Poor Man Training

I'm from Southwest Oklahoma and I am got my cdl permit. Need to get the license. I've been farming for 30 + years and have drove the trucks I had but never had a cdl. The cheapest the schools are around here are 3000 dollars. How can I get training on a course and a truck to take the driving exam? Then will a company hire me if I do it that way? Thanks for your input in advance. I'd appreciate any help.

Hello Keith, and welcome to the forum!

If you don't want to lay out the money for school then the next best option is to go through a Company-Sponsored Training program. The company will pay for your training, your transportation to their facility,, and most of them will pay for your housing and most of your meals while there at their school. There's one small catch to the deal, and it isn't all that bad, but they are going to want you to sign a contract to work for them for a certain period of time - usually about one year. That is understandable, so they can recoup the expenses they incurred while training you. The really wonderful thing about these programs is that they have already checked into your qualifications and they are going to hire you when you have completed the training.

I think these Company-Sponsored Training programs are a worthwhile way to get into the industry. Prime's program will offer some of the highest rookie pay in the industry, and they will even pay you something like 700 bucks a week during the training period. If you'll click on that link I gave you then you will find a multitude of options for company sponsored training.

You can still get your CDL on your own if you have access to a truck to practice and test in, but now days it is really risky going that route since most all the employers are going to require a training certificate (this is mandated by their insurance carriers) to be able to hire you. That seemingly insignificant little certificate is actually more important than the CDL itself as far as landing a job goes, and that is the reason most folks want to get their CDL - so they can get a decent paying reliable job for some steady income.

Keith, many folks get all bent out of shape over signing that one year contract, but it really is an insignificant period of time in the grand scheme of things. One year out here on the road flies by so fast that it seems like you are just starting to get your feet wet in the business. That first year can be brutal on some folks, but it is a learning curve that everyone goes through.

Good luck my friend, and please, hang around here and keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure that you will find some helpful advice in here, and we'd love to hear how you are progressing in your newly chosen career. Also, when ever you have questions or just need some advice there will always be someone in here that knows just what you need. We pride ourselves here on "shooting straight" and you won't find a bunch of cry babies in this forum - it is full of folks who have been there, done that, and managed to stay in the industry through it all.

With your experience, any school will probably be a snap. Some companies will also cover your school tuition when you are hired. With your experience, to get that training ticket punched, go to a company school. You can "test out" within a few days (not waiting the whole 5 weeks), have your training certificate and get rolling in your new job.

Thanks for the advise. Don't really want to be without pay for a couple weeks but I understand that companies require that school certificate.

Hello Keith, and welcome to the forum!

If you don't want to lay out the money for school then the next best option is to go through a Company-Sponsored Training program. The company will pay for your training, your transportation to their facility,, and most of them will pay for your housing and most of your meals while there at their school. There's one small catch to the deal, and it isn't all that bad, but they are going to want you to sign a contract to work for them for a certain period of time - usually about one year. That is understandable, so they can recoup the expenses they incurred while training you. The really wonderful thing about these programs is that they have already checked into your qualifications and they are going to hire you when you have completed the training.

I think these Company-Sponsored Training programs are a worthwhile way to get into the industry. Prime's program will offer some of the highest rookie pay in the industry, and they will even pay you something like 700 bucks a week during the training period. If you'll click on that link I gave you then you will find a multitude of options for company sponsored training.

You can still get your CDL on your own if you have access to a truck to practice and test in, but now days it is really risky going that route since most all the employers are going to require a training certificate (this is mandated by their insurance carriers) to be able to hire you. That seemingly insignificant little certificate is actually more important than the CDL itself as far as landing a job goes, and that is the reason most folks want to get their CDL - so they can get a decent paying reliable job for some steady income.

Keith, many folks get all bent out of shape over signing that one year contract, but it really is an insignificant period of time in the grand scheme of things. One year out here on the road flies by so fast that it seems like you are just starting to get your feet wet in the business. That first year can be brutal on some folks, but it is a learning curve that everyone goes through.

Good luck my friend, and please, hang around here and keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure that you will find some helpful advice in here, and we'd love to hear how you are progressing in your newly chosen career. Also, when ever you have questions or just need some advice there will always be someone in here that knows just what you need. We pride ourselves here on "shooting straight" and you won't find a bunch of cry babies in this forum - it is full of folks who have been there, done that, and managed to stay in the industry through it all.

Try your local community colleges. The cdl program at the one I attend is less than $1000 for state residents.

Try your local community colleges. The cdl program at the one I attend is less than $1000 for state residents.

Or a branch college, I got my cdl through a branch, was on weekends so I kept working, and check for financial aid, I qualified for a pell grant which paid for the tuition and put about 400 bucks in my pocket, all for free.

Phil