Looking for a way to stay together with my wife during CDL training

If you decided to try and find grants or financing for a local school and can find that financing, I would strongly suggest attending Western Pacific CDL school in Sacramento. It's one of the highest rated schools in the state and I went there. The people are great and they have a great reputation with carriers. If things settle down at home and you're able to drive OTR after getting your CDL, Heartland Express has a huge terminal in Lathrop just south of you and they hire new drivers. They used to have local drivers so that would be a good place to start looking. They also have tuition reimbursement.

 

Ok, once again, my two cents on this kind of subject....
There is a government program to pay for retraining into specific fields that are in high demand. Trucking is one of them. I found out about the one in Arizona from the trucking school. There are three schools in my area, so I can be home every night during school. The program in Arizona is called "One stop" and is handled through the unemployment office, or the welfare office. They can also help with other needs while you're in school.
That will pay for school. Also, the community college offers courses, and they too can work with the government grant program to do this.
Then, you could work for a company that does "home daily" stuff. Food service, local air gas companies, etc. Not all CDL based "trucking" is over the road, long haul. There are package and delivery companies like Old Dominion, SAIA, and Estes. These are called "LTL" or "less than load" companies. There is a flavor for every taste in this industry. You do NOT have to be gone from your wife for weeks at a time.

 

You might not have to do that for the rest of your life but very few of these non-OTR companies will hire you without experience.

 

I know a company or two here in town that says they won't even hire from schools, they just want a good worker, so it can be both ways, lol.