Researching New Career

Hi all, I am new to this site and I'm looking for advice and guidance. So, I recently decided that I have had enough of my current career. Sad part is, that career and lifestyle is all that I know, so this is a HUGE change for me and it's very scary. With that being said, I also have always dreamed of being on the open road in a rig, ever since I was a kid.

So, back to current times, I have thought long and hard about it and have also discussed it with my wife. She is 1000% behind me as always. At that point, I filled out an application for a local CDL school and was hoping they would have a way or program for me to get in. Needless to say, the school consists of 4 weeks and costs $6049.00. Well being a deputy sheriff does not come with spectacular pay, so there is no way that I can pay out of pocket. However, I still sent in the application and spoke with the lady today. I'm from Louisiana and our state is broke, so a grant is out. I'm not unemployment so the workforce grant is out and I don't even think the feds offer anything and if they do, I know I make too much for assistance.

So, she said they offer in house financing. I said great but then she told me it was depending on credit. I said crap because I am in the lower class with a family to support and life has happened to my credit lol. So, she said I could have a cosigner but I would have to put down 3k to 3500k. 3k may as well be 100k because I don't have it.

At that point I started looking into company sponsored CDL schools and to be honest, it's very intimidating because I see some good reviews with schools but a lot of negative with pretty much everyone. I don't want to get screwed over and I also don't want to get locked into a contract making 10 cpm pulling a lot less than I am currently making. I am following a dream of mine but I also want to make more money to support my family. I think this is the industry to do that because there will always be a need for truckers. I know I can do this and I really want this, but of course lack of money is in my way, yet again.

So my questions are, should I save my money and wait to get to the private school so I can apply anywhere that takes newbs ? Or should I try to find a company that offers training? If so, what company has the best reputation and will pay a decent wage to support my family?

I don't want to be gone from my family, but I also understand that I am just starting out and I will have to makes sacrifices to get my experience. Once I have experience, I can find a company that has a regional close to home or at least a company that offers more home time. I know those companies are out there, I just need some time under my belt.

I want to thank everyone for posting on this site. I have been reading info on here for almost 3 days now and I am taking in a lot of great info and advice. Please, any information/advice will be greatly appreciated. Yall be safe out there and God Bless.

Welcome Ryan.

Please ignore all of the negativity you'll find around the Web. There are a ton of people that get into trucking that have little or no chance at success because of their awful attitude or because they simply aren't cut out for trucking. In fact, very few people are cut out for it. It's an incredibly demanding and difficult career that requires people to go far beyond what most jobs would ever require. So as you can imagine, trying to get started in trucking ends badly for quite a large number of people and many of those people are not the type to take the blame themselves. So naturally they blame the companies.

Just ignore that baloney.

You can get your career started through Paid CDL Training Programs or through Private Truck Driving Schools just the same. One is as legitimate as the other and our forum is loaded with successful drivers that have gone both routes. It's really just a matter of finding the one that suits you best, which because of your financial circumstances at the moment would be company-sponsored training.

Generally speaking, most people looking to be home every night will have to put in at least a few months regional (home on weekends, normally) or OTR (home a few days each month) before they'll find a local company willing to give them a shot. We've had people come out of school and go straight into local work, but that's a tall order for someone fresh out of school. Local jobs often require a lot of driving in heavy traffic and numerous stops at customers with extremely difficult backing situations, all done on a fairly tight schedule. That is not something that a new driver fresh out of school has the skills to handle. That's why most local jobs require at least a few months to a year of regional or OTR driving to qualify. Our advice is to get some OTR experience before attempting any local work.

We have some excellent resources to help you understand the trucking industry better and make the right choices for the start of your career. Have a look through these and we'll be happy to help out with any questions you'll have along the way:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road Training Program

Hi, Ryan! I just want to add that it is possible to get the training and a job with almost no out-of-pocket financing.

I went the Company-Sponsored Training route with Swift. I had to front the CDL fees and DOT physical. I "paid" the school tuition driving for Swift for a year, and I'm still working there.

The advantage of this route is that you are all but hired by the company before you start the school. You choose your company before you go to school.

Often you will be given a Greyhound bus ticket to go to the company School. Living arrangements range from company provided Hotel (you're on your own for meals) to a stipend and meals from the first day.

You can also go to a private school, and choose your company before you finished your training. Usually the hiring company will arrange to cover your tuition with the same one-year work contract.

In your first year, if you apply yourself, you should pull down between $30-40,000.

Welcome to the forum Ryan. Yes careful of all the negative pub on the Internet. If taken at face value, no one would ever consider this as a career. Couldn't be further from the truth.

Like Errol I too went through Swift's Schooling and still drive for them. My experience at their Richmond Academy was exceptional, no regrets.

Based on your story, company sponsored schools seem like the path of least resistance.

Best of luck to you.

I want to thank yall very much for the warm welcome. I wouldn't know half of anything without this site and all of its invaluable resources. Yall are right, with my current situation, it seems my only option is to go to a Company Sponsored CDL program. With that being said, I will definitely use this site's resources to help me find what is best for me and my family. Of course I've been doing heavy research with companies like Prime and CR England etc. etc. Prime looks very promising, but I don't want to make an uneducated decision. Like I said before, this is very intimidating and scary for me, as it is for everyone making a major change in their life and stepping out of their comfort zone, I suppose. Again, I feel very blessed to have just came across this site with google. It is nice knowing that there is a group of awesome people, who are willing to extend their knowledge and experiences and really step up to help new comers. I will keep yall updated with my progress. One of my buddies owns his own truck, so hopefully I can get aboard with him and learn some of the basics before I head off to a school. Anything to give me an edge and take some of the stress away. Yall be safe out there. God Bless

One of my buddies owns his own truck, so hopefully I can get aboard with him and learn some of the basics before I head off to a school.

Having a truck available "outside" of school is great, but watch out for these things:

What your buddy teaches you may be common practice and really cool, but pay attention to your school learning because that's what will get you passing the tests.

Any road experience with your buddy will be great, but again, that's zero credit for your class.

Good to here of your interest. You should maybe look to do company sponsored I did with Swift and it worked out great Judging by your location a couple of good companies to look at are FFE/KLLM, Steven's Transport, Maverick (Flatbed only, but I may be wrong), Southern Refrigerated Transport, these are some of the lesser known besides stevens. Maverick doesn't do sponsored training but I am sure they would cover your tuition for school. Don't make haste and figure out what works, also good luck!

Maverick does have their own training program but it is difficult to get into as they only accept so many students at a time. They also have a reefer division as well as a small glass division.

Also look at Roehl. They have their own training program which has great reviews here. They might also be able to get you into a division that has better hometime options such as 7 on/7 off or 14 on/7 off.

And kudos to you for doing your homework! I attended a private school on a WIA grant but I've seen many, many people on here go through the company sponsored training programs and be very successful.

I definitely understand that Errol. I just want to actually get behind the wheel, learn and practice what it's like to back. I'd also like to start pretrip insp and clutch/shifting. I figure if I do those things I won't go to a school and get blind sided having never got behind the wheel of a rig. Thanks for all of your input!

Hi Ryan, while company sponsored school is indeed a good option as you will probably have a job waiting for you, you usually will have to contract to stay with the company for a year. If you want the freedom to choose from any company to work for, with no year commitment, go with a private school, and do consider looking at your local community colleges' CDL program.

If I take the plunge, I'll be attending Aims Community College in Greeley Colorado.

The month long CDL school only costs $3500......half of what your school's tuition seems to be.

State community colleges are not focused on the higher profit margins that the private cdl schools are after.