Suggestions For Company Sponsored Training

Hi, I'm currently planning on going to Prime for a company sponsored training , but am starting to get second thoughts about the company the main reason I chose Prime was the length of the training and pay. I figured after finishing my contract or after paying them off and getting my 6 months of experience I could save up enough to pay them off in full then do Regional or local, but I'm not sure how I'll deal with doing OTR and being that alone. I've been looking at what Schneider offers with home time, but have heard the company's pay is low and training is short, but I really like what they offer for home time. I'm open to doing OTR right out of the gate if I have to. I'm in my late 20s and single male with no kids in MD, My end goal is to get a food service job out of state in WA or OR and have a dating/ social life. By the way I also applied for YRC Academy and haven't heard back. How picky is YRC ? Any suggestions on other company's?

Seth, you are in the perfect situation to go OTR and thrive in it. You say your long term goal is a food service job - do you mean driving trucks that deliver food products (Sysco, DOT , US Foods, etc) or are you referring to being a restaurant worker / manager? If the former, go OTR for a year and learn what it really takes to drive safely, manage your time, and get into and out of tight spots (you'll have a ton of them!). If, on the other hand, you're planning on driving a truck to save up enough $$$ to move to WA or OR, so you can quit and take a restaurant job, give some thought to that. If you are not committed to making driving, whether OTR, local, etc, your life's work for a good long time, you'll always be looking for the easy way out. That is true of ANY career. Driving a truck. Preparing food for others. Being a cop or a firefighter or a medic. That is my opinion, based on over 30 years of working in a couple of those careers.

As for a dating and social life, being local driver is likely to limit your social / dating options to friday nights (likely late), Saturdays, and Sundays. The local work for many of us is a 12 - 13 hour day, not including commute. You probably will have a set start time, and you'll likely work many a 12 hour day, and a 14 isn't unlikely. You might even get a 16 tossed in there as well. You'll hopefully get good money, but you're going to run long days and short nights. And you still need to factor in food, hygiene and commute.

I can't speak to the challenges you may face with Prime or Schneider. I have, however, worked local and OTR. I actually preferred OTR, but I was on a five day out, two days home rotation. That schedule option is not difficult to locate once you have a year's experience, just start looking around and you will likely find an outfit that can provide that as an option - I did (and got hourly pay as well, started around $19/hr and worked some weeks right up to my 70hr limit, most weeks upper 50 to low 60 hrs). This is a field that is relatively easy to enter, but challenging field to succeed and excel in. That said, however, at your age with no definitive responsibilities or dependents, you could easily become your driver manager's rockstar peformer.

If you're willing to.

Good luck in your decision!

Hi, I'm currently planning on going to Prime for a company sponsored training , but am starting to get second thoughts about the company the main reason I chose Prime was the length of the training and pay. I figured after finishing my contract or after paying them off and getting my 6 months of experience I could save up enough to pay them off in full then do Regional or local, but I'm not sure how I'll deal with doing OTR and being that alone. I've been looking at what Schneider offers with home time, but have heard the company's pay is low and training is short, but I really like what they offer for home time. I'm open to doing OTR right out of the gate if I have to. I'm in my late 20s and single male with no kids in MD, My end goal is to get a food service job out of state in WA or OR and have a dating/ social life. By the way I also applied for YRC Academy and haven't heard back. How picky is YRC ? Any suggestions on other company's?

Hi, Seth ... and welcome to Trucking Truth!

Prime is a good choice, with the longest training (I believe) in the industry, perhaps!

Have you looked into some of our links here, on TT? This is our 'starter pack:'

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

Additionally, you can apply right here, for a better reach of your app, to more than one company:

Apply For Paid CDL Training

The great thing about this link above, is 'one quick app' will go to only the companies you 'choose' it to go to.

Wilson Transport is another excellent choice; and they haul Prime freight. Their training program is 'similar' (it pays well) but not quite as long. That might be another go to. The above application will take you there, quickly!!! (They're high on my list, too!) The ROI (imho) would be higher, but that's just my opinion.

Wilson Transport (Wil Trans): Wilson Links

YRC is finally trying to 'pick themselves up' by their bootstraps. They've been through a few rough years, and seem to be a little slow, getting their ducks in a row; doubt it's anything regarding you, personally.

I hope this helps a bit,

Best wishes~

~ Anne ~

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.

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Company Sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Wil-Trans:

Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.

Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.

I drove for Prime for two years, I did their training and yes the miles are high before you go in your own but I choose it for several reasons. First was to to be comfortable handling the truck and being able to drive in different situations and know when to shut down. The other was to learn the business, managing my clock as time is money, as well as learn to deal with shippers/receivers, dispatch and sales. I had a great trainer, we still talk a couple times a week.

I love otr but illness in the family required me to be home and available. I truly miss it. My old trainer keeps asking me to team.

Being alone in the road is something to get use to?. I personally hate people, just kidding. I just love the solitude but some days your so busy it doesn’t phase you. Other times I would go through my contact list, I talked to my son for hours while driving I80. You do get use to it.

I still looking for a local gig but hasn’t happened yet. I just can’t load and unload trucks anymore and we’ll my proximity to nyc seems it’s a place to ot of company’s want me to go to.

Good luck with your search. Enjoy the challenge, go in humble and willing to learn to be the best.

Liz