Questions from a newbie

Hi everyone! I just joined this awesome forum!!
I'm from Pittsburgh PA and I just graduated from college. This job thing's been kicking my ### for a couple of month now...
I am an adventurous and outgoing person, and after a few researches, I decided to go into trucking, but I don't have a relative or a friend who trucks. All I know is I have to go to a good trucking school to acquire proper certification for this job, and I was wondering if I could get any advice from you guys on how to go about this. Should I apply for a position at a trucking company and have them pay for the training if hired, or just send myself to a trucking school?
And, is there any good trucking school you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

Phewwwww, I'll pass.......

 

First welcome, second use the search feature to get answers to your questions. There are good and bad schools and it is ALWAYS better to get your CDL independantly so you are not obligated to any company for a year as their slave.

Research companies in the good/bad company area of the forum.

When you think you have a school or three picked out, post here and ask questions specific to them.

Trucking is NOT a job, especially OTR (over the road) it IS a lifestylye and not many are truly suited or ready for it.

READ, read and read some more.

 

I reckon you can go either way. You can go to a company and aquire your cdl or a private school. Private school you have to pay upfront and they usually offer jobs from a few different companies. Most they will reimburse tuition[s/p]?.

If you go to a company and pass you are guarenteed a job but you under contract to that carrier for a year.

If you go that route I would say go to central refridgerated they seem to have the best deal goin for newbies. I didnt go to a school so all this is just what I hear so dont take it to the bank.

Here is the shortcut to the best central link on this site http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...re/40859-central-refrigerated-truck-stop.html

there is alot of good and bad on there plus alot of newbies maybeyou can ask them questions and get straight answers

 

Go to the PTDI website and find a local technical college (public, not private school) you have a few PTDI certified public vocational schools in your state. Hands down the best education, at the best price. I'm not sure if it is still available, but at one time PA had a program to encourage people to become truck drivers, it was some form of grant offered.

 

Jonny1 is correct.Find a good technical college to get training and CDL.Then you're going to have to choose a company that will take a newbie,but cross that bridge when you come to it.

This is not a job for the faint of heart.You will work 60-70 hrs a week.You will be forced to visit some of the trashiest places known to man.You will be treated as a second class citizen in just about all situations.And you can hang up that $50,000(I'm sure that or a similar number has been used to entice new drivers) your first year.That is just not going to happen.

And here's the kicker.When you do find a company that will take someone with no experience,you will get to spend between 6 weeks and six months being the "cheap"side of a team.


Still want to try?Start at the school you pay for.

 

Thanks alot guys (especially jonny1), I appreciate the help in helping to adress my concerns. I looked up some PTDI certified public schools in PA, I am thinking about looking into Northampton Community College Driver Training Program in Bethlehem, PA.

I also looked up some job opportunities, and almost all required HAZMAT and TWIN Class A cert. Marketability is very important to me as an entry-level trucker to be, is that something I should be concerned about?

 

Here's the link to the school:
Northampton Community College Driver Training Program

 

Hello Scorpiorias and Welcome to the Forum


I think that you have picked a good school and will get excellent training.

If you would like, please start a thread under," Trucking Schools", so that others can watch the journey that you are on to become a truck driver.

Thank You and Best of Luck!!!