CDL TRAINING SCHOOL REALLY NECESSARY ?

I've been thru two universities, & two trade schools....not looking to do it again as I've seen that none of them are what they're cracked up to be.

Deek, I have to agree with you that going to a company sponsored school or a private CDL school would be a bad idea for you, since your history indicates that education doesn't translate into work that satisfies you. I don't think you'll be happy at Walmart either, but at least it won't result in any more debt for education.

Why not get your permit and then ask your dumb friends who started out the easy, cheap way to teach you how to drive? I'd be interested to hear how much you make your first year using that method. Maybe it's a viable alternative for people in your situation who have dumb trucker friends.

And no, I'm not jumping on you. I'm completely serious. I know a lawyer who got her law license by "reading for the law" with a mentor - no law school, and she made a little money as a paralegal while she worked on it.

OH that's all right boys...jump on me. I'm a little smarter than that !

**Talked to two of my friends that drive. Both said to RUN from the idea ! No money in it once they explained the math. Once again,,,the jobs, any job, that the company has to advertise to hire for isn't worth having or they wouldn't have to beg for help !! Brett himself even said there was a 100% turnover rate.

The part I neglected to look at, which is odd as I can and usually do "run the numbers" first and foremost on any proposition, goes like this:

Sure...you might get 40 cents a mile (buddy been driving 13 yrs. and that's all he gets....so this 50 cents etc... sure,yeah...uh huh). Run from IN. to Little Rock in a day....one of his runs ea. wk. Say..700 mi. $320. Barely a decent day after taxes, food, take out for retirement, insurance etc.

OUGHT OH !! You gotta sit ALL NIGHT and wait to get unloaded ! Gotta babysit THEIR truck. They didn't mention that part did they ? They gonna pay you for sitting there from 6p till the dock employees show up at 7A ? NOOOP ! So....it's on your time at that point....once you've cheated the log as much as you dare for the day. (coming to a halt too as soon as the NATIONWIDE trackers in EVERY truck are implemented within the next couple of years....they will know where you are 24/7...no way to fudge the books then boys)

So..start deducting "babysit the truck" time from your "great money to be made driving a truck" and you're back to another minimum wage job.

Basically, you can work at Wal-Mart and make as much or more and sleep in your own bed every night.

Not worth it. I'm out. Run your a$$e$ off chasing that dollar if you want to boys. Help yourself.

If your two friends hate it so much, why are they still driving???

I've been driving less than 3 months now. I used my GI Bill to pay for a CDL course at the community college, and after getting my license, did 3 weeks of "grad school" training with the flatbed company that hired me. My average paycheck is between $1000-$1500 each week, AFTER TAXES, HEALTH INSURANCE AND MY 401K. I am seeing the country in a way most people only dream of, I'm losing weight and getting stronger both physically and mentally, I'm building up a healthy savings account and I feel dang proud of myself at the end of each day.

Oh, I was also an honor student, got a 1470 on my SAT (back when it was out of 1600) and a 99 on my ASVAB. So I'm no knuckle-dragger.

Seriously, since you've clearly got it all figured out, please enlighten us as to what we should be doing with our lives. As someone who went to college twice, trade school twice, is still paying off student loans after 20 years, is looking for a new career at age 48, and has never driven a truck yet assumes to know more about trucking than seasoned veterans, you truly sound like a fountain of wisdom!

Persian Conversion, that was priceless and real as h*ll. It's always interesting how two people can be presented with the same circumstances and while one sees nothing but garbage, the other proves it's good as gold.

So..start deducting "babysit the truck" time from your "great money to be made driving a truck" and you're back to another minimum wage job.

As was pointed out already, making $50,000+ a year doesn't qualify as minimum wage by a long shot.

So let me tell everyone what I did with some of my "babysitting time" over the years just so people know there's another way of seeing things....

I went swimming in the beaches from Southern California to Florida. I spent weekends in Vegas, New Orleans, Hollywood, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Chicago, and way too many more to name. I went to NASCAR races, NHRA, local dirt tracks, local paved tracks, go-kart tracks, Harley Nitro Hill Climbs, AHDRA Harley Drags, and motocross races. I went to dozens of high school football games from coast to coast, NCAA games, NFL, and NBA. I spent time hiking in National Parks, went jogging from coast to coast, parked out in the desert to sleep in Southern California just cuz I could, went to big festivals, saw some rodeos, and even took flying lessons a few times.

