Laid off. I have no CDL, no driving experience, want to work in oil fields. Help!!

I am a laid off teacher. I currently live in Phoenix, AZ. I have moved to Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and finally Arizona looking for work. It's bad out there guys.
I'm done with teaching because of the layoffs, low pay, and mouthy kids. It isn't worth it anymore. I need a new career.
I'm working two part-time jobs to survive.

I want to get into trucking.

I have two options:

1.) I can either move to South Texas, find a school and study/pass my CDL while living in a motel, then try to find a trucking company that will hire me with no trucking experience. However, I would not be a resident of Texas even though I would like to move there and be a resident of Texas. I think it is one year to get residency in Texas.

2.) I can go to Swift or Knight here in Phoenix and spend $3500 to get my CDL through their trucking school(rip off) and get 1 year of OTR experience here.

Any ideas? Looking for smartest approach. All opinions are welcome.

 

Which cities in Texas to move to? I want to find a CDL school or someone who can help me get a CDL.

 

Single. Just me and my girlfriend. I am 46 years old. Great shape. Grew up on a farm. I have been a Roofer, construction laborer, salesman, bellman, town car driver, and teacher.

I need a CDL that is low cost. If I can find a low cost CDL school and find companies hiring rookies -- I can do the rest. Thanks.

Why Texas? Texas is closer to Arizona, many oil & gas companies, more employment opportunities, and I have been through Texas and liked it. North Dakota is too far and too cold in the winter.

 

Yes, I was thinking about going to Knight Transportation School in Phoenix. It just seems easier to work for Knight. They start paying you $400 a week the moment you step into the classroom., it is local for me, and I am already living in an apartment. It pays about $25,000 yearly the first year and upwards after that. Plus, you are home weekly since you're driving on the West Coast only. I can get my 1 year of OTR and then move to Texas.
The only drawback is that I wont be able to drive through Texas and meet other truckers to get on with an oil company and the low pay.
But hey, I got to start somewhere fellas.

I looked into Swift and I am not keen in being home once every three weeks, driving coast to coast, and the $3500 schooling is high.