looking for any and all advice to get started

whew! okay,sounds like you have started to look into the wonderful world of trucking..ask yourself a few questions..do you like to be home on a regular basis? and if you are married ,how does your wife or girlfriend feel about your long absences from home? ( the potential is there for several weeks at a time) Do you like spending most of your week alone in a confined space? do you know your way around an atlas? are you mechanically inclined enough to get yourself out of a bind? have you ever considered staying up for 24 hours or more? do you require a shower on a regular basis? i'm not rying to scare you or freak you out..i am just giving you a few of the scenarios that you will be dealing with as a truck driver..
shakey

 

Hello and Welcome to the Site

I would suggest utilizing the WIA funding and attending a Community/Technical College for your CDL training.
I do not suggest signing any contracts.
Make some phone calls to local schools, both private and through the colleges. Find out which companies are hiring in your area. Then, put in some applications for pre-hires before enrolling in any program.

Please start a thread in or forum for trucking schools when you do get started.

Best to You!!!

 

Good advice Shakey! Welcome Wannabee! Maybe look at some companies and talk to recruiters and see what they have to offer. Find something that may best suit your needs. There are a lot of different variables. Also, while you are talking to recruiters first off keep in mind they get paid commission as to how many heads they get into orientation, schools work the same way. Second, ask the recruiters what schools their particular company will accept you going to. I have been trying to tell some of the newbies to look into some of the companies that are less advertised. This equals lower driver turnover rate which in turn maybe because the drivers are a little more happier to be working for them. Not bashing the big companies but you will be a number and your needs to them are a lot less important. SHakey had some good advice to offer, talk to some drivers about the whole aspect too! Think about what it is going to be like living in that truck. One of the hardest things about truck driving is the lifestyle. No matter what the recruiters tell you, just about every company expects you to stay out for about a month at a time. You usually earn 1 day per week you are out, off when you take your time off. I have been driving since 96' and absolutely love it. My wife drove team with me for seven years and loved it. No matter what it is going to be tough on you at first but allow yourself at least 3months of out on the road before you get in the groove, start making money and are comfortable with the lifestyle. It is going to be a shock at first. Also, truck driving is very demanding, if you are not a hard worker and dedicated this might not be for you. It is a very fast pace job and technically once you start driving you will never really be "off duty"! Even on hometime they will call you and ask favors of you. You can say "no" but that puts you on the bottom of their list when finding drivers to run miles. Good luck, if you have any questions and want to "pm" me feel free to do so. This is a great website for info but you are also going to get a lot of opinions.