FAFSA Or Aide Paying For School

I am looking to go to school. i want to work for TMC Transport but i am concerned about paying for school. if i can't find the right financial aide i will have to go to Roehl. i like both companies but the issue i have is i can't leave my family without an income during school. but if i found a financial program to help me pay for it then i could go with TMC right after school. i was looking at Truck Driving Institute in Indianapolis. i like them because it is a short school and i can save enough money to take care of my family while i am in school. please help in whatever way you can.

I am just wanting to find the best option. I have been looking bit haven't found yet. I need good advice from people who know from and have learned thru experience. Any advice would help. I have been wanting to be a truck driver for years and don't want to make the wrong decision.

I'm a little confused about your premise. You're saying you can't leave your family without an income during school but if you obtained financial aid you could do it. The problem is that even with financial aid you're not going to have any income during school. Now maybe you're thinking they would loan you the money for school and some extra to survive on. But I don't think that's a likely scenario. And getting financial aid for truck driving school is very difficult anyhow because the Federal Government doesn't back truck driving schools loans. The schooling is too short to qualify.

There are a number of people who get funding through WIOA - Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (aka WIA). Have a look at that link for more information.

I believe Knight Transportation has a company-sponsored program that pays you right from day one where most programs will not pay you until you get out on the road.

But almost everyone has to get through at least a few weeks of schooling without any income. Money is tight for almost everyone coming into trucking so I understand it's tough to save up money but that's normally what it takes. I think looking for a way to cover expenses for at least a month is going to be the best approach if you can pull it off.

I have 1.5 months income saved. Is that enough?

It should be if you're conservative with it. Most Private Truck Driving Schools are about a month long and it's normally going to be another week or two before you get hired on somewhere, go through orientation, and get out on the road. So I think you're in a pretty good position.

I don't know anything about the Truck Driving Institute in Indianapolis, but you mention it being a short class.

How short is short? If you aren't getting at least 120 hours, you could find yourself with some issues in getting hired at certain companies. Some will even pass on 120 and expect 160.

Since you seem to have a specific company in mind, contact them to check what their school hours minimum requirements are for students coming from private schools. After you get that answer, ask if they hire from the school you are looking into. On the school side, ask them what companies have recruiters come out to meet you while you are in school.

I understand you may have a specific company in mind, but you should definitely talk to the school, before you sign up, to ask them who is hiring for your expected graduation date and what companies fit the things that you want from your future employer.

As for money issues, mostly everyone has them as they are entering trucking. There are some people coming into it from good paying jobs as they look for a lifestyle change rather than an income upgrade, but a lot more are looking for the financial boost trucking can offer them. Having some savings is good, but 1.5 months leaves you with only a half month when you finish a 160 hour course.

What might be something for you to think about is a school that offers a weekend schedule, taking more weeks to be trained but allowing for you to work a job during the week. With a family, 1.5 months saved, at least to me, seems like what you would want after school while you were starting training and on a reduced income.

Best of luck going forward and I hope you get where you want to be.

Like you, I've been putting pencil to paper to work out my finances for this transition. Some other things to consider are what the prospective company is going to pay for orientation and what the trainer pay is going to be. Also, you need to consider the training period.

The company I am leaning toward says "3-5 weeks training". I have to budget for 5 weeks. In addition, through research, I know that at the end of training period I may have to wait a few days to get my truck.

The point I'm making is to make sure you have captured everything in your planning. You don't need any additional stress while you are learning a new career.

I have all my recurring bills set up to auto draft out of my account because I'm single and there's nobody at home to get the mail, lol.

This really is an important discussion, and something that everyone getting started in this career should consider. I have been to four trucking orientations in my career, and at all of them there have been people who did not plan on having enough set aside to make it through the training time. It is something that always surprised me. I understand the fact that money is tight, but I don't understand just taking off and jumping into a new career path that is fraught with difficulties and hoping to make it through while leaving folks at home to somehow fend for themselves with no money coming in. Good planning is a very important characteristic that you will find most successful drivers have.

There are always the leaches at orientation who are constantly bugging everyone else to bum a few cigarettes, or a few dollars for their next meal. Their plan, if it can be called that, seemed to be to depend on the benevolence of the other hopeful candidates at the orientation - that is not a good plan. I've seldom seen success when it was approached like that. I still remember one young man at Western Express who I went through orientation with, and he wanted to exchange phone numbers with me so we could keep up with each other after we got our trainers. Two days after he left with his trainer he quit and boarded a bus for home because his wife and baby were at home with no electricity - it had been cut off for non payment! A coupe of days later I thought I might offer to help him out, and when I tried to call him I found out his phone was disconnected! That is so common, and it is not a good way to make a start at this.

This really is an important discussion, and something that everyone getting started in this career should consider. I have been to four trucking orientations in my career, and at all of them there have been people who did not plan on having enough set aside to make it through the training time. It is something that always surprised me. I understand the fact that money is tight, but I don't understand just taking off and jumping into a new career path that is fraught with difficulties and hoping to make it through while leaving folks at home to somehow fend for themselves with no money coming in. Good planning is a very important characteristic that you will find most successful drivers have.

There are always the leaches at orientation who are constantly bugging everyone else to bum a few cigarettes, or a few dollars for their next meal. Their plan, if it can be called that, seemed to be to depend on the benevolence of the other hopeful candidates at the orientation - that is not a good plan. I've seldom seen success when it was approached like that. I still remember one young man at Western Express who I went through orientation with, and he wanted to exchange phone numbers with me so we could keep up with each other after we got our trainers. Two days after he left with his trainer he quit and boarded a bus for home because his wife and baby were at home with no electricity - it had been cut off for non payment! A coupe of days later I thought I might offer to help him out, and when I tried to call him I found out his phone was disconnected! That is so common, and it is not a good way to make a start at this.

Thank for understanding

Like you, I've been putting pencil to paper to work out my finances for this transition. Some other things to consider are what the prospective company is going to pay for orientation and what the trainer pay is going to be. Also, you need to consider the training period.

The company I am leaning toward says "3-5 weeks training". I have to budget for 5 weeks. In addition, through research, I know that at the end of training period I may have to wait a few days to get my truck.

The point I'm making is to make sure you have captured everything in your planning. You don't need any additional stress while you are learning a new career.

I have all my recurring bills set up to auto draft out of my account because I'm single and there's nobody at home to get the mail, lol.

Are there schools that offer weekend classes? I haven't seen one yet.