I don't want to pay for my "CDL school", so how about......

I think Rick should teach you !!!!!

 

Traffic capitol of the world.........hardly !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Welcome to the forum . You might want to check in at the Welcome Wagon . That's where most newbies check in .

 

There are some companies that specialize in just getting you ready for the road test. There is one here in Alabama called 'Test Ready" For $425.00 you get three days of the use of a tractor trailer and an instructor who takes you through the entire test including: Pre-Trip, backing, and the road test. The price includes the use of the vehicle for the test. You can take the written exams without going to a school. There are plenty of study guides you can purchase on-line for the tests including all endorsements. Call your local / state trucking association to see if they know about anything like this.

 

Jersey, al I can say is good luck to you. I can tell you what to expect. After you get your CDL, you're still considered a student. You're going to find that the only places that will hire your are outfits like Swift, Werner, and some others. I went to Stevens Transport out of Dallas when I first got my CDL 12 years ago. They are going to put you behind the wheel with a trainer. Now, I'll warn you, there are two types of trainers. The kind that want to teach, and the ones that don't. The kind you don't want is the guy that wants a warm body in his truck so he can use your log book, or like the first trainer I had, who stuck me behind the wheel in the middle of the night, went to his bunk and closed the curtains. Exactly how he slept like that is something I'll never figure out. If you get a bad trainer, ask for another one. Once you get your training, then comes the tough part, the first year at that god awful company. They'll treat you like crap, and pay you next to nothing. Once you get a year of solo driving under your belt, you can move on to a better company. Don't let the first year discourage you. It gets better. Have a good one. Hope to see you out here soon, and good luck.

 

I got a really good job without having to go through the training mills or to a driving school,....

But I have had the CDL and have been a local driver for over 16 years,.....

 

I went to Area Truck Driving School to ask questions, the rude ( did not extend his hand out to greet me like a man) told me with a heavy accent that it would cost me $2200.00 I could get my CDL A in 3 weeks and that they would 'Give Me' the DMV answers???? wtf??

I don't want the answers to pass the DMV test. I want to learn to drive a truck! he's a sneaky snake in the grass. All it seemed like he cared about was my money. I suppose this is one of those CDL mills you guys speak of? I live in the Bay Area CA and I am still looking and researching for a school preferably PTDI (Professional Truck Driving Institute) approved.

I am torn between paying for a school and having the liberty to choose whom I truck for or joining a company that offers training and being dedicated to them regardless if they treat me well or not for a year? I am an owner operator of a 24' box Van (bobtail) truck. No special Lic. to drive it, but I have always wanted to get my CDL A

If you guys had to start from the beginning what would you do/or do different?

bobtail Angel
Bay Area, CA

 

Someone else may have given this same response (I haven't read all of the threads).

IN MY OPINION (based on my experience), I say find a good community college program. Mine was 320 hours (4 weeks in the class room and 4 weeks (1st half of days) on the skill's pad and 4 weeks (other half of the days) on the road. Total of 8 weeks.

My "in class" instructor was a veteran of OTR and had also worked as a Fleet Manager for a large flatbed company that all would know if I mentioned the name.

My skills pad and road instructor was a 28 year OTR veteran and taught me so much that my company trainer (when I started my first job OTR) got frustrated so many times that he couldn't teach me anything that I hadn't already been taught. Heck, I was a better backer than he was was because of the fundamentals I had been taught by Leroy.

I would absolutely stay away from the CDL mills (Roadmaster and the like) and from company programs that require you to work with them for a year or more following your training. My training cost me about $2100. There are community college programs that are cheaper and those that are more expensive.

If you don't have the $2000, then, IN MY OPINION, you should not pursue this until you sacrifice enough to save that much money. If you cut out of the other programs, you will be pursued for the "unpaid" balance.

Do it your own way and you will not be beholden to anyone.

My plans...I will stay with my company for a minimum of 6 months (which seems to be the first level of being considered "experienced").

At that point, I will look around at a few of the companies I have learned about while being out here and others that are near my home and evaluate whether it's better to just stay put or to warm a different company seat.