Company Paid Training Without Obligation To The Company
Topic 18186 | Page 1
A truckng company does not run a driving school to help new people learn how to drive a truck. They operate a driving school to add more drivers to their team.
If you want to spend your own money to get a CDL , you can do that at what we call "private schools".
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
I had to read that like five times to really get what you're asking. I think you're asking if you have to go to work for a company after completing their training course if you paid for the course up front, correct?
If that's what you're asking, the answer is no, you should not have any obligation to work for the company if they offered you the option of paying for the entire course up front. That's the reason they have contracts, to make sure they get the return on their investment in the drivers they've trained. But if you've paid for the course then they have their investment back.
But Errol is right, no company would want you to pay for the course and then leave. That doesn't do