Wanting To Become A Truck Driver...
Topic 2574 | Page 2
I was in the same position. I couldn't leave my job but needed to go to trucking.
Me and my wife moved out of our apartments and moved into my parents house temporarily. We saved up money to pay the bills while I'm gone, we were saving almost 800$ per month just by not having to pay for rent. Then when we had saved up a little I quit and went to trucking. See if you can get the aid of a relative.
I'm sending you a private message in just a moment
ok Free ...waiting for ya
Daniel and I are on the same page kinda sorta...lol...I just sent you a message!
I'm hoping you received my message....I received yours and replied :)
I'm hoping you received my message....I received yours and replied :)
I didnt receive a message.....umm im lost lol....help
There are some companies that will pay you a cash advance while you are still training to get your cdl. I thinl prime does that along with several others.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Justin...do u know how much of an advance?
Tiffany,
Welcome to the Forum...I've been reading your posts and the answers you have received and I have one word for you.. "BREATHE"...there, now..that's better isn't it??? 
You are getting all excited and forgetting to have fun.. Now, to answer your question about getting paid while you train...I happen to think that Prime has one of the most generous training packages out there...in fact, that's where I'm going...if you get accepted into their training program, you will be scheduled to attend one of their orientations. Orientation usually last 4 days and pretty much always begins on a Tuesday. They will pay for your bus ticket to wherever they want you to attend orientation, pay for your hotel accommodation during orientation and give you a voucher so you can have three meals a day. If you make it and get accepted as a PSD(Prime Student Driver), you will go on the road with an instructor for 3-4 weeks and can get a $200/week advance which you have to pay back, once you start as a Prime employee, which should be after you pass your CDL test and get into the TnT phase(Trainee and Trainer). Then you will make $600 weekly or .12 a mile, whichever is more. Once you finish the TnT phase of training and get approved to Solo driver, then you are handed the keys to an amazing, albeit probably colorful, Truck, (just ask Daniel)
and then you will be ON YOUR WAY!! But, don't just limit your options...there are several companies that offer sponsored training..look at ALL of them..and figure out which one is the best fit for YOU...then apply away..and before you know it, we'll be looking out for YOU when we pull into the Pilot or the Flying J, or the T/A.. 
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
Ya prime is a good choice for training. They are a little picky on who they will accept. Turned me down so i had to go with a less bountiful training company that would take. Pretty much anyone that could walk in through the door.
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