school vs on the job training?

Not sure how familiar with the whole process you are but no matter where you go to school you will have to go with a trainer of the company you choose. Some of the training times vary but on average it is 6-8 weeks. I wouldn't stress to much about picking a school they are all pretty much the same. Also the school is there to just get you your license. Nothing more, nothing less. They are just there to prepare you to go with a trainer. Most of your learning and behind the wheel time is going to be with your trainer. I would strongly advise you to not go with these mega-carriers. There are lots of other options out there.

 

they can starve you out...out of miles for instance...they can make you sit for several hours and they will tell you "call me back in 1 hour, or call me back in 2 hours" all the while you could have been getting quality sleep. sometimes these companies will try and cajole you to sign a lease purchase plan, a A HUGE NO-NO for any newbie, as here-in lies the "they can starve you out? by controlling the freight, all the while the truck payments are due..

no you could even be a graduate of a school that you paid for, and you ca be starved out for loads/miles as well.....so it ain't like one or the other is safer.

my opinions on in house training is that they have you sign that contract, ok, when you go to a bank for a loan or at the school you sign a contract, but however, you are bound more so i believe by the trucking company, and what do you do if a great driving job comes along, home weekly, dedicated freight, higher wages, better benefits, and you cannot leave Prime (or anyone else) due to the contract..??

what they will do is, make you pay the contract off, and you really need to check the fine print...the finance charges on the loan can be held back, as long as you stay with them,.....if you leave, all that interest which was held back, can now be added to your loan,back from day 1.....


i always recommend a straight student loan from a bank, this way, you can do as YOU PLEASE and up and leave with no worries about getting whacked big time by finance charges and other fee's that WILL be listed on the loan form from the trucking companies. fee's like the motel stay, food, whatever you got while at the trucking company's school...

there are those that simply cannot afford a bank loan due to poor or no credit....then a company training program fits, one has basically no choice.....there is also the WIA program for the unemployed and ubder-employed that a person may qualify for.

 

I agree. It's a much cleaner feeling knowing that you don't owe that 1st company (mega carrier) anything.

I went to a private school and was free to examine any job opportunity that came by while I worked for Swift. As such, after 22 mo with Swift (economy) I landed a good local job paying $1K a week without O/T or lay-offs. During that 22 months, I examined about 4 different job ops, but passed them up as less dependable or lower money.

It's your call. Do what you need to get into the rig. But if possible, avoid owing the parent company while working there. Just my 2 cents.

 

Do not tie yourself to a company unless you have to! I went to a local community college and got my cdl and the freedom is worth it! Plus you will have some "big" companies that want you to have a lot of verifiable experience or truck school before they will employ you. Look for a smaller broker willing to give you a chance for some experience.
Also some community colleges have training for around 1500 as opposed to 4-6000

 

I am going to Swift's academy to get my cdl. After obtaining it, I have the option to pay it off if I wish and leave, but why go to Swift's school if I am going to do that? My only concern regards my paranoia that after completing the cdl training, I decided to go elsewhere, someone at Swift would get PO'ed and make up a reason to put something on my DAC (for spite) and then another company would say..."hmmmm." Again, this may be a moot point as I plan on staying with Swift definitely for that tough first year; plus get some tuition reimbursement then see what options are available at that time. Could find that Swift has been good in that first year, and stick around. Besides, I hope to meet Injun, 'Nana, Dick Jones (yeah..you too, Richard), Scottied67, Schmud and others.

 

i'd say that if nothing makes you do this.........with-in your first year, you may even want to stay a bit longer, to make you look better for the next job (longevity on the job)