What to do, what to do

I am half way through my weekend CDL Class. I only have a little over a week before I retire from the Navy. Unless something locally falls in my lap paying good money, I plan to start driving. I have talked to and applied for a few different companies as far as driving goes. Roehl, McElroy, Old Dominion, and now looking at Givens Transportation.

Up until this past weekend when the Givens recruiter came to class, I was planning on going to Roehl in the Honor Program. I know what some have said in this thread about the companies using the VA to subsidize our pay, but in the long run, it looks like more money in my pocket. It also enables me to use a portion of my GI Bill that I probably would not use otherwise. From the information I got from the recruiter, I would be getting paid the following.

Month Roehl GIbill

0-6 $1410 $913.75
6-12 $1490 $698.75
12-18 $1510 $483.75
18-24 $1610 $483.75

I am pretty sure I have the numbers correctly. I am going from memory, but they are really close anyway. The pay from Roehl is biweekly. The GIbill is monthly. I know that the Roehl alone is down in the low twenty's for CPM, but when you add the GIBill in there, it isn't too bad. After the 24 month Apprentice program is over, you go to the .37 CPM that anyone else with two years experience would get. I would be driving in the National or North Eastern Division. Those are the only two available since we live in Virginia. If trucking is like anything else, I am sure the guy getting paid a salary vice CPM is getting lots and lots of miles.

Givens on the other hand is based here in Chesapeake Virginia. It is only 25 miles or so to the yard from my house. He said that you will be home most weekends. I would primarily be delivering Honda stuff to dealers (motorcycles, water craft and such). You are guaranteed to go into New York, the five boroughs and Long Island. They pay $100 a day during training, but training is roughly 2 weeks. The CPM depends on where you go. 35, 36 or 37 CPM with 37 being into the north east.

Decisions, Decisions. I thought I knew what I was going to do, now I am not sure again. What do you all think?

 

The deal from Roehl doesn't sound bad at all, as long as you end up liking truck driving and don't want to do anything else. It allows you to get the money from your GI bill in a roundabout way.

In a nutshell, you are paying for your CDL training with your GI Bill and virtually putting yourself in what looks to me like a two year contract with Roehl.

Have you looked into simply attending a truck driving school on your own once you separate from the military? If you can get your GI Bill money by going this route (I don't know if you can or not), then I would consider this, as you won't be tied to an employer long term if you happen to not like them. If you are unable to get your GI Bill money this route, and don't plan on going to college, then I think the Roehl plan is fine.

 

I should have explained myself better, I’m sorry. I am presently in CDL School at the community college. I go every weekend and am half way through the program. I used my tuition assistance from the Navy. I paid $300 and they Navy paid the rest.

According to the Roehl recruiter for the Honor Program, I do not have to enter any contract. I will have my CDL prior to doing anything with them, so I will not be using my GIBill to get the license, it will be used in the apprentice ship program. Using your GIBill for an apprenticeship works differently than going to college on it. The pay I showed above is all you can get and it decreases as the program goes on. This would get me about $15,000 out of my GI Bill. Not sure if you know how the Montgomery GI Bill works, but I paid $100 a month for the first twelve months I was in the Navy. The VA has had my $1200 for 19 years now. I don’t really want to go back to college, so if I can get it back another way, I would like that.

 

I understand what you are saying, the only issue I have is how the GI Bill money is being used. They are paying it out to you over time, just like it would be paid out to you if you were attending school.

I may just be looking at it wrong, but all I can see this is as a program for Roehl to get the government to pay part of your salary. If I understand this correctly, you are going to be paid something like .25 per mile or less ( you say low twenties), for two years during this apprentiship program, then you go to .37 after two years.

The way I see it, you can go to many other companies, given you are already attending school on your own, that will pay you much more than this right out of the gait once you complete a few weeks of training. I really don't understand this apprentiship program, nor the "certificate" that you get. Not sure how that helps your career in any way.

I know you said you don't really want to go to college, but if you realize 12-18 months down the road that truck driving isn't what you want to do for the rest of your life, you might want to attend some classes/technical training for something else. It would be nice to kno the GI Bill money is there for that.

 

I had not thought of that, but this is a very true statement.

I have 10 years to use the GI Bill

 

Might want to check on that. It used to be you had 10 years to use it, but there was talk about extending it.

 

I believe it is still ten years to use it. The rate that you get paid currently is 1054.00 a month if you attend school 12 hours or more a semester. I say go with someone else and make the money and save the GI bill just in case. You can collect the GIbill if you attend college online or in the classroom. Many colleges offer online classes.

 

GI Bill

Q: How long do I have to use my benefits?

A: Once you have separated from the service you have 10 years to use all of your benefits.Although separating from service "starts the clock" on your 10-year time limit, you should know that if you rejoin active-duty service for more than 90 days, during the 10- year period, your 10-year clock is reset. In other words, you get 10 years from your last discharge.

2Fwww.gibill.va.gov%2FGI_Bill_Info%2Fbenefits.htm

 

Pedy6Pak,

I will be separating from active duty very soon. I also got my CDL 3 years ago which was paid by tuition asst. I was strongly considering Schneider but seen Werner has an apprenticeship program where I can use my GIBILL. The way I understand it is that I will drive for Werner, get milage pay AND collect the monthly $900 (estimate) GIBILL payment (sent directly to me) for being enrolled in thier On The Job Apprentice program. I have not called Werner yet but will very soon. I saw this in the GIJOBS magazine and on thier website.

Were you successful in collecting on the Apprentice program. I understand you went to Roehl. Do you know of any other tucking companies that are doing this?