Comments By Craig L.

I am going to get a CDL from a local school to have it to fall back on or drive local.

Craig, there's really no good reason to go with your plan. It's wasted time, money, and effort. You can't fall back on a CDL. Everybody wants fresh training or current experience - that's just the reality out here.

You need to be committed to this if you're going to go through school. Wait until you are ready.

Yeah maybe you could be right. I already got the DOT Medical and the Permit though....

Schneider used to train people from the ground up to get their CDL. Now they don't do that. In fact, most companies only take CDL holders in to train, is that correct? And it would be interesting (if to no one else but me), why Schneider shut down their CDL schools and switched to their current policy of just finishing those who come in with a CDL from the get go.

Schneider teamed up with a bunch of private schools and told them how they wanted their drivers trained. They also worked out some sort of a financial agreement between themselves and the schools.

Paid CDL Training Programs are growing in both size and number, while private truck driving schools are shutting down quickly from coast to coast, both of which make perfect sense. Company paid programs have every advantage over a private school for both the company and the drivers.

Obviously in a paid training program the company you're going to work for is the one training you. They're training you on their equipment using their procedures. They're also the ones paying for your schooling up front, while at the same time paying you during the training. So the student is getting paid to train instead of paying for the training.

Not only that, but the paid programs have a vested interest in their drivers succeeding. If you don't succeed, they lose their investment. So not only will they train you more thoroughly than private schools, but they're going to be far more willing to stand behind you if you make some rookie mistakes, which almost everyone does.

A private school is simply looking to make a profit by training you, then they ship you off to be someone else's problem. Having a student behind the wheel is a truck driving school's greatest expense. The less time they give you behind the wheel the more profitable the training is for them, but the worse it is for the student. So that puts the school's needs and the student's needs in direct conflict.

A paid program isn't training students for profit, they're doing it because they need drivers to fill their trucks and haul freight. Because you're going to be driving for them they have a very strong interest in the quality of the driver you become.

Personally I believe this trend will continue. Students simply don't have the money to pay for schooling up front and paid programs put everyone in a much better position. The companies can ensure the students are trained according to their standards and the students wind up with better training working for a company that has a vested need in the student going on to become successful.

Schneider basically decided, "Instead of taking on the financial burden of running our own schools, we'll let someone else take all the financial risk and we'll force them to run their programs according to our criteria. In the end it's a compromise for everyone. I've heard that Schneider is considering going back to running their own operations, but time will tell.

The paid programs I speak with are all trying to grow as quickly as possible and they all say they're having far better luck training their own drivers than they do bringing in students from outside schools.

If I had no job or career or wanted a new job bad I would go to any trucking company and get the free CDL and maybe work for them. I am have a decent paying job and I am not 100% sure I want to be in trucking. I am going to get a CDL from a local school to have it to fall back on or drive local. I don't want to pay out of pocket but I am thankful I can, and maybe it will make me respect it more. I know I can look at all these companies and part of it is I am not sure I would even like trucking or let along go OTR.

Take into consideration how much time someone actually drove in those weeks though. When you share a truck with 3 other people, how much road time do you get? and local roads are more dangerous than interstates. the traffic volumes and turning spaces are all totally different. Everything comes at you from all angles, so you are even more hyper in smaller areas.

My local CDL school is at one of the busiest truck stops in NJ, with a Blue Beacon, I 295, NJ TRNPk and US 130 all intersecting. Expecting to do that is nuts from day one.

I did 4 hours of backing practice entirely one on one with the trainer my first day. I drove Bobtail first at night with very low traffic. Then I pulled the empty trailer and after the second day with a total of of 16 hours of street driving and 6 hours of backing, we headed out.

Many drivers I talked to who went to a traditional school setting only claim to have driven a few hours before taking the exam, despite having spent weeks at school. Most of the time was spent going over pretrip and sharing trucks for backing. Avatar posted how he was so nervous and distracted by the other students in the cab. That in itself causes dangerous scenarios.

