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

If you'd give your location somebody might know of a small local company . A grain hauler with 30 trucks near me just had an ad for immediate openings for drivers . Home every weekend , $45,000 a year .

 

been real busy, have not had time to come here allot, I cant PM yet not enough post's, just want to say Rick G is a productive and helpful information member.........its very good of you to help these guys, yea old crab ### but productive.......

 

I've tried that route with several local companies here in NC over the past 4 months. All have said the same thing, can't hire me due to insurance requirements. A few did state that their insurance would cover me if I got at least 3 months OTR in with someone else. That plus my past experience would count in place of the one or two year recent experience requirement.

As for going to a school vs. the 'old school' method, every company I have talked to / applied to has told me the same thing. Must have graduated from a approved school within past year (6 months in a couple of cases) with diploma/certificate to prove it, or have recent (usually within the past 1 to 2 years), verifiable experience (ranging from 6 months to 3 years).

This is all insurance company mandated.

 

RJL, I have been dealing with this since Feb. '08. Back then, I did find that Maverick (I'm a flatbedder at heart) would take me on, so I went to N. Little Rock. Unfortunately, a family issue arose, and I felt I needed to come home for it.

Then a friend convinced me that driving a tanker would be easier, so I got on with Schneider, after agreeing to go through their school. A health issue botched that (although pulling a tanker ain't all it's cracked up to be!) and the family issue cropped up again. That issue then found me being legal caretaker for 2 of my Grandkids for the next 18 months.

As of this past Jan., the family issue is resolved, and the health issue has been corrected. So I started looking again. Can't go back to Mav as they currently don't hire east of Charlotte NC. Won't go back to Schneider.

So the only company that will take me on without another school or a refresher (neither of which I can afford), is Swift. So that's where I'm heading, hopefully Apr. 19th. Then 6 weeks with a Mentor. But there is no financial obligation, so it's my penance to be paid so I can get on with a more local company.

 

The ones I talked to wouldn't. My brother inlaw is an owner op. I would have to drive with him for a year before one of the mega's would even talk to me.