school. Many state unemployment agencies are offering grants to pay for school under "retraining" parameters, which makes things much more simple for you than being beholden to a company for a period of time for them paying for your school. I looked at the company offers of cdl training, and always cringed at the obligations that followed the offer. I'm currently in school at a local community college, will have my cdl shortl , and no leash to any company. Total cost to me, right around 2k, including my license. Add another couple Benjamin's for the endorsements (hazmat, tanke , double and triple) and there's not many driving jobs I can't get on (after getting a year under my belt) assuming I stay out of trouble.
No survey necessary. BTW I don't trust your link or any link for that matter. Trucking training is short and simple. Not much harder than getting hired at your local convenience store. I would recommend the no money up front method with any one of the numerous Mega Companies. Get your schooling, pass your State Exam, spend 4-8 weeks with an OTR Trainer, get a year of experience without hitting anything or anyone, evaluate the market and various Trucking Jobs, find a niche, make a better living than most people that spend 4 years in College and have 100K in Student Loan debt that will likely take them decades to pay off. OR.....Corona Virus will decimate the population of the Planet. At that point your Student Loan will be forgiven. For those of you that do not understand or "get" sarcasm, the last 2 sentences were sarcasm. The first several were not. Trucking is treating me quite well. You get out of it what you put into it!
I got my CDL through a mega. Not the right route for everyone, but it works for some. Good luck, be safe, and remember: in trucking, as in life, there are no guarantees, reach day is a new start, and your success or failure is in your own hands. Use discretion and judgement on everything you do. Including how to get your start.
Your request for a survey and the link to the survey have been removed. You're perfectly welcome to ask for advice on this forum.
Since you already been here any advice you might want to share for new drivers (like me) that might be starting out soon at their first job?
