Hopeful female team in Houston looking for advice.

Dog will be an issue during training, and if you try to run tankers. But dry van/reefer shouldn't be an issue after training.
Texas Community College is a good route with loans available, also free if you qualify through Texas Workforce.
@Chinatown might be able to help you find some great team companies after training.
Some companies would let one of you start and a few months later train the other person to prepare to run teams.

 

Any CDL school will wind a student loan for a student, even without a credit score Your size will not be an issue. I'm a little bit bigger and have done this job for 20+ years.

This website & especially Trucker Country website has EVERY possible question fir every endorsement plus the General, Combination, and Airbrakes test. Take those tests until you always get 90% or higher. Don't look at the tests as an invitation to discussion and analysis. If the question ask if you should touch your left ear before making a right turn, that's the answer. AFTER you have your CDL or when you are with your trainer discuss the issue. Getting the job is 3 things: passing the medical exam, passing the CDL written & road test, getting hired. CDL school has no time to learn & debate all issue about trucking. It's not very important if you have your CDL permit before school or not, especially if you can routinely score 90% on the online tests. Get your doubles/triples, hazmat, tanker. Those are the most common endorsements you might use.

You won't know if you can or should drive team until you try it. It's very hard for many people to get good sleep in a moving truck. The job is stressful due to idiot kamakaze car drivers and customers that don't care if you are loaded/unloaded today or next week. It's also a small space. Think of living in an apartment closet or bathroom 24/7 a week at a time. Now imagine 2 people in that same space. 2 compatible women are probably best suited to doing it well. Only you & your friend's experience trying to do it counts, not mine or most people's experience.

Most likey both of you will ride with different trainers during your training period at your first company. It's highly unusual to expect both of you, after you get CDL, to ride in same truck with a trainer. From what I read you can insist on a woman trainer & even non-smoking trainer (if that's important). It may mean you have to wait until they can find one for you. You always have the right to ask for a new trainer if you don't get along or they aren't teaching you.

I promise you can learn everything you need to know and how to do all driving tasks. People dumber & more clumsy than anyone you know do it. Shifting is no big deal, most students assume it's far more complicated or difficult than reality. Backing is somewhat difficult until you learn it, then it's no more difficult than brushing your teeth. You will do both so many times you will quickly pick it up unless you resist & avoid them. In my experience women learn new skills more easily than men because they don't believe they already know it and close their ears.

 

pets are allowed in only about 10-20% of trucking companies. Pets are great company. I carried mine for a few years. Carrying a pet with you in your trainers truck might be a problem.

 

Without experience starter/training companies are all the same really. A toss up.
Most important things to be picky about in your first year are an APU and highest pay.
F.Y.I. Compare 23 company sponsored programs (link below). Was "VERY" helpful
to me. The catch is having to drive with them for "usually" a year. Leave before that time?
Pay them the tuition cost.
http://www.truckingtruth.com/free_truck_driving_schools/homepage2.html

 

First things first. Start studying any practice tests you can. I did it for 2 months. They are on you tube, this site, other practice sites. Just learn all the regular questions and answers by wrote so you can pass the "written" test which will get you your permits. Permits are required for any school you find.

 

Trucking companies are switching to auto transmissions for various reasons. It would be better if you train & get your license in a manual transmission so you don't get restricted to an auto-only license. Backing is one of my pet peeves. Almost everyone has some difficulty learning to do it and doing it well. MOST drivers then avoid backing unless there is no option. That is a lazy shortcut and hurts you and makes backing more stressful next time you need to do it. Anyone encouraging you to avoid backing is encouraging you to fail as a driver. Do it every time you stop and you will not only quickly learn it, but more importantly, you will have confidence you can do it. Every other driver has bad days and has blocked flow of traffic longer than they wanted to back in. You will too, never rush it. If you want to be super considerate, give up, drive around the facility allowing traffic to move while you start over getting in the spot. But take as much time as it takes and don't take the dirty look personally. Most drivers will not rush you, the A-holes have blocked traffic longer for dumber reasons than getting in the hole. With 20 years experience sometimes I have a bad backing attempt. Everyone does. Some days you can't miss and some days you can't hit it. The professional makes sure not to hit anything, not promises to be faster. You can do it if you can drive a car. It just takes more space & learning to look for different key things. Other drivers will volunteer to help you by watching the blind-side corner while you back. You will have days or spots you are certain you are not cut out for this job. All of us have those. Don't assume you can't do anything in trucking, even flatbed. But Your job is to get a CDL & get your first job. I recommend you find a company to work work for before you get your CDL. Your first company & your match with them can decide if you stay in the industry or leave during your first year. I would suggest you avoid Swift, CR england, Western Express unless there are strong reasons to pick them. They advertise everywhere but there are usually better companies to work for. Some companies will train you for a CDL in exchange for contract of 1 year of work. Most companies will have Tuition Reimbursement for your CDL school/loan, but not if you pay cash. In my opinion it's far more important to find a company that is a good place to work than go to 1 CDL school or another. CDL school.is just about getting a license. The real training happens with your trainer at your first company. It's common to ride with a trainer 2-8 weeks. It varies by company & your progress.

Lastly it's probably better to work for a company near you, makes time off at home easier, than a far away company. Most new drivers underestimate how important time out of the truck is to your health & happiness. Try to "talk" to drivers at any company. Websites & recruiters make every company seem like the best place to work.

 

Best way to make the most money out of school is teams.....Goodluck