Please help with deciding company to work/train for

1800 per week for starter - you cant go wrong

 

Most CDL schools only have the time to teach students just enough to pass the state exam. That's what my CDL school did. But my trainer at my first company made me back into a parking spot every time we stopped for anything. Many company trainers are just OTR drivers willing to let some stranger ride with them for extra money. You need to practice backing the trailer every day you are in a big truck. You will mostly need to do the 45 degree & 90 alley dock. The parallel, offset and others are pretty rare in the real world.

Any trainers showing you shortcuts, like pull-thru parking or parking at fuel pumps is setting you up to fail. He gets paid whether you succeed or fail. You have to take care of you a d keep your CDL clean. Nobody but you cares if your CDL keeps putting food on your table. Go watch the backing trailer videos on YouTube, especially the ones by CDL schools & trucking companies like Schneider. Backing is a paint-by-numbers procedure where you do this when this part of your truck is beside this other thing and then do this when a other part gets beside that. Some of the videos are great at showing you what to look for. If you know what to look for before CDL school you are ahead of the game. In trucking EVERYTHING has 9 names and the people using one of them don't believe there is a y name but the one they use. It can be confusing. More teachers are often more confusing. Find a video that makes sense and watch that video until you know it.

The pre-trip inspection is a memorization exercise. Memorize it in small chunks. The exact wording in your state must be used. No slang, no replacement names.

Get doubles/triple trailers (one endorsement), tanker, a d HazMat if you can afford the $150-200. If not get HazMat later. Tanker is the best part of trucking a d the endorsement is required for certain freight inside other trailers, not just the round liquid trailers. It's an easy test. The practice tests for every endorsement are free and online at many places. I used TruckerCountry.com. i have a post onnhow to pass a y endorsement test with minimal study.

 

My biggest concern would be getting in and out of parking lots. And as a newbie, it would be that much worse. Scratch a couple of cars, and you'll be looking for a new job with little experience and a crappy driving record.
Something to consider

 

And while you're considering, run by some of these dollar stores and ask yourself how you would back a tractor and trailer to the back door.
Do as many as you can, because if you do it, you'll have to do them all.

Best wishes. I went with Schneider 12 years ago straight out of school and I'm still there. I can't say they're the best, but they're pretty ok.

Good luck

 

Greetings, from Georgia!

Schneider veteran here....I did both OTR and intermodal duty with them.

My latest gig: hazmat tanker duty, hauling fuel (gasoline, and diesel).....but NOT with Schneider. It's a home-daily job.

The following are three different opportunities that I think you should at least know about (and I'll explain why, with each one). These recommendations are made with the assumptions that you have a clean driving and criminal history--and also....you are in reasonably good health.

~~~~~

TMC Trucking.....based over in Omaha, NE....now has an in-house "get your CDL" program. Here's your chance to drive some of the coolest-looking newer rigs in the industry--read the following page:

Paid CDL Training | TMC Trucking Company Offers Class-A CDL Certification (tmctrans.com)

As it turns out--you are inside their hiring area.

Why TMC, you may ask?

Besides really good-looking equipment that you can be proud of--based on what I have experienced in the industry--if you learn to back up a spread-axle flatbed trailer--then you can do pretty much anything else the industry throws at you. And....since you're young, doing flatbed isn't really asking too much of you. You'll also bring home more $$$$$$ than that Schneider gig you're considering.

Here's another "think outside the box" option (literally):

Have you considered doing tanker duty? Would you be interested in a tanker carrier that would pay you to get your CDL, offer you paid-for on-site room and board while you do so--& then set you up with a tanker job after you finish?

It's a bit far from where you are in Nebraska: but this carrier will start you off doing tanker with a training program that will have you ready for smooth-bore tanker duty:

Driver Academy locations -- Western Dairy Transport

The closest location/school for you is the one in Cabool, Missouri.

Why Western Dairy, you may ask? It's the only tanker fleet that will help you get a CDL, & pay you while you do it--and then pay respectable money afterwards. Schneider might train you for tanker duty (yes, they do have a tanker fleet)--but if you look around here on the Forum, and do your "homework"...you'll find that Schneider tanker is for the most part, a disaster.

If you should decide that flatbed or tanker really isn't your cup of tea...and you just want to start things off by pulling "boxes" (that's what I did--but that's mainly because I was/am an old fart), then I would recommend Swift Transportation to you, over Schneider:

Get your CDL-A with Swift

Their nearest terminal for you is (per the above link) in Edwardsville, KS.

Why Swift, over Schneider?

Remember--I'm a Schneider vet. Swift will likely give you a LOT MORE loads/runs out west, than Schneider. Thus, you'll see more of the lower-48. You'll probably make more $$$$ with them, too.

Swift will also very likely have the freight to keep you busy and running. This is important--because....as I write this, the general freight world is experiencing a true slowdown. Obviously--you don't want to be a part of that, if you can avoid it.

With Swift--I would suggest you start off in their "dry van" group. Later, after you learn how to drive....you might consider either their intermodal or reefer fleets.

Why dry van, instead of reefer? You'll get MUCH BETTER sleep there (I'm assuming here that you do in fact need to sleep).

Anyway....if you pick any of the 3 above.....you really can't lose.

Then give it all you've got--& don't look back.

-- Lual

 

Get the CDL first then plan your next move. Go to Schneider get the training so you become proficient at driving the TT. The money is there when you have the experience and good driving record. You're a young man and you don't mind working. Be patient, listen to wisdom, plan properly, and you will achieve your goals. All the best to you on your journey. Just some FYI there are other trailers besides dry van.

 

.Might be some other local jobs other than those two.
~
That Schneider jobs looks pretty good though.

 

If you keep doing physical work. That is very good for your health. Sitting all the time. No touch is not good.
One alternative is food service. Like Sysco. Several companies. Ain’t never heard any problems with their jobs in backing. Unlike dollar store accounts. Two guys in truck. One spots. Home everyday. Heard(?) good pay?

 

NO newbies. 3 mth. min. exp.