Smith And Solomon, Philadelphia

Hello all, I am looking to get into the trucking industry and I am currently trying to decide on which schooling would be the best. I just left and orientation at Smith and Solomon in Philadelphia, I wanted to check on people's opinion on this school. Any information good or bad would be greatly appreciated

Chuck, I got to observe some students at a Smith and Solomon school near Scranton, PA. It is located in the same building as the Petro Truck Stop there. I was doing a 34 hour reset there and had all kinds of time on my hands. It appeared to me to be an excellent school, and I would feel free to recommend them to anyone.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing a school. Foremost is find out which ones of the major carriers hire from their school before committing to anything. Then call those carriers recruiting department s and verify that the information is correct - sometimes things change. The other thing you want to keep in mind is that a lot of people go into trucking schools with completely false notions of what it is that the school is going to do for them. When you attend a truck driving school their primary purpose is to get you to the point where you can pass the state's examination and obtain your CDL. That does not make you a truck driver, nor will the school finish you off with enough training to really consider yourself a true professional.

They help you get a hit and get you onto first base as it were. That is where their job ends. Now the rest of the game is up to you and your new employer, but mostly it's on you. Now you will have to provide the willingness and tenacity to hang in there and tough it out through the training period, and they will provide you with the opportunity to have an experienced driver with you for the first few weeks of your employment to sort of help ease you into the job. Kind of like training wheels on your first bike. Eventually you get tired of those training wheels, just as you will get tired of being cramped up in that cab of that truck with some total stranger for weeks up on end. And then comes crunch time! You are given your set of keys to a nice shiny American Big Rig - man what a thrill, I still remember it! It is an adrenaline rush, and you will need all that adrenaline to survive those first few months!

Chuck we have some resources to help you figure out How To Choose A School. Take a look at that information, and arm yourself with the knowledge that you'll find in there. Remember this is a big adjustment, more so than you will ever expect it to be. Hang tough through your schooling and your company training and you will be set to embark on a rewarding new career. To be honest with you, I think it takes most of us a good solid year to really begin to feel like we have a little bit of a handle on what it takes to be an American Truck Driver.

Best of luck, and welcome to our forum!

Thank you much for your reply, it truly is greatly appreciated.

Hey Chuck, don't rule out Company-Sponsored Training , it is just another way to achieve your objective. I think the company sponsored programs are a really great way to get started. There is little up front costs involved and you will get some great training with a guaranteed job after your successful completion of the training.

Prime is one of the companies you will find if you follow that link. They offer some of the highest rookie pay in the industry, and I believe they are now paying something like 700 guaranteed bucks a week during the second portion of the training program, and possibly more depending on your performance. There is a few weeks of initial training in their program during which you are not getting paid, but they will advance you 200 dollars a week for living expenses if you need it, and then deduct it gradually from your paychecks later on.

I have looked into the company sponsored School as well. I've been researching now for about 3 or 4 months or so, there's so many options it's making it difficult to narrow down all of the choices out there. To make things even more difficult 20 years ago I was convicted of a felony which is still hanging over my head. Swift Trucking declined me because of it. They did tell me I could reapply again in 6 months though, like six months would make that much of a difference after 20 years. I'm trying ,and failing, to get a career where I can support my wife and children but it doesn't seem like anybody is willing to give a second chance. I basically ruined my life at the ripe old age of 19. Thank you again for you advise, I shall keep plugging away

Hey Chuck, have you seen the section on our website about companies that hire folks with felonies?

Check that out if you haven't seen it before. We've all made some mistakes, some of us just seem to do it up better than others! Hang in there, someone will give you a shot. We've got some drivers in here who have had felonies and still managed to get into the driver's seat, it just takes a lot more persistence.

That's great, I hadn't seen that section yet. I have been speaking with a recruiter from Schneider and Knight but I haven't mentioned my felony yet. I will bring it up on my next call though. I committed a violent crime with a weapon involved and spent 7 years in prison for it. I was a bad person at that point in my life . I truly am a different person now trying to start a career, I can't keep just doing "jobs". I've wanted to drive a big rig for a long time now I just hope I get the opportunity. Thanks again for the info and advise.

That's great, I hadn't seen that section yet. I have been speaking with a recruiter from Schneider and Knight but I haven't mentioned my felony yet. I will bring it up on my next call though. I committed a violent crime with a weapon involved and spent 7 years in prison for it. I was a bad person at that point in my life . I truly am a different person now trying to start a career, I can't keep just doing "jobs". I've wanted to drive a big rig for a long time now I just hope I get the opportunity. Thanks again for the info and advise.

Hang in there. There are enough companies out there, that will hire someone in your situation, it will just take a lot of research, and patience. They may not be a bigger company, but they will give you a chance. We all deserve a 2nd chance, and there are companies out there that practice that philosophy. Sometimes, the company may want you, but the insurance company says no,

I definitely haven't given up searching yet. It just gets very frustrating at times. I am willing to go with just about any company that's willing to give me a shot. Thanks for letting me bend your ear and for the all the advise that's been given.