School, or trained by first job?

Honestly, you are over thinking things a bit.
Choose the path that makes sense at this time for you.

I went private training, I don't want to be in a position to owe a company if I decide to leave for some reason. That's just me, maybe it's not a deal breaker for you.

Many drivers start at a company that trains them and happily stay with that company for years.

Either path can lead to success. Choose one and get the wheels rolling. Roll dice, toss darts at a board, do rock paper scissors or flip a coin if you cannot decide then just grab the bull by the horns and go get your cdl.

Longer you analyze to death the options the next thing you know you a6 month or a year has passed, you could be driving happily into the sunset.

Questions are good, changing the wording for the same essential question is going to cause you problems going forward as you will be doing this when you have a load and should be rolling...do I drive this route or that route....OK but what about that way instead...etc. etc...

 

Like I said before,

Main benefit of getting licensed on your own is not having that obligated term to pay company back.

School is not really training, per say. Main purpose is to get you to pass test. You gain very rudimentary basic knowledge.

Anywhere you go, you will be considered a new driver with no experience. You will go through whatever "training" program on the road that they have in place. You just do not have to do their "licensing" part.

Do not know if Los Angeles is good for domicile, but I can tell you I haul a hell of a lot of loads out of L.A. & even more north of L.A.

Usually pays crap getting out there, but lots of good paying loads outbound. Especially produce. (Talking normal times....).

 

Cali is like the inverse of FL.

Lousy rates into CA, high rates out.

High rates into FL, lousy rates out.

Similar reasons for some companies either limiting or restricting hiring in both states. Reason..... getting back for hometime.

 

Most all the megas. Many medium & small operations. And, a lot of us O/O.

Just have to ask when you talk to those you are inquiring.

I'm not up on, nor really pay attention to hiring companies. China is the king on that & I think he's given you quite a list.

A lot of individuals will not run Cali, as they despise all the regulations, 55mph, BS hard ### enforcement.

Personally, I like it & really have no issues. (Even IF they were the source of my only ticket in over 30yrs. 5mph over, by trooper recently moved out there from town next to mine.... on my #### birthday!).

 

8hrs loading in SC.

Time to split.

See what you have to look forward to?

Peace