Introducing myself and asking for advice.

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I'm in a similiar situation; after loads of research I've come up with my plan. It might work for you too.

Basically, Im doing my own CDL training; There are a lot of good books that help with the studying (DMV booklet is one of them). The "get your cdl" books can be had at the library. Study everything so you can pass the CDL permit.

This requires you to pay your own DMV fees, which are just under $70 for the permit, and a little less than $40 for each endorsement. The reason I chose this route is that I want to have a broader choice of companies to train with. The next thing to do is to find a 'pay as you go' trucking school (Dootson is one... $48 per lesson). And learn just enough to pass the skills test (behind the wheel). Now; these "Truck Driving Schools" will openly admit that THEY DO NOT TEACH YOU HOW TO DRIVE A TRUCK. THEY WILL ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO GET A LICENSE TO DRIVE A TRUCK. And you get to use their trucks for the tests.

Next is make a list (after lots of research) of companies that hire recent graduates, and/or have new driver training programs that give you a 'pre-hire' status upon completion of training. Eventhough you already have your own license, they will require to attend their full training session, and charge you for the training. Some discount the training if you don't need to participate in the CDL portion of the program. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement programs, but you have to stay on with them for 1, 2, or 3 years depending on the company, in order to get fully reimbursed. Most will take deductions from your pay until you've 'served your time'.

If tuition reimbursement is not an option, many offer financing programs & "grants". I have had 3 pitches offering to qualify me for state grant money for training. If you get these, walk away! Anyone who watches the news knows that the State of California is BROKE! and is not giving out free money for anything! These programs that they will 'help you get' are cleaverly disguised loans that have terms that only benefit the company, and/or the underwriter, but they are never a good deal for you.

If you do choose to finance your training, be sure you are comfortable with the terms of the loan. i.e. principal, interest, pay upon demand clauses, etc. Don't let anyone talk you into anything you are uncomfortable with, or don't fully understand. They're are a lot of scams (for lack of a better word) out there, and its easy to fall prey when they promise you the world, after a long period of unemployment. So get referals from friends, relatives, and others for good companies, and such.

Hope I was helpful, good luck, and I'll see ya on the road!

 

Good post.

But, you can't pass a driving test if you can't drive the truck. The school will teach you to do so. They can't make you a good and experienced driver but you will spend days backing and shifting before hitting the road for 20 hours.

Also, if you know you're going to have to attend the company's school and pay for it anyway, I'm not sure why it's to your benefit to delay starting by getting the CDL on your own. May as well get on with it. You can't get a job without the schooling unless you know somebody or have your own truck.

 

Agreed; I've talked to a lot of drivers, and I've learned that there is 'training' you receive only through experience, dedication, and a little bit of common sense. The schools will teach you how to back, shift, and drive a truck, in order to satisfy the DMV. I think the training academies take it from there and expand your skillset.

The reason for doing the CDL on your own is that the costs for the permit, and pay as you go type training ends up being much less than CDL'ing through the academy which in my situation saves me a little over $1000. (at least in my situation) Driving schools (and training COs) place a high value on their services, but much of the knowledge that they teach can be had for free. It makes sense for me, might not for someone else. Simple as that.

 

Well guys the best of luck to the both of you but your best bet is to find a company that has there own school. They are out there and are the bigger outfits. If you can get on with one of those great, but right now with so many trucking companys out of business there are to many drivers and it will be extremly hard for you to find a job. There are people out there that have lots of experience and cant get a job.

 

Best not to pretend you have choices if you don't.

That first year can range from good to hell, but it will pass either way and improve your situation.

Once you're out there trucking, you'll see less than 1 in 15 or so trucks are one of the huge carriers. There's so many places to try. Give it a good effort to find a smaller company for a couple/few weeks then take what you can get. Just don't do the lease.

 

Being layed off and having nothing else going for you is not a good reason to suddenly become a truck driver.

Back when you were making the big bucks (and when you would have never considered being a lowly truck driver) that's when there was a lot of freight moving around because you and everyone else was spending your disposable income to buy things, anything.

Now you and everyone else ain't got a job and you ain't spending much money buying stuff (and neither is anyone else) so there is not much freight being shuffled around.

So my point is there is not much of a need for new drivers to truck around freight that does not exist. We already got experienced truck drivers from the last economic bubble who are fighting to the death for the scraps of freight now that do exist.

Try a career in fast food, trust me you will make the same money and be able to sleep in your own bed each night and you can get out of it with out accidentally driving 80,000 lbs off the side of a narrow mountain pass in the dark and pouring rain coming down off your high on Truckers Choice™® caffeine pills when and if the economy picks back up. Worst that could happen to you is you put too much vinegar on some yuppies Subway sandwich.