Indentured Servitude or $6,000?

Florida Playboy · Jan 29, 2016

No names left said: ↑

I'm not too concerned about traveling anywhere to get a CDL if the school is accredited. There are some cheaper places out near Chicago, but they aren't accredited. The company I would like to drive for is Schneider and they are the only one I am looking at that does not have their own training program. The others I am considering all have their own schools and I'd just do the indentured servitude for a year or so. Everyone says just 'do a year somewhere and quit' but I would rather take my time and find a place where I can stay put.
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Why does the school have to be accredited? All that matters is that they train you to pass the CDL test.

No names left · Jan 30, 2016

DriverToBroker said: ↑

Why does the school have to be accredited? All that matters is that they train you to pass the CDL test.
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I have heard some of the better carriers want a 160 hour accredited course, and that is the only reason I want that. Since Schneider is the only carrier I am considering without their own CDL school, it may not hurt to call them and ask if one of the schools near Chicago would be acceptable.

tommymonza · Jan 30, 2016

freediverdude said: ↑

I didn't realize there was so much research involved in picking these companies and schools- thank you for sending me down a good path here.
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Chinatown is a godsend of recommendations for schools and jobs on this site. Why he does it and how he knows soo much, nobody will ever know.

His heart is in it. He will never steer you wrong.

freediverdude · Jan 30, 2016

I'm beginning to see that. I see good reviews of Abilene online, and notice he didn't steer me towards Werner, lol. How does he know all this?!

tommymonza · Jan 30, 2016

freediverdude said: ↑

I'm beginning to see that. I see good reviews of Abilene online, and notice he didn't steer me towards Werner, lol. How does he know all this?!
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If anybody knew and they told us I would think they would have to kill us.

Surfer Joe · Jan 30, 2016

No names left said: ↑

I have been kicking around this idea of driving for a living (well, almost a living) for over a month now and am pretty close to convincing myself I am going to do it. Since I do not have a CDL, I obviously have to go through training to get one and I am on the fence whether to pay roughly $6,000 for a private CDL school, or go the company sponsored route and be an indentured servant for 12 months.

I see pros and cons for both sides and I swear it is so close there are days my position changes from ‘private’ to ‘sponsored’ and then back again the following day. I’ve been kicking this decision around for weeks and I am no closer now than I was a few weeks ago. I thought I’d throw this question out to the ‘been there, done that crowd’ and solicit comments on how things played out for people who took different paths to get your CDL. I’ll list some of the things I view as important in my thought process;

Private CDL school pros – from everything I have read, it sounds as though people who go this route get far more respect from carriers when applying for jobs. They seem to get slightly higher earnings and better treatment once hired. I would expect nothing but complete professionalism from trainers since I am paying them to train me.

Private CDL school cons – no assurance of a job once you have a CDL. This is perhaps my biggest concern; spending $6,000 and hoping someone hires me. I equate this with jumping off a diving board and hoping someone fills the swimming pool with water on the way down. I already have interest from 2 carriers now but until someone offers me that job there will be some concern I could spend $6k and one month for nothing. And with some carriers, if there is a lapse between your CDL issue date and your job offer, back in the pool you go.

Company sponsored pros – I would pretty much have some assurance going into it that I will have a job lined up provided I come out the other side with a CDL. That may actually be the only ‘pro’ I see in this, but it is still huge for me.

Company sponsored cons – yeah, saved the best for last. When I think of all the things that could go wrong with company sponsored CDL training, I have visions of my wrists being duct-taped to my ankles for one year, and squealing like Ned Beatty for the duration. I have no problem at all being financially indebted to a company that provides my CDL training; I get that part of it completely. But there are just so many comments from truckers that took this route that make it seem like Indentured Servitude at its absolute worst. I’m afraid if someone demands I ‘yes massa’ in response to all their demands, I may end up in prison on a manslaughter charge.

So …. I am asking for input on the pros and cons from people who have already been through this. I should add that although salary is a consideration, it is secondary to avoiding manslaughter charges. I have resigned myself to the fact I will not earn enough money to eat until my 2nd year. Thanks to anyone that can offer some input.
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You're going to be an indentured servant no matter what you do (school or not) if you drive with any of the big mega companies.

