What is the timeline from applying to school/orientation?

I've been out of the USA for about three years now. I have a VA CDL and I plan on coming back in Feb. of next year to start OTR driving with a major carrier, hopefully. I have some questions that maybe some of you could answer.

1. Should I apply while I'm out of the USA? There is no real way to contact me, except via email. Maybe they would not take the application seriously? Also, I don't have a stateside address to put on the app.

When I get back to the USA, I will need to get a cell phone from WalMart first thing, as well as set up a mail drop as my mailing address. I have no real estate to call home. I will live out of a hotel until I get a hiring offer from an OTR carrier. This will get expensive and I want to minimize that, by having everything lined up as soon as I land back there. I will have to do some stuff at the DMV, like get my medical current and get a DOT physical. Other than that, I believe all of my paperwork should be in order.

2. Should I apply to all of the big carriers at the same time? CRE, being the only exception. My goal is to just get on with an OTR carrier and start making money. I have no verifiable exp. I'm not afraid of being road tested immediately or whatever else they want. I have had a CDL for over fourteen years, so I don't know if they would make me take a full blown CDL school or not. I don't have a school certificate or anything like that either.

3. What is the timeline from the time you applied until you arrived at school/orientation?

Thanks for any helpful info.

 

Hopefully my passport will be good enough to verify my three years out of the USA.

 

I appreciate the replies, but I'm really looking for some sort of time line by people who have applied, waited for a response, got the response, got everything set and then proceeded to the training or orientation. How long did it take in your case?

I never said a word about military experience, although I do have four years of it from 87-91. Schneider only hires CDL school graduates or one year OTR exp., as per their website. At a later date, they would be a top choice for me.

 

This is one of those situations where I'm going to find it out for myself, I can see that now. As one size fitting all isn't going to apply in my case.