Is there a cheap (free??) way to get my CDL-A?

I would like to get my CDL-A, but I can't afford to pay the $5,000 for the schooling/license. (I'm former military, if that makes a difference.) I live in Massachusettes.

I do have 4 years of experience driving 18-wheelers (from about 2007-2011); six months of OTR, and 3.5 years of local. But I stopped driving, and then my license came up for renewal. I stupidly chose to save money and not renew it. Now I'd like to get back into trucking, but can't afford the initial cost of getting my license back.

I don't need schooling, since I know how to drive. All I really need is a little refresher training, since the actual license test includes some stuff that is irrelavent when actually on the job.

 

I live quite far from Wakefield. Thanks though.

The main problem is passing the parallel parking part of the test. Where I live they only allow 3 get outs, and even with a single axle day cab it's hard to do with only 3 get outs. Requires practice, and memorizing exactly where in the mirror cones and things need to line up. In the real world I would park the truck just fine, but I would use more than 3 get outs.

 

Actually, the main problem is the money. But if I could pass the test the first time, then it would cost less money. But last time I had to take the test twice, because I failed the parallel parking part the first time. I had no more get-outs, and the trailer bumper was a couple inches away from the 12 inch spot that the bumper needs to be in to pass.