need a truck for CDL testing willing to pay owner operator

kevin, I got my CDL twice by driving with a permit with my brother as O/O. Neither time did I go through a school. I let my CDL lapse (got it back in '77) and just got my CDL again earlier this year.

Regarding insurance cost for a driver with only a permit, it isn't as expensive as all that. The cost for my brother to insure me late last year was about $2000 per year in addition to his current insurance. There are O/O's that might be looking to train a driver for team driving or to take on a 2nd or 3rd truck.

 

kevin, I got my CDL twice by driving with a permit with my brother as O/O. Neither time did I go through a school. I let my CDL lapse (got it back in '77) and just got my CDL again earlier this year.

Regarding insurance cost for a driver with only a permit, it isn't as expensive as all that. The cost for my brother to insure me late last year was about $2000 per year in addition to his current insurance. There are O/O's that might be looking to train a driver for team driving or to take on a 2nd or 3rd truck.

 

No, Prime does not have a school. They will take you as a graduate of a 160 hour trucking school if you've never driven before. Then they'll put you with a trainer for xx,xxxx miles.

 

Your in philly, so AAA would be your best bet. http://aaaschooloftrucking.com If you have your permit, you can just pay for 1 on 1 time with a trainer and a truck. It was like 85/hour a year ago. You get a private course, a trainer and a truck with no other students. when you pay by the hour, you control what you do, how much road time, how much course time. You work on what you need without a curriculum. I knocked my cdl out in 30 hours. it cost me around 2700 after test fees. They have financing. If you have your permit there is no reason to pay for a 120 hour class. Most classes will have you end up with 3 other guys in the truck and only 10-20 hours of actual driving. No sense paying for class time that teaches you what you can read int he cdl manual on penndot.

Also, I highly recommend TMC as your starting company. They are flatbed, not van like prime, but the pay is much better for the extra work. If you take % pay its around .45/mile. I made around 1250 a week before i started training for them

My goal was to become an O/O asap. Its a bigger step then you think. I was in your shoes 18 months ago. The key is to have tons of money saved up. Trucks can make you a lot, but they can also cost you a lot. if you cant make the repairs you may never get tot he pint where they make you a lot. My advice is cut your expenses to the bone and make sure you have tons set aside for maintenance before starting. My goal was a year, but ti took 18 months. I start as an O/O Monday.

 

DO NOT go to their program for non cdl holders. After you have a cdl any company will train you more, and they should. If you get your cdl from company training, they value your training at 8000-10000 dollar. If you quit, you owe them that money. Since you can't quit for a year, they give you horrible loads. You cant quit so why not give you the bad fright no one else wants,. They own you. If you quit they make 8-10K so its no big deal.

Finance, beg borrow and get your cdl before attending any company training. If you do that your not locked in and can jump ship if you ever need to.

 

Me too...I have even watched people do it this way nowadays...The issue is this..People seem to think there is only ''one way'' and follow the SHEEP to the slaughter house..There is more than one way to skin a cat...

 

kevin, if you're sure you can drive a truck, then check to see if there is a company that rents trucks by the day for DMV tests. In California there is a "CDL in A Day" company that has trucks parked at the DMV testing sites. I think the cost is about $400 if you don't want training and a run through, $800 to have a run through and quick on the road before your test, and $200 if you simply want to buy their preassigned reserved time and have your own truck.

The risk would be if for any reason you fail the test and need to retake it you would have to pay the fee again.