Comments By timerider

Nearly all companies will put new CDL/ recent grad people on a team truck for at least several weeks. Often it's with an experienced instructor. Then you get your very own truck!

You didn't say what company gave you the thumbs up. With that information you'll get a more detailed answer. In this forum you can be open with company names, we have members from lots of companies who can give you the low-down

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You have a point. The company is Trailiner out of Springfield, MO. I've read a couple reviews on here from people who went through the school and everything sounded good to me, that's mainly why I applied there. Overall though there's not much information on them since they are a smaller company I guess.

Hello everyone,

Today I called and talked to a recruiter here in my hometown after filling out their online application. After a brief conversation and questions pertaining my past he said I would qualify for their cdl training program. Only thing is, Instead of running solo after my training they want me to run teams for a year before I can go solo.

I do have a couple of spots on my record so I feel this is why I was offered team instead of solo, but I could be mistaken, maybe that's just what they need most! This company hauls reefers from coast to coast and he said I'd be paid 19 cpm up to my 6 month mark after training, and then it would increase to 24 cpm till the end of the year. This company also said that average I will be running 20,000 mi. per month.

To me it sounds like a pretty good deal, I'll get some more experience and get to make a little more money than I would be driving solo. I get along with people pretty easy so I'm not to worried about personality issues and the way I look at it, it's only for a year, if it doesn't work out I can jump over to be a solo driver. Does this sound like a reasonable offer?

At this point I don't feel it responsible for me to give names. If when I do decide to take the offer and begin training I will share more details with everyone. Thanks.

JS

I would think state law trumps what your employer says, but then again it is a positive for your employer to be backing you up. Good luck, hope everything goes smooth for you or at least in your favor.

Hello everyone, new guy here and hopefully soon to be truck driver in the future! How does my record look to a potential employer, I know its not perfect but I honestly don't think its terrible either.

I used to drive a truck, did it for 2 years then quit. Soon after I quit, I received a DUI in my own vehicle, this was in 2008. I completed some AA meetings, and paid all my fines, after this incident I quit drinking and never looked back.

Here it is, several years later and I want to get back on the road. Since that incident I got 2 speeding tickets, one in 2014 and another in 2015. The 2014 ticket was issued for going 19 mph over the speed limit of 65. The 2015 ticket was issued for going 10 mph over the speed limit of 35.

I've been unemployed for the last year. Before my unemployment I was working for the same employer in manufacturing for 3 years and 11 months.

Also, don't know if this will count for anything but I did attend school while I was unemployed and started a volunteer program with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Anyways, its not like I was at home sitting on my but, I thought I had a good plan and a goal but things changed.

I hope to get a job with either Jim Palmer, Wil-Trans, O&S trucking or Trailiner. These companies offer CDL training and I feel like they would make a good fit for me.

So what do you all think? Is it going to be a uphill climb or am I worrying about nothing? I know there's mega carriers out there that are more lenient on new hires and have terminals close by but I'm trying to stick to a medium to small size carrier.

Please comment and let me know what you think, Thanks.

JS

Glad to hear you're having a great experience. I am getting all my ducks in a row before I start calling and talking to some of the companies here in Springfield Mo. for my cdl training and Wil-Trans is #1 on my list. What was your deciding factor in choosing this company for training? I am also looking at Jim Palmer but have read on one of the comments in this forum that they can be picky sometimes. Do you think company paid CDL is the way to go? Are they giving you the miles they promised? How long do you stay out? Sorry for bombarding you with a ton of questions, I just want to make sure I can get with a good honest company. Look forward to your future post. Good luck on the road!

I managed for Home Depot for 8 years, quit in 1998. Started my own handyman business which led to 16 years of home repo's for multiple banks....economy turned around, foreclosure's slowed down and at 55 not too many options for employment......so now I drive a big truck all over the place!

Do you enjoy truck driving now?