Swift or Community College?

Yeah, some companies hire with up to 3 preventable wrecks in a short period of time.
USA Truck and National Carriers hire with 3 preventable wrecks within 3 years.

 

Community college hands down.

If you're not tied to Arizona, you can work and live anywhere.

And you'll see it all your first couple of years driving, so live in the truck awhile, then pick what part of the country you like best.

 

Just don’t go to CRST or CR England.

 

Go to swift, it’s right by your house.. Youre going to get your license way faster and cheaper at swift then any where else . They don’t lock you into a contract. It’s a zero interest Loan... 3900 dollars and 3-4 weeks you’ll have a cdl if you can cut it. Just because it says swift shouldn’t matter. When you have a license you can leave anytime

 

You’ll get a hotel with a Male trainer over the road. It’s only 2 weeks. They are not picky but they do drug test you and check your background. Just get your CDL permit ask any Schneider driver to put in a word for you on their driver referral app.

 

ANY Over The Road company will put you with a trainer for 1-2 months after you get your CDL. The big differences are between trucking companies you work for. The difference between schools are lost quickly because they don't have time to do much more than prep you for your state driving test. Focus on the place you want to work, not the school. You wouldn't want someone deciding on a marriage based on a jewelry store or Location for the ceremony would you. Focus on the company and the job. ANYONE can learn this job and do this job. It doesn't matter if you are a 4 ft 9 inch 85 pound woman or a 6 ft 5 inch powerlifting man.

 

In reality, new drivers should feel locked into their first company even without a 1 year contract. Newbies with less than a year have fewer options than students that just passed their CDL exam yesterday. A newbie with a few months experience looks like "damaged goods" to many companies. It's possible to quit early and recover, but I wouldn't make a plan to do that.

 

Many of us found trucking to be a great 2nd chance career. Make good choices focusing on the long-term and it can easily rescue you like it rescued me. Just beware this industry has its share of dropouts and fingers that will tell you things that might not be good for your long term future.

OTR is harder than advertised if you only get home every month or two. You can do OTR and be home weekends. At least no matter how bad your week is, it will be over in a few days.

NOTHING is more important than a 100% clean driving record. With it you can work almost anywhere. Once you start getting tickets and accidents/incidents you are throwing away good jobs with both hands. It's MUCH easier to keep your record clean at a good company than a shady company.

Nobody but you cares as much about your driving record as you should. If that means creeping down a street at 2 mph looking for a customer, do it. If that means you spend 45 minutes trying to back in without hitting stuff, take 45 minutes. Newbies are in a hurry to do things fast and seem to accept breaking stuff as the cost of doing business. Those are the people working for shady outfits and being asked to do really stupid stuff. They want you.

 

YouTube - women truckers > The surprising rise of female trucking celebrities

 

@daniphoenix I may be reading in more than there is, however I'm just going to throw this out for consideration. If truck driving is truly your passion, then by all means go to it and don't allow anyone to discourage you. Be professional, hang your head high and be proud of what you do!

On the flip side, if it is an "easy escape", then I caution you with a phrase my dad told me numerous times when I was growing up; "sometimes the easiest path bears the most pain". I don't know if this was his or where it originated from, but there's wisdom in it. Over the years, I've met countless "stiffs" that ended up in jobs that they hated and felt trapped in by their circumstances. Depressed and defeated, they literally served a self imposed sentence day after miserable day and became bitter about life. Lots of these people took the "easy escape" and wound up in a proverbial hole.

Do what excites you! Don't take an escape. Granted, it might be tougher to do what seems unattainable, but the reward will be worth it if you find yourself in a career that you enjoy and thrive on. If that exciting career is trucking, then get yourself into school; if it is selling, serving, painting, or whatever... just go to it. Only you know the answers.

One other thing, no matter where you look at landing, do your due diligence. Make sure the company (trucking or otherwise) is reputable, offers you what you need (or more) and is a fit for you. If not, move along to the next. Be choosy.

Ultimately you have to do what is best for you, and I sincerely wish you well in which ever direction you may go!!