Need Advice In Jackson, MS

Never mind.

 

Well I'm not in Jaskson Ms. but I'll put my two cents worth in here.

First off all make sure this is what you want to do. You need to realize that you are going to work very long hours. Your going to be gone from home for alot. I'm mean it could be weeks. Don't think that you are going to be getting a local driving job right off the bat. Because thats probably not going to happen. Also, Everything you do is going to be put to the test by DOT officers. Scale Masters, and your company Saftey Department. Plus I don't know if your Married but if you are your home life may suffer also. It takes a very special Wife or Husband to handle a Loved one on the road. Think about this. (you are on the road in a snow storm and you were supose to call home at a certain time and you didn't call). They sit and worry all the time. I think you get the picture. Not trying to talk you out of Driving just trying to give you the whole picture.

Ok so now you still want to drive. Now the next step is to call all the Trucking Companies that offer training. I'm not going to tell you who they are, but you can find them all on this forum. When you call them keep an open mind. And don't let any of them sign you up until you read there contract because all of them have a contract. You have to work for them for at least a year to pay for there school. If you don't stay for a year you pay for the training. But make sure you get as many offers as you can. Keep this in mind. They are going to pay you to train you. But the pay during training isn't that great. But when you reach your goal of on the road in your truck by yourself you'll make better money.

There are also, what I call public Truck Driver Training Schools. Like a college. I worked for one called MTA Driver Training. Which was here in Indiana. But they closed. But I believe there is still one in California. But anyway they set you up with aid to pay for the training and I believe you can defer the paying back the aid until after your on your own with a Company. They also, help get hired with a Company when you finish there training. You should check that out also by checking with your local college or possible Google Truck Driver Training.

Anyway you should checkout your options all of them. Do your home work on this. And do alot of it. Make sure this is what you want to do.

Goodluck!!!

 

OK, goodluck!

Keep us posted here, we are here to help you all we can!

 

If you want GOOD training, check into some of the local Community Colleges in the area.

South MS used to have one of the best. The course was 7 weeks long, and relatively cheap (about $700) when you consider what it cost to use one of the "national" training routes.

I know of 3 people who attended NE and NW for their CDL's. All were fairly good out of the gate. They did need a bit of finishing, but were not as intimidated as the ones who went to other places to get their CDL.

 

If you have the means pay for the school yourself. Most of the outfits that will train you are the ones that people write about in these forums that are so bad. If you sign a contract with a co. to drive for them in exchange for training you are an indentured servant untill the contract is up. Make sure trucking is something you really want to do before you jump in. Remember, long hours, shippers and receivers who will make you wait for hours that you don't get paid for, dispatchers who don't really care if you like it or not, DOT and police who are just looking to releive you of your money for a minor infraction, driving in all kinds of weather, and people in 4 wheelers driving stupid that you have to look out for. Its not for everyone.