Many Thoughts

It differs from company to company. Some pay more for orientation and or lasts longer, some pay up to 200 more a week for training time. Ask the companies recruiters for the best answers.

 

Trucking I would say is the lowest paid job there is.You are teaming,look at what team pays times that be 2000 to 2500 miles and that's what you'll receive a week before taxes,insurance and all the other fun stuff.

 

I believe you mean 4000 to 5000 miles for a TEAM, right..?

As for the low pay, you're talking hourly. I haven't driven yet, but I've worked, lol. There are not many places that let you work enough hours to equal even a mediocre week behind the wheel (comparing to unskilled labor that is).

 

There are no DOT standards or requirements for the training of CDL drivers only testing. You can walk into the DMV in your hometown and pick up the study manual, study the manual, pay the fees, and take the test. You will however need a truck to do the road test in and that's it.

Most companies that hire student drivers have a standard which is normally 150 hours from an accredited school. Every company is different so call around to a few companies you are interested in and see how many hours they require.

Why the short course vs. the long course:

Some students already have their class B and have been driving for sometime.
Some students are laid off or unemployed and need to receive min. required hours to find a job and return to the work force.
Some students have jobs and take the longer course to work it into their schedule
Some students want the full training and practice to have more jobs available to them and feel comfortable with the skills

Company sponsored training vs. non-company sponsored training

Their are far to many reasons to explain here why company sponsored/paid training is a very bad idea, if you really want to know there are a lot threads on this web site alone explaining the down falls and horror stories driver have been thru fulfilling those contracts.

So I will explain some of the benefits of attending a non-company sponsored schooling path.

1. Most accredited schools have FASFA and other financing options. Some state labor agencies even have free money.
2. Most schools offer lifetime job placement and normally know who is hiring locally before it is even advertised.
3. Most schools will have you pre-hired before you even finish schooling
4. If you attend a non-company sponsored training you receive all of the tax credits and deductions and NOT the company. Like tuition, books, maps, clothes, pens & pencils, notebooks, cost of a laptop/computer, cost of a printer, ink, paper, cost of the medical exam, permitting fees, meals, travel expenses, etc..
5. Normally you will start with a higher CPM rate than drivers coming out of their own school.
6. Most companies have tuition reimbursement up to $10,000 which is paid directly to you weekly or monthly with no contract.
7. You can leave the company anytime you want because you owe them ZERO!
8. When you are in school you may find you like hauling something different than what you thought or you may receive better job offers. You are not locked into one company for the next 12-15 months so you can do whatever you want.

Being that you are a husband and wife I might also suggest allowing him to get his CDL first and get enough driving time under his belt to become a trainer. At which point he can train you OTR and not someone else, like a guy. That's right most companies train woman with male trainers.

Once you finish your training you just keep on keeping on with your husband.

Plus your husband will be paid to train you OTR. You can ride along with your husband as soon as he finishes his OTR Training.

 

Get your experience with Swift, then switch to System Transport with a terminal in Phoenix. Team pay is .50 cpm split.

 

Not having gone through the Swift school, I'm not sure about the arrangements. Others could comment about that.

Once your application is accepted and you go to orientation:

- Orientation is 3 days. 1st day is a drive test, physical, and drug test. In between there are also group lessons and plenty to read. 2nd day you turn in a hazmat take home test (you received the day before) for certification (not endorsement) and the day is full of class sessions. The 2nd day they will be confirming any final issues with your application as well. If you make it to the 3rd day you are hired and your pay starts on that day.

- Training - you and your husband will be assigned to different trainers (mentors) for your 240 hours behind the wheel. Once you have each finished training (usually 5 weeks on average) you can team up together.

- I believe you will be paid $450 a week for 4 weeks, and if you need a 5th or 6th week it is $500 per week (for California residents you are paid $8/hr On Duty and $9/hr Driving). Payday is every Tuesday (direct deposit to Comdata card or to your bank account). Note that you are paid for the week prior, so if you finish orientation on a Thursday and hit the road with a mentor on Friday you will have a small paycheck... the 2nd Tuesday into your training. Thereafter you will have full paychecks.

Swift can be good or "challenging". Lot's of folks badmouth it but they have a lot of training opportunities within the company if you look for them. If you aren't happy with your mentor you can ask to be reassigned to finish your 240 hour training.

I like the concept that you are selling the home to hit the road. If you are really freeing yourself up from "home overhead" then OTR trucking is a brilliant way to set aside money. If you avoid eating fast/restaurant food, get a cooler, and eat the great majority of food you purchase at Walmart or other grocery stores, then you can eat on about $60 / week per person. The only other expense that is required is your cell phone bill.

Good luck to you.

 

Get all of the endorsements. USE swift for CDL. Avoid Contracts, Bail on Swift after X months
Pay is under minimum wage. Apologize for being blunt.
Welcome to trucking. Have fun and be safe. keep us updated