In fact, I was sleeping in my bobtail behind a local gas station across from the track when I took four days off to go to the 1998 Daytona 500, the only one Dale Earnhardt ever won. I was standing right there, 10 rows off the track in turn 4.

I even had the chance to win a pickup truck by shooting a puck from center ice through a tiny hole in a board in front of the net in front of 10,000 people at a minor league hockey game in Albuquerque. I missed, but they gave me a nice Dodge jacket as a consolation prize and I had my moment in front of the crowd. My truck was broke down and I spent 8 days in a hotel before they finally decided it was unfixable and they put me on a bus back to Oklahoma City to get a different truck. Crazy, fun week. But that's how I almost won a truck at a minor league hockey game in Albuquerque. Not many people can say that.

After almost 15 years out there I could tell you stories for weeks. But that's always been my personality. I want to have fun. I want to try just about everything at least once. I can have fun sitting alone in a cardboard box. I'll find something to laugh about. No problem.

So to me it always comes down to attitude. There's always plenty to laugh about, plenty to get angry about, and plenty to cry about all around us all the time. It comes down to what you decide to focus on. I've had tons of people come up to me over the years and say straight to my face, "OMG I don't know how you can stand driving a truck for a living. I would hate it!" I would just laugh and say, "I totally understand. Most people would. I'm just the type that loves it."

My years on the road were priceless. I had a blast. But they were far from easy. It was one of the toughest jobs I ever had, which of course was one of the best parts. I wouldn't have wanted to do it otherwise.

Deek, go ahead and call Schneider and tell them you got your training from a friend or somebody you found and see how fast you hear a dial tone. I wouldn't feel comfortable with some guy training me at all. And there is money to be made in the industry a lot of times though low salaries come from that first year when you don't know ****.

EXACTLY what Brett said its a lifestyle as well. Like i was saying to Oldschool and Errol the other day. I served my country and figured why not see it.

Now Brett, THAT was priceless! Literally. I bet you couldn't put a price tag on all those memories and experiences.

It just comes down to the glass half full scenario I guess. I worked as a cook in an assisted living facility ("old folk's home") just before CDL school. Some of the people who worked there complained about everything: low pay, undesirable hours, disgusting job duties... and it showed in their attitude and behavior toward the residents. Others loved helping people, always smiled and took care of whatever needed to be done, and were generally just happy to have a job... and again, it showed. Funny how much your perspective can influence your satisfaction level.

I signed up just because of this post.... Brett your the man if you kept a straight face after reading the OPs replies... 4 schools and what have we learned?

Brett's latest post is -exactly- what I'm looking for. Minus the sports but, seeing and experiencing the country! I make less than 20k a year right now and I have a better wage than most in my area. I have no opportunity for advancement and I have nothing I'd go to school for again. So, the trucking money looks attractive to me! There's per diem pay to offset costs of road stuff, company bonuses to boost pay, and I'm "home" every night because the truck will be my home and the country will be my slice of land wherever I park. I've only ever been in four states, I want to see the rest. I want to save money and eat at famous dive restaurants. I want real southern barbeque and Chicago and New York pizza! I want to hear an accent from Maine and go to a beach in Florida. You don't do a job where you live on the road for weeks at a time for just the money. You do it for the journey.

I agree with you, Deek, this isn't the job for you. With your attitude you might consider moving to the country and living off the land. You still won't be satisfied but you'll only have yourself to complain to.

Sure...you might get 40 cents a mile (buddy been driving 13 yrs. and that's all he gets....so this 50 cents etc... sure,yeah...uh huh).

For what it's worth, I have 8 months of experience and I make 50 cents a mile. I have since May.

Also, I have a good friend who works fulltime at Walmart and he grossed a little over 25,000 last year. There is no shame in working at Walmart but I contest the idea that you can make as much at Walmart and be home every night. Maybe in a managerial position, but it takes years to work up to that. Additionally, retail employees and managers in particular, sacrifice a ton of family time, especially during the holiday season when shopping is at its peak.

If it's just a money thing and you have a trade come to VA. and work on ships, if you can weld or fit pipe or work with fiber optics connectors you can make 100k a year... but it's not a cake walk... in the summer when it's 100+ temps outside and your working inside and you come outside and it feels air conditioned..