Kearsey, A Couple Of Questions About Prime Inc

Yeah, that's a huge amount. Unless it's a two month school, one-on-one instruction, full boarding, three meals every day, and your own rental car. I've not heard of any school charging anything close to $11 Grand, plus interest.

Yeah so I'm pretty much hand to mouth financially right now. Paycheck to paycheck is an overstatement because I typically don't even have that much.

So I don't really have the money to go off abroad and go to school for a few weeks because that means bills don't get paid.

Also I'm under contract at my current job. If I leave prior to February I owe them $1500 in training costs

The school I'll be attending, I'll be doing four hours after I get off work each day. So work and then four hours of school. Do that five days a week until May. That gets me through my contract with my work, allows me to stay working so I can pay my bills, and is a decent amount of training, I'd say. I'm a gradual learner so these schools that are less than a month worry me.

Plus gives me time to get in better shape for work.

Now I'm not officially on the hook with this school until after forteen days so I guess theoretically I could change my mind now but then I'm left wondering

1. How do I pay my bills while I'm at company CDL school for a month? Don't want my car repossessed and all that. Looks bad on credit report.

2. If I do this, I could see my work taking my last paycheck due to me leaving before February. Just a hunch. Whatever the case, I'll owe them that money.

Feel free to chime in.

Yeah, that's a huge amount. Unless it's a two month school, one-on-one instruction, full boarding, three meals every day, and your own rental car. I've not heard of any school charging anything close to $11 Grand, plus interest.

A car is not getting repossessed over one or two payments. Most loans and credit cards are willing to negotiate and create a temporary payment plan situation. As long as it is arranged ahead of time, it doesn't count against you because are keeping to the temporary agreed plan.

Example... I told Captial one Visa I had emergency situation and they reduced my monthly payment to $25 for 3 months then back to normal. Bank of America postponed my car payment for 2 months. Try. It is worth a shot.

$11,000 for CDL school is absolutely unheard of. The highest I know is in Jersey for $9k. Roehls is $7k but forgiven if you do 150,000 miles.

If you are in dire straits financially, why create an $11k bill? Most companies are not going to give you tuition reimbursement anywhere near that. I think Prime's is now $1500.

The points made about the job hunt are true. Just because you have a CDL doesn't mean you will find a job. People get denied for all sorts of background issues the schools tell them not to worry about.

Also, just because you are going to class for 4 hours does not mean YOU will be learning and backing for 4 hours. Local schools usually have a much higher student to instructor ratio. Company sponsored gives.you a chance to concentrate completely on learning, not work, Family, life and distractions.

Learn the pretrip now.. regardless of what you do. I absolutely hate when students come to me a month or 2 before attending the program and I give them all the paperwork and pretrip and links... Then they come and never even read them.

A brake chamber is a brake chamber not matter what truck. So learn the pretrip from videos of possible.

Stay at your employer to complete your contract. But consider other options.

I mean I'll give some information about myself here. Previous threads show where I'm at currently. I'm on a Mentor truck in Elko right now about halfway through with Swift. Went to Swifts academy.

Previously to this I've been a fixed route bus Operator for the past 8 years, and loved it, good pension and benefits, hourly was not where it needed to be and me and my wife struggled financially. Our first baby came along and something needed to change. Paycheck to paycheck with the kid ain't gonna cut it. Have some debts, few credit cards, couple cars, new cars mind you, and you know, the usual. Well we're a little lucky but near the end of our lease in the apartment, still have it, we decided to make some changes, fortunately we have family close, she and the little dude moved in with family so I could make this career change, upgrade my license and in the longer term picture make more money, right now it's about the same as I was making driving bus, and that's on my guarantee training wages. Hardest last 2 months of my life. New kid, worried financially because of no savings, 2 car payments fell behind, credit cards fell behind, everything I made went to food for myself, her and things for the child. Just had to keep telling myself that I'll catch up on everything as soon as I can. And still am telling myself that.

We have a plan. This year I'm going to try my best to run on this dedicated account to the best of my ability. Get some experience under my belt. She's in a safe spot with the child, we are taking a step back, leveling ourselves financially, paying all debts off, im selling 1 car, we don't need 2 cars. We are trying to financially build a future for my new little boy. Hard as hell, im in this new lifestyle here at Swift, away from both of them for a little at a time, but I'm in this 110%. Those bills and payments im falling behind on now, need to wait because I will pay them but I need to think about my little boy and the situation we were in was not going to cut it. Now that is my point sorry it took so long.

My point: I'm in this transition, and so is my wife, ALL THE WAY.

