I’m A Newbie, Looking For A Career Change.

This is why people don’t want to get into this industry, the “my way or it’s wrong” attitude

Didn't you just say,

It’s literally one stipulation. I won’t sign a contract.

That sounds an awful lot like "My way or the highway" to me. Doesn't it sound that way to you? Why is it ok for you to take that approach, but you get 'triggered' if you think others are?

Besides, no one said there's only one way. We said there is one best way for most circumstances, including yours, and we're correct about that. So don't get triggered if we won't confirm your beliefs that you have this all figured out. Be thankful you have a group of highly-experienced and very successful professionals who genuinely care about people getting the best advice possible.

Finally, you're making things up, like the statement quoted above about why people won't get into trucking, and then you're speaking as if you're an authority on the matter. Please don't do that. You do not know who enters this career, who doesn't, or why.

So let's stick to the program here.

I'll give you more information, and you can use it if you like:

Episode 4: Why Stick With Your First Company One Full Year?

Why I Prefer Paid CDL Training Over Private CDL Training

Busting The Free Agent Myth In Trucking

If you're genuinely interested in learning how this industry works, go through those materials and ask us anything you like.

I'll never understand why some will seemingly be all in to starting this new career that requires 100% commitment, yet are unwilling to be in a very short-term contract with an employer that paid for their training, gave them a job, and all the associated experience that will be acquired during a 9-14 month contract.

Good luck with your stipulations.

It’s literally one stipulation. I won’t sign a contract. I’m not staying out 6-8 weeks if I’m told I’ll be home weekends just because I’m under a contract if I have to. Plenty of people go to local schools and have successful careers. I have the finances to make it happen. I’m not so broke that I have to ask big daddy mega carrier to pay my way. This is why people don’t want to get into this industry, the “my way or it’s wrong” attitude. Minus the study stuff, this forum is toxic.

If you poke around enough. There are a few companies that offer CDL instruction and training without a contract. As with anything, there is a give and take with it.

You should really stay with your first company at least a year even if you're not contracted to. As was said, we're in a recession and freight volume is low right now. Companies may be a bit more tight on hiring right now.

Davy - we didn't sign a contract with Knight. We signed a promissory note that is payed back to them over the course of a year. One could go there for the school without a commitment to Knight, as one of my classmates did. We also had one guy in our Top Gun class that got his CDL elsewhere.

Toxic? Toxic? I want some of that “toxic”. It would make me the Incredible Hulk of super truckers.

Minus the study stuff, this forum is toxic.

I completely missed that the first time!

I'm confident Davy nailed it. We must be dealing with a millennial here.

Toxic?

Imagine seeing the world the way these people do.

I had a whole group of experienced professionals donating their time and sharing their knowledge for free with the sole intent of helping me with my career. It was horrifying! I'm triggered!

I always try to be nice to people, but sometimes the nicest thing you can do is laugh at someone to make them realize they've gone off the deep end.

If you poke around enough. There are a few companies that offer CDL instruction and training without a contract. As with anything, there is a give and take with it.

You should really stay with your first company at least a year even if you're not contracted to. As was said, we're in a recession and freight volume is low right now. Companies may be a bit more tight on hiring right now.

Davy - we didn't sign a contract with Knight. We signed a promissory note that is payed back to them over the course of a year. One could go there for the school without a commitment to Knight, as one of my classmates did. We also had one guy in our Top Gun class that got his CDL elsewhere.

I try really hard not to promote Knight, but it's exactly what I was referring too. I could have left the day I got my CDL and I would have had a zero interest loan for it.

Obviously, thanks to the sage advice here I chose to stay with Knight and am still with them. My contract is with myself to constantly better myself and be a professional in all senses of the word.

I try really hard not to promote Knight

You don't have to do that. You're free to promote them. If you're happy with Knight, let people know! I don't mind that.

The one concern I've always had is we don't want people recruiting for their company to get bonuses. If people start doing that, this place is going to turn into a spammy mess with a thousand people dropping phone numbers, truck numbers, and email addresses hoping someone will use their name for that referral bonus.

But hey, to all drivers out there - if you're happy with your company, let people know!

Of the 20 people that started orientation with me in Pittston April 19th, 2021, I am the only one still standing. Not even half of us made it through TNT training. Not even 1/4 of us made it to the 1 year mark.

I'm sure you're aware that the numbers who don't make it through training, let alone wash out before their first year are staggering.