Also take into consideration that with the autos now being a testing choice, students are passing the CDL much faster. Some are not going OTR at Prime now, they are basically getting long hours of backing and road experience for up to a week (if you get your permit on day 2 of orientation, 14 days later would basically be 1 week of drive time.) The pass rates are through the roof compared to testing in the manuals. Students can relax more which is sometimes their biggest downfall.

Yet, I know people who pass the test that I do not think are safe. Any license does not make you a driver. Loaded or not, back road or not, a truck will demolish a car. I think a students attitude plays a huge part. If they take it seriously, they can accomplish a lot. If they dont respect the road, issues can arise. You can drive for 20 years but lose respect for the road and troue.

One of the reasons I wanted Prime was rhe one on one instruction. Every program has its good an bad. Like i said earlier, I was horrified to find out some of these companies only do 3 weeks of OTR training before they go solo.

so they have auto restriction?

You'll be extremely hard pressed to find a local gig that will take you (not that they don't exist but are very rare) without experience. Might want to look into LTL around your area. Ie ups, FedEx, old Dominion, saia. They usually get home every day. Dunno if they will take you without experience though.

Searched and found SAIA. However the terminals are in WPB n Miami. Pay seems solid as well but yes they want experience. Being new I am not sure what the job entails or how to get experience other than OTR. Should I can get in food service and I know the pay will be great but yeah I don't want to get hurt or bang my body up or even not be able to keep up with the work. I am 35. I am going to take a look at some of these companies and see if I can understand how it works. Lets say you work for SAIA local, you go to the terminal get your truck and deliver and bring truck back? Sounds too easy...?

Man you painted a brutal picture of food service. Lol The LTL i will sesrch for, but I don't think I found anything local even in that segment. I honestly thought this is something I wanted to do but it actually might not be if I can't find the right path. ITR just won't work for me long term with trying to purchase a home, maintain it and visiting family and friends. I am sure I will not like that lifestyle.

Hello Shaydwayz my name is Wayne sorry to brother you congrats I was wondering can you give me any advice studying for the permit test please I hope to hear from you soon.

Best place to start is with these links:

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

Read them and study the High Road. Good luck!

Excellent post.

Depends.. How long have you been driving?

Never. However I don't want OTR. I will not consider trucking as a career is I have to do OTR, as it just simply won't work for me. I need something local.

CR England is a possibility. Most of the OTR guys in England are Teams.

They do allow 2 students per trainer. 3 people in the truck. It's cramped but will allow you to train together. Not sure if they would let you pick like that but it's worth asking.

They also have their own CDL school. I personally didn't attend it so I can't really give an opinion/review of it.

But it's an option.

If there were ever a situation that 3 to a truck would work out......this may be it. Might be worth a phone call to a Recruiter at CRE.

I don't want to be "that guy" but I'm gonna be.... 3 people to a truck is the most asinine idea ever. You're forcing someone to sleep in n the top bunk while the truck is in motion, you're asking 3 people to share the space that 2 people find cramped.... from what I've been told by a close personal friend who I knew years before driving, who went through CRE..... they will put 2 green horns together as a team to finish their training. (Blind leading the blind) NO THANK you!!

I know the OP is looking for options, and I understand that your Son has extenuating circumstances, but I would still have to suggest Prime. Or even CRST

I heard that about CR England that it usually have beginners. The good news is you may feel comfortable with a person on your level and you have to figure things out vs. A trainer who will dissapeare after a couple months and you ride solo unless that what you want. It gives two people a way to try and learn and figure things out together. However i couldn't see my self with a stranger in the space closet.

Figured i would ask here. I want to be home generally night. I live in the Fort Lauderdale Florida area but all surrounding cities work. What jobs can I find that would be local? I know Food service would be an option but are there any choices I am missing?

Wow!!! I appreciate the response. I think my ultimate goal is to haul tanker (fuel) or other loads locally. Or even food service. And and Pepsi/Coke doesn't pay enough.

I can get my CDL but I want to come home every night or if not every night at least most of the week I want to be home.

Where can I find these jobs where should I be looking?