No reason to not do it efficiently, at as little cost to myself as possible, and get me making money as fast as possible. I'm reading a post from you, wanting to change your income source, you're paycheck to paycheck, but spending 11k out of pocket. Even if I had the means to spend that kind of money that's crazy to me, 0 out of pocket cost. I'm in this ALL THE WAY, and swift will train me. Because I'm 100% in this, I'll stay employed with Swift, work for them. And the tuition will get paid while I work for them. Cost 8000. And after 2 years with Swift. I won't have paid them a dime for training.

My situation is indeed different. Her and the baby are in their own safe haven. I miss em both dearly. Something in our lives needed to change and removing the 2k a month rent payment, 550 dollar car payment, me upgrading license, and taking help from family for 1 year to get out of debt completely, build some savings, level ourselves and then make a decision on what happens next. That's my plan. So my bills for 1 more month will get some money put on them as a show of good faith. 2 car payments being behind on for 2 months I don't care about, and in fact I was able to get a 3 month deferral on the one we aren't selling but i was behind on it a month, about a month and a half. Bottom line, you're serious about making an income change? My mind is blown that you aren't just showing up to training at Swift, Prime, Roehl or something of the sort. I started Swift academy Sept 12. I'm seeing 800 week right now, these last 2 weeks and going forward I'll only increase it. Overdrawing my bank account 4 times a month barely making ends meet and being paycheck to paycheck drove our life changes so I get it. But I ain't paying 11k out of pocket that is absolute bonkers.

Best of luck. I'm taking off back to the DC in Corrine UT. Headed to Idaho for a 650 mile trek.

Hang in there Jaybird!

This is something else to consider...Prime pays a new grad less for the first month and they do more miles than someone who went through the Prime school. Not sure if other companies do this? So it will take you longer to make better money.

Kearsey you totally just jogged my memory.

Quick note. Swift Academy actually had a guy that started the week behind me, got his CDL through a school in SLC, Swift made him do the 3 week academy including the range and backing maneuvers. All except the CDL test, they made him do, and he will be on a Mentor truck the same hours as everyone else. They aren't charging him, he's not testing and getting his CDL. But he's following the same ciriculum because he's inexperienced and a brand new CDL holder. So he actually took a month longer than everyone else because he did a month of schooling before coming to swift.

I have to agree the 11k price tag is way over the top. It seems also like a large number of these private schools are applying for an exemption from fmcsa on the qualifications for instructors. Makes a person wonder on that!!

I also question the format. Working all day, then trying to attend class such as this will bring on a whole set of challenges I believe. Just my opinion!!

Wow, my contract with Schneider for the company sponsored training valued the training at just over 2k and they covered my flights, lodging, meals, paid me 80/day and I had a guaranteed job when it was over. Contract was only 9 months.

No nice way to say it, your getting ripped off.

Yeah so I'm pretty much hand to mouth financially right now. Paycheck to paycheck is an overstatement because I typically don't even have that much.

So I don't really have the money to go off abroad and go to school for a few weeks because that means bills don't get paid.

Also I'm under contract at my current job. If I leave prior to February I owe them $1500 in training costs

The school I'll be attending, I'll be doing four hours after I get off work each day. So work and then four hours of school. Do that five days a week until May. That gets me through my contract with my work, allows me to stay working so I can pay my bills, and is a decent amount of training, I'd say. I'm a gradual learner so these schools that are less than a month worry me.

Plus gives me time to get in better shape for work.

Now I'm not officially on the hook with this school until after forteen days so I guess theoretically I could change my mind now but then I'm left wondering

1. How do I pay my bills while I'm at company CDL school for a month? Don't want my car repossessed and all that. Looks bad on credit report.

2. If I do this, I could see my work taking my last paycheck due to me leaving before February. Just a hunch. Whatever the case, I'll owe them that money.

Feel free to chime in.

Yeah, that's a huge amount. Unless it's a two month school, one-on-one instruction, full boarding, three meals every day, and your own rental car. I've not heard of any school charging anything close to $11 Grand, plus interest.

Wait a second! You’re gonna take on an $11k debt to avoid a $1,500 penalty? When you can go to a company-sponsored school (or plenty of schools that charge way less than $11k) AND be making bank well before next May?

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems you have two problems you’re trying to solve; 1. Financial and 2. A better job.

There are plenty of possible solutions to both of those two issues, but we’d need more information. And I agree with the others that the $11k is a crazy price.

I spoke to my grandfather about this he has always steered me in the right direction.

There's a company - Stevens Transport - that actually does training in my city. I'd be able to do everything at their school and get to go home nightly. I would know owe anything and would sign a contract with them.

My grandfather said that I should just be patient, wait until March, then I wouldn't owe my current employer the $1500 and also wouldn't owe $11,000 to diesel driving academy.

He said that's what he would do. Plus gives me time to save up money for the month I'll be making $0 while in CDL school.