Toledo, Ohio newbie's experiences and knowledge to date

This is what I last posted on my hello forum thread, thought it would go good here as well. I will elaborate on it as well.



Okay, I've talked to RoadMaster training school and Trainco, a cdl factory based out of Perrysburg, OH, which is only 10 miles south of me. Roadmaster somewhat confuses me because they offer tuition 2k cheaper if you get independent financing rather than going through any of their options. But the man I spoke with at the Columbus location was extremely helpful and willing to answer all my questions. Apparently the companies they are affiliated with for putting newbies into jobs are as follows:
Stevens
US Express
Rails
USA
I've heard decent things about US Express but am relatively unversed in the other companies. The man I spoke with also told me that with those companies, all of them offer the same training package once you're hired. You receive tuition reimbursement of $100 per month, as well as starting out at $350 a week and progressing by $50 a week while you're driving with your trainer as long as you're showing progress. Training periods last from 3 to 6 weeks depending on how much aptitude you show and eventually you're on your own!
Trainco was not nearly as helpful over the phone but I'm still interested in what they have to offer. They do a standard 4 week class, M-TH, but they also offer a 5 week class at night M-F or a Saturdays only class for 14 weeks. Being that I live paycheck to paycheck, the thought of not working and only going to school for 3-4 weeks doesn't sound that appealing to me so the possibility of night classes tickles me pink. However, talking with Erin, the secretary that answered my call, I was informed that the ratio of students to instructors is 4 to 1, meaning that I'm going to have a lot of in-cab time where I'm not actually behind the wheel and from what I understand a lot of companies frown on that. She also wouldn't give me the names of any of the companies that they do pre-hire arrangements with over the phone, saying that I needed to come in and talk with them personally to find that out. I somewhat believe that it's just a ploy to draw people into the building and get them to commit to signing paperwork, therefore getting more business for them. The only thing that makes me less apprehensive about Trainco is the fact that they're partnered with Owens Community College, which is a college I have some respect for. Perhaps that partnership means nothing but money in both their pockets, but I'd like to give the academic world the benefit of the doubt and not go pointing fingers at them and calling them greedy and heartless just yet. I believe I'll go talk to Trainco personally tomorrow after I get off work and find out more about what they offer. Oh yeah, tuition is $3995 at Trainco as well versus $4495 at Roadmaster IF I can procure my own financing. Something to consider, though I'd rather pay more now and make sure I get it right than looking for the discount and getting screwed later.
I'll be contacting Driver Solutions here in about 40 minutes and seeing what they have to offer. I set up a phone contact time with them a few days ago and I'll see what's in the plan for them! But it's make that phone call and then off to work, so I won't be able to post what happens for a little while. I'll keep updating as best as I can!


That's from earlier today. I contacted Driver Solutions today after having put in an application on-line on Saturday and talked with their recruiter, Brian. This sounds like a good deal but I need some advice as to what experiences people have had with these companies. Brian is saying that he can schedule me to start any Monday I want and the only costs I will have to cover PERIOD are a $70 fee for the license and food money for the time I'm there. Hotel costs for the entire three weeks I'd be there are covered and I'm guaranteed a job with either P.A.M. or USA Trucks upon successful completion of the class. Whichever company hires me covers all tuition expenses up front on the premise that I sign a one-year contract with that company. Once I'm through training, I go through 4 weeks of training with whichever company I decide or am offered. During that time, PAM pays $300 a week and USA Trucks pays $350. Four weeks, no more or no less and those wages are guaranteed. That's about what I'm making now so that's tolerable. After that, both companies offer $.25 a mile with raises every three months.
Now knowing that the first year is the hardest to persevere, this doesn't sound like a bad option at all, knowing that I'll be absolutely walking into a job after getting my license rather than depending on companies to hold to their word once I get done with an independent school. Also, I live paycheck-to-paycheck right now, and not having to worry about fronting the cash for training sounds wonderful. I am rather apprehensive though, as I haven't really heard much about either company at all and don't want to end up doing the same routine that CR England pulls on it's newbies. Anyone have any experiences with either company? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
One more bit of food for thought... I was browsing around some more today and found a Wisconsin-based company named Roehl that talks itself up unbelievably on its site, offering training and saying that Roehl drivers are renowned for being safe, dependable drivers. They go so far as to say that Roehl isn't what some people can handle because they feel it's too much structure and responsibility within the industry. Anyone care to confirm or deny this? I'm going to try to contact them tomorrow evening after work and find out some more info, but again, anything is appreciated.
That's about it for right now, I'll keep updating!

