Interested in doing CDL school through a company, but I have an issue...

I'm currently interested in going to CDL school through a company, or obtaining my CDL through some other means. My issue is, I'm not doing the greatest financially and am worried about being able to pay my bills in the event that I go through a company to get my CDL, but fail for whatever reason and am out of luck. Not really worried about written testing because I can take all the time I need to study for that, but driving is a whole other story. I have zero experience behind the wheel of a truck other than when I'd pretend to drive as a kid on the road with my dad. I'm highly motivated and desperately want to start my new career, but that fear of failing and not being able to try again and being sent home and having to rush and find another job so my car doesn't get repossessed and other debt doesn't come crashing down on me is the one thing holding me back from applying. I could possibly attend a non-company school during the day and switch to nights at my current job, but then tuition fees are a thing and I'd hate to acquire more debt. Only other option would be if I could practice driving my dad and older brothers trucks, if their companies allowed it. Really not sure what to do here.

 

KLLN. They say 22 days but usually less. You pay nothing if you work for them for a year. I completed school on Friday last week and was in a trainers truck Yesterday. This is in Lancaster, TX. They flew in one guy from Florida.

 

I never drove a truck till I went to the trucking company training. I just liked driving car down the highway. So hopefully they show you how to drive a truck. I thought they were a little crazy because they just push you thru their training. 3 day in training we went and took written CLD test. They did not really help us study or anything. Once we had CDL permit they took us on the road. We practiced backing so we had a little time in truck before going on the road but not much.

Their are little tricks to driving a truck they only explained once we went driving. One is, you need 3 lanes to make a right turn. Meaning you need 3 open lanes to the road you are turning onto. If not then you SPLIT the lanes and you take both lanes of the road your on. You have block the traffic by driving in both lanes so you can make the turn. But you have to watch out the cars will try and sneak by on your right side of you leave to much room. Then your trailer will hit them on the turn. So we always have be in control and not let them do that.

To make left turn so you don't run over a cars hood at stop light. You pull up straight till you left shoulder is at the line on the road were the car is sitting. Then turn left and the trailer tandoms will cross that point you started the left turn. You have to learn to notice the little details. Did the car stop at the stop line or go past it. If they are past the stop line, you can't make the left turn. You will not make it without hitting them. So you can't pull out into the intersection. You will have to wait for the lights to cycle thru and hopefully the next person will stop before or at the Stop Line.

 

R. E. West Transportation has school in Ashland City.
You're paid hourly pay while in school then trucker pay when you finish and hit the road.
There's no contract to sign and the school is free. Meals and lodging are provided.
Click here --->> No Experience? No Problem
No one is born knowing how to drive a truck and it takes more than a CDL to be a …

 

More R. E. West trucks. I think you have a choice of flatbed or dry van; ask about that.
.

 

Do some research and the different driving companies and see what they cover and the list of items you'll need to bring. Make sure you bring money for food and stuff you may be required to buy. Most companies have some sort of paid training, but it's usually not much. Once you go with a trainer, you'll need money for food, personal essentials, laundry and maybe showers, if your trainer doesn't share their credits with you. At some point you're going to need a cell phone with data plan, if you don't have one already and a Truck specific GPS. You should plan to have all this before you go or have the funds set aside for when you're ready.

You're also going to make sure you can pay your bills, while you're in school and training. If you can't do that now, start saving and setting money aside. When you get enough to cover all your needs, then reach out to the schools or companies.

You also mention, you have no experience driving trucks, that's common and usually not a big deal. FYI, no company is going to give permission to your family to let you drive their trucks. You're not licensed or insured and there not going to take on that kind of liability.

You might consider renting the biggest Uhaul or Penske truck you can find. They're usually only about 26 feet and cost about 50 bucks a day plus fuel, but it will give you and idea of what it's like to drive something larger than you're car. You'll set up higher, have a little something behind you etc. Take it to an empty parking lot and practice driving or parking and then drive around town or the interstate, and get a feel for what it's like. If you like that and are comfortable, you'll probably be just fine learning to drive a semi.

 

TLD Logistics is another option; (A subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho America, Inc)
Click here --->> CDL School
CDL DRIVING SCHOOL With locations in Knoxville, TN, Crossville, TN, Morristown, TN, Lebanon, TN.

 

Forgot to add that you're paid $.40/mi while with your trainer for 6 weeks.

 

Home | KLLM Driving Academy
https://www.kllmdrivingacademy.com

 

You cannot. EVER. End. DOT. Period... ever allow anyone to touch a issued tractor trailer to you personally as a employee etc. For too many reasons to get into here, if a company ever learns you had someone INSIDE a tractor trailer Cab in some cases (Such as a prostitute...) or someone actuallY DRIVING that tractor trailer? or .. EVEN as a Passenger without permission, waivers etc? They will fine you summarily. You will bleat excuses but they will fire you so fast and escort you off company property to the street sidewalk and tell you start walking. You are no longer legally able to be on any of their properties nationally.

Big Trucks are almost "Sentient or alive" today. A monkey can be trained to hold a big rig rolling down the interstate as some other animals if need be.

The problem with training schools etc. Is a form of learning. You eventually learn just enough to pass the State's CDL exams. Road tests and endorsements etc. It will cost you a couple hundred dollars or so to have the full range of Endorsements, fingerprints, TSA, Homeland Security, Hazmat, TWIC and so on so forth etc. Its actually disgusting at how much they ahve tightened the screws since 9-11.

The dear Government on so many levels think that we truckers will take a propane tanker and destroy a town of 10,000 in our beds for a religious inferno. THATS not where the threat is from in my opinion. ANY one generally trucking for America does well without all that security driven regulating BS that has gotten seriously deep in the last 10 years alone.

I have to limit my typing since there is a palsy tonight for me (I get shaky a few times a year due to wear and tear from old iron. Either that or parkingston etc.)

Your Economic well being or indebitness is of absolutely no concern to any trucking company. They literally do not give a #### if you were buying a Rolls Royce Waith with the V12 engine on your DHS welfare income check. They simply do not care about that. They are not there to ensure that yes you can cover your debts on the pittance you will be paid as training pay. FFE paid my spouse about 235 net for 12 weeks until she passed her final test and was accepted into the fleet with me as a Husband and Wife Team.

You are not going to be in a position to last your first year. If you scraped the tires on your curb in a city somewhere thats preventable damage. You can and will get fired for preventbles. And now your 6000 dollar school bill is due and payable instantly and in collections. Unemployment does not get awarded to quitters without cause or especially without sufficient cause. And sometimes you are not with a company long enough to earn the required minimum in come in a quarter to even be allowed to apply for unemployment.

That leads to a second problem Savings. Not being able to pay cash for school and NOT having say three months savings against your constantly ongoing expenses for your debts like a car payment for years or and a house payment for 30 years. You can be in a position to lose everything based on being dismissed for excessively preventable incidents and accidents.

What bothers me more than anything is trucking industry has leaned on "Lip Service Bullcrapith" and you dont get learning what matters.

Example.

Show up at your doctors office within 10 miunutes early to your appt date and time across town. You will find that many people cannot get across their own home town to be AT THE DOCTORS 10 to 15 minutes early for the appt. They are late.

Tell me, how do you expect to get from Yakima WA to Boston Market with a load of onions due there in 6 days and right about 3070 miles on the ground in the dead of winter with storms stretching between coast to coast of all kinds.

You need to be at least 15 minutes early to your future appt date and time clear across the USA in any weather, day or night. Nothing is allowed to be a excuse for being late as a service failure That will get you fired just as easily.