how difficult is it to get my cdl without going to school?

Id go one step farther when getting a CDL. Id get All of the endorsements (Tanker/Hazmat, Doubles/Triples). You'll have a lot more options in the future when you do get your hands on experience. When I started, all you had to have was a Chauffers License to drive anything, its different now. You do not have to test drive on all of those yet, you just have to study the book for the associated endorsements so it would be silly not to get them all before they change the requirements. You may already know it, but you also have to have a current D.O.T. Physical before you can get a CDL. There may be a few exceptions to this from state to state but if you plan to run Interstate, its required. Its also required that you send an updated physical to your dmv every two years to keep the cdl.

 

I dont think it is difficult. All the info to pass the writen is on the WWW. Find a trucker whith his own truck to teach you how to pass the driving test.

 

If it helps any, personally went this route years ago. I'd started out driving straight trucks, worked up to a 40' truck for two years, then got on as a In plant driver for another company for 1 year in a 53' with a day cab/sleeper. Until I could finish cdl testing. Looking back I would have gone to school and not wasted those years with crummy pay. But on the other hand the ammount of knowleage from all this was tremendous! In the end if you can afford it try and get both, as the drawbacks of no school would be missing out on all the new laws and beraurocacy you sadly have to know to pass your tests..... Hopefully this can help someone out there. (Still struggling to make it) experence and perfect driving records don't mean squat theese says sadly......

 

You are showing signs of impatience here.

I went weekends while working in our tavern weeks to finance the 4 months weekends it took me to finish trucking school. The relatively slow pace of weekends over a long period of time allowed me to soak in so much. I continued working making money on the week taking away the problem When I got my Maryland Class A back in the 80's as a 21 year old, finding a trucking company I say really fast and hire on within 10 minutes and a roadtrip and done was not a problem. Not like today.

You need to be taught, you need to learn and also by doing. It's a miracle when a flat newbie with zero experience grabs a 18 wheeler on a permit and a older adult to ride with same to the DMV for testing and succeed in getting the CDL etc against the tests you will be taking. It's not going to happen.

If you are committed to trucking, at some point you must stop working, take on the schooling and the costs out of pocket and get the CDL free and clear. This is the absolute best way to do this because this industry is the LEAST SECURE.

If you went with company paid training, failed to stay employed with them that first 12 months, you will be in debt and obligated to pay oh... up to what? 7000 dollars? You probably will not have it. And then they come after you.

You have been given many paths to training. Very good options. But it seems you want to leave work early on friday, have the CDL before dinner at the DMV and start work sunday with the trucking company somewhere. That's something that WILL NOT happen. End. dot.

 

Check local companies like Pepsi, coke, Canada Dry. Usually before summer they hire on trainees. You get paid to come in and get trained. All you do is pay the permit fee they take care of the rest

 

The CDL course at the community college here is baffling. Out the door cost is $1000. HOWEVER, you have to show up for orientation with your physical and learning permit in hand. Most CDL schools include that. Not a big deal.

But here is what gets me. It is 8 weeks long, five days per week and like 12 hours per day. I think 7am to 7pm, Monday through Friday, for EIGHT WEEKS.

Can anyone explain why the double time and hours? Do they train you that much better than the fly by night, private schools?

The private school I'm considering here is $5000. You should up with the payment in full on day one and in four weeks you're done. Something really seems off about these two scenarios.

 

To get your CDL without going to school or (the worse option) getting company training ?
I'd say real difficult.
You'd need somebody with a truck who has dozens of free hours
to put himself and the truck at your disposal. Like a daddy.

 

Local beverage companies and even some ltl companies offer it. Just depends on the company and location.

 

You're talking about company training , yes ?
That doesn't sound like a realistic option for someone who wants to keep an existing full time job.

 

But what I am saying is, this would become the full time job. If it’s local he wouldn’t have to leave his family to go to a cdl school.