 

Broke and Hungry, when it comes to what I'm looking for, it's an open playing field. I am simply looking for what is going to give me the most opportunity and least hassle in the long run. If it costs more now, okay, but if it's reputable and they pay the training, then great. I just want the best opportunity I can get.

I went to Trainco today after work and talked with Erin and one other man whose name I didn't catch, which is sad because he was extremely friendly and informative. I was there for an hour talking and throwing ideas around. He gave me a tour of the facilities, which was nice, showed me the training trucks, let me get in one and get a feel of it, and explained the ins and outs of what they're offering. BTW, Erin got me totally lost on the way there, which I found somewhat amusing because a trucking school would assumedly be good at giving directions, being that truckers need to know directions rather well... Anyhow, Trainco has a laundry list of businesses they work with for job placement after graduation. Here it is:
Allied Systems
Dana Corporation
Falcon Transport
Fed Ex Freight
Fed Ex (Ground)
Garner Transportation
Roehl Transport
Maverick Transportation
Nationwide Truck Brokers
Schneider
TARTA
TMC
Transport America
U.S. Express
Waste Management
Watkins Shepard Trucking, Inc.
Werner Enterprises

He told me that about four of the companies were on a hiring freeze and that several others such as WM were really hard to get into because they were such coveted jobs that you'd really need some good experience before you get in. However, I've only really been reading good things about TMC and Roehl, and hearing mixed reports about Werner. I believe that those three are the ones I'm going to be pursuing, though I know that Roehl offers its own training in Wisconsin and I'm going to be looking that up shortly and making contact with them directly.
I put in some base information when I was there today, received their class schedule and a series of brocheures and talked finances some as well. They have one bank that they work with, a credit union that is down the street from their location. If you can't get in on your own credit but have a co-signer, you can try that bank with them. Other than that, you're on your own. This is the biggest difference I've seen between Roadmaster and Trainco thus far, besides price. Roadmaster is happy to use loan shark companies, giving them a 2k boost in price and higher loan interest rates to deal with. So if I can procure something for Trainco, that would be my choice out of the two.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to rule out Driver Solutions as an option. My research on PAM has me unsettled and I actually talked to a driver for PFG, my food delivery company at work today, who was fired from work after being called in to active duty. He got the call on the road, informed PAM, they paid for a cab and a bus fare to get him home and ready, and then when the call for duty was rescinded a week later he called PAM up to resume work and they were like, "What are you talking about? We thought you abandoned your truck so we terminated you." Now I know that story doesn't completely make sense but this guy was... well... interesting. I'll be nice. So I dunno. But a direct verbal warning about the company has me a bit more apprehensive for certain.
I'm going to get ahold of Roehl... I know they do their CDL training up inWisconsin, so I'll see if I can't get my info in to them tonight and get phone contact tomorrow. I'll let you know!

 

And of course I post a sweet reply and they have to edit it. Yay! However, the staff here has been awesome thus far so I really shouldn't complain. Keep it up, everyone!

 

Very sound advice, oldnewbiegonnabe. I will definitely give that a shot. I just got back form Trainco again today and I filled out applications for 7 different companies. We shall see what kind of pre-hire offers I get back. I will most definitely be checking out those companies independently.
As far as people's skeptecism and naysaying here or in person, it's really just a matter of viewpoint and how much drive the person had when they were working for company X. Like I said, the guy I talked to personally was somewhat out there so I appreciate his words, but that grain of salt is definitely in my hand. I have faith that I can do this and do it well. Just gonna take a good bit of elbow grease.
My father thinks that I'm crazy even talking to a school about attending. I tried explaining to him that it would cost me more in the long run to get my schooling paid for because of the lower rates they'd pay me for my contracted year but he wasn't having it. To each his own, I guess...

