New need some advice

Best option in the long long run Rob is to try and go to your local com. college and see if they offer a CDL training course. If not check out some that are close enough to your place of residence to be able to commute daily. These schools usually have some sort of student loan programs also...and the training will be much, much better. Good Luck and welcome the the forum!

 

Going with a school on your own would give you more options and also you wouldnt be stuck under a contract. But there are some advantages of going with a training company to. Roehl and Stevens are good companies, but there are more companies that offer school and training. If you could pay your school on your own then you should go with that and more options will be open out for you. If you dont then you should look for a good training company to work with

 

hi rob, im rob. there are private schools that will finance just about all costs related to tuition and living expenses. this is an option for those with limited funds. (c1 indy is where i went...they would finance tuition, and would also go further than that with the financed amount if your funds were REALLY limited. wouldnt make you starve. needed money for 1 meal a day, breakfast/lunch provided)

youll hear negative things about company schools. they are "free" up front, but require a commitment from you to drive for them for x amount of time. make sure you know the value of x. also find out how much they will take out of your meager pay each week to pay for the school. and then ask what happens if you quit after half the time, or 3/4 of the time, or less, that you committed to. compare this to financing at a private school like so....

private school tuition you found is $4k financed at x% per year. this makes a net cost of lets say 4500 over the next 2 years. company school you are looking at says if you quit the day after you get in a truck you owe $4k. which they will accept payments on over the next 2 years but that will make it 4500. company will take $25 per week from you for your 18 month commitment. (25*78=1950) company will also REPAY private school tuition at 100/month if youve gone that route. (100*18=1800.....4500-1800=2700...2700-1950= $750... 750 is the real cost for the private school in this comparison. 750 bucks over 18 months for the peace of mind of knowing you can leave ANYTIME you find something better. this is why i say private is better than company school.

 

this may sound stupid but which one is closer to where you live? figure your gonna take a Greyhound there, that and if things don't work out, or if you have to leave for an emergency whats easier to get home from? gotta admit, that was a factor for me in choosing FFE over Central. (ffe's was only 2.5 hours from the house and Central's was in Utah.

 

You do know that being only 20 you will not be able to travel out side of the state you live in til you are 21, at least in a commercial vehicle with a weight of over 26,001 lbs ...In order to get a CDL you must be at least 21.

 

Rob call this phone # 1-877-889-5627 its for department of labor its in D.C. Tell them you need information on the work enforcement act. Then they will ask you what city and state you live in and will give you a phone number to call in your city or county. Call that number tell them your calling about the work enforcement act for CDL training. They will give you appointment to go see them. When you go for your appointment they have you fill little bit of paperwork and give you math and English test which are super easy. And they will you a grant for cdl training, It all depends how much grant you get from what city and state you live in. In some cities the grant covers the full school coverage and in some half and in some 3/4. But you have to pass both the math and english test to get the grant. And another thing is people at local city offices always try to make people change there mind about cdl training so they dont have to give the grant they'll try anything to get you to change your mind. I hope this helps rob good luck.

 

There are many good companies that will hire you at 21. Start checking some websites so you will know which ones to apply with and won't waste your time with the others.

Melton Truck Lines is one & screen these for more:

CLICK HERE for a list of trucking companies that hire new drivers.

Maybe some other drivers will list some that aren't on this list.

I recommend going with a flatbed or refrigerated company; better annual pay than dry van. The two you mentioned both have good schools. Do they hire at 21?