You will work upwards of 100 hours a week, be an absolute slave to the truck 24 hours a day, and you will live like an animal....
all for about $450.00-$750.00 a week. Regardless of experience.

Why do you think that all these companies have a well over 98% driver turnover? (Hint: It's not because the companies are expanding exponentially, nor are the drivers 'retiring').

Contrary to the ever present mind control dogma that attitude is everything, many of the posts on these threads suggest otherwise.

Yes, it really is that bad.

moloko · Jan 30, 2016

Just skip out on those contracts and see if they come after you in court. They won't. If they do, file something against them. I think those "contracts" are unconscionable anyways. They can't force you to work for them and they can't force you to pay, you should just do what you want. If they hit your credit report, dispute it.

freediverdude · Jan 30, 2016

Surfer Joe said: ↑

You're going to be an indentured servant no matter what you do (school or not) if you drive with any of the big mega companies.

You will work upwards of 100 hours a week, be an absolute slave to the truck 24 hours a day, and you will live like an animal....
all for about $450.00-$750.00 a week. Regardless of experience.

Why do you think that all these companies have a well over 98% driver turnover? (Hint: It's not because the companies are expanding exponentially, nor are the drivers 'retiring').

Contrary to the ever present mind control dogma that attitude is everything, many of the posts on these threads suggest otherwise.

Yes, it really is that bad.
Click to expand...

So there really is that big of a difference between how a mega company treats you and one of the smaller companies? Or are you saying don't become a truck driver period, lol.

Jason G · Jan 31, 2016

Hey guys, I got a scenario for you. This is only a what-if (not saying I will do this but.....)

Say student begins CDL school. A large "Mega" carrier is paying for the school. Mega will pay $150 month for tuition payments to school. To fully pay off school this will take apprx. 33 months or 2 years 9 months with the company. After 2-3 weeks student gets CDL from the school and now is waiting to go to Mega orientation or is in Mega orientation. Student has not gone out with OTR trainer yet or is waiting on available OTR trainer from Mega.
These are the questions that student would like to be answered in this scenario:

1: Would it be in bad taste for student to just take CDL and go to another company and worry about paying the school back on students own?
2: Would doing this action reflect negatively on students work history?
3: Will Mega carrier take negative actions against student?
4: Will the CDL school take any negative actions against student? ( let's assume that student plans on paying them promptly or attempts make arrangements to pay school)

Thanks to anyone replying to this scenario. I look forward to your comments

Drive Safe
JG

No names left · Jan 31, 2016

Surfer Joe said: ↑

You're going to be an indentured servant no matter what you do (school or not) if you drive with any of the big mega companies.

You will work upwards of 100 hours a week, be an absolute slave to the truck 24 hours a day, and you will live like an animal....
all for about $450.00-$750.00 a week. Regardless of experience.

Why do you think that all these companies have a well over 98% driver turnover? (Hint: It's not because the companies are expanding exponentially, nor are the drivers 'retiring').

Contrary to the ever present mind control dogma that attitude is everything, many of the posts on these threads suggest otherwise.

Yes, it really is that bad.
Click to expand...

It does not appear that there is any going around working for a mega for someone like me that is coming right out of the CDL gate. There are a few mega-carriers where I honestly would never work for but I don’t think all are horrible.

Schneider is a mega, but I see very few people complaining about them and judging from the comments of the people that did, they are from guys who would complain about their job if they were working at a strip club. Personally, I think Schneider would be a good fit for me, with Prime a close 2nd.

But yes, there are some I would not touch. I recall reading a comment from a driver for a mega that has an O.C. in or near Carlisle, PA. He said he had worked for the carrier for 2 years (the only positive you could find in his comment) and that they employed roughly 120 drivers on average. He said that once a week, 12 to 15 new drivers would show up for orientation and that had been happening for the entire 2 years he had been there and to ‘do the math’. The ratio of bad to good comments for that particular carrier runs at about 200 to 1, so they are one that I would never work for. True or not, there are too many bad comments to take the chance and work for them. And FYI – the company is not Swift; despite all the negative comments about Swift, I’d actually consider driving for them.

I have no problems working 100 hours a week; I’ve been doing it most of my life anyway and to me, 40 hours a week is a part time job. I don’t expect to earn much money during my 1sr year holding a wheel, but I am a hard worker and I will find a way to maximize my earnings.

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