 

Okay, haven't updated on what's going on in a while but there have been a lot of developments and setbacks. Here goes...
Trainco isn't looking like it's going to happen. Can't get financing for it. However, I've been circumnavigating most truck driving schools and talking to the companies they're directly affiliated with and finding that most of them offer their own comparable CDL training classes. I'm still currently talking to one school, MTC based out of MO but they want me to throw 1k down and they'll get the other 5k covered by the companies they're connected to. That's kinda ridiculous in price, but they're attached with Swift (yay) and TMC. TMC looked appealing to me with the percentage based pay option but with all the reading I've been doing on them in the past few months it sounds like they're on their way out. Not good, because of all the rookie companies I could go to, their outfit would be the one I chose.
I hate to say it, but I'm set up with CR England for the first of February to enter into training. I know I'm going to take hard knocks no matter where I go but I think that as long as I pull my end of the bargain, I'll be making as much if not slightly more than I was making with my kitchen job, approx. $350 a week. If I can get that to $500 a week, I'd be downright thrilled. I live cheap, I don't mind it. Long as I have rent covered and my other essential bills, I'm good. I've got 2k saved up to float me through the training time where I'm not going to be getting paid or getting paid crap for training, but getting out there outside of CRE's Phase 2 training is what's going to really get me moving. And no, before people start trying to flame me, I'm not saying that CRE is a great company or is going to do me right. I expect to get screwed like none other. Kill 'em with kindness, right? I bust my ### and don't get unlucky, who knows, I might actually make it into this business legitimately.
I've not entirely resigned myself to working for CRE either. I'm talking with Swift right now and CRST as well. CRST seems to pay the best per mile after 6 months but they're the worst for the first 6 months. In the end though it all depends on which company will be able to fork out the best miles. Oh yeah, chatting with Stevens Transport as well.

I need some advice because I've been considering this heavily... I know a driver who's been running for 8 years, did the first 5 with Schneider and said she loved every second of working for them. I know Schneider doesn't train anymore but they will hire anyone with a good record after 6 months of driving experience. Would it be a bad decision for me to get trained with CRE, get 6 months in and then transfer? I know that 1-year mark is all-important and don't want to mar that but Schneider seems like a company I could definitely handle working for for a year or two. Any suggestions?

 

Oh yeah, Oldnewbiegonnabe, I talked to another PAM driver in southern Mich at the Pilot on Dixie Highway's Pilot, exit 15 I believe on I 75. He was running a dedicated route for the automotive based out of Mich. and was getting an average of 4000 miles a week running team. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's not that hot for team driving. He told me that PAM runs mostly automotive and that their miles are way down because of the automotive industry collapsing in the Midwest.

I'm not telling you this to try to back up that first ex-PAM driver's verbal talking smack, but it just gives me another sign of caution about PAM, because the automotive industry isn't turning around. I'm just trying to find a good starter company, regardless of where they are. I'd rather run solo, but if the miles are there running team, so be it. I'm versatile and in need of money, not luxury.

 

Ahhh... Just got off the phone with Laura from Roehl... They were on my top three starter company choices and I had filled out an application with them through Trainco. I hadn't heard from them and assumed that they weren't interested in me. Stupid of me to assume, I guess. I just called them to make sure they didn't want me and they instead were fine with my driving record (several speeding tickets from over 3 years ago) and she was telling me that it wasn't a problem! I got a lot of information from her which was very nice and they have a flatbed division, which makes me very happy. So going to get the credit application filled out and turned in and we shall see what happens! Oh this would make my year if Roehl works out. Dodging CRE would be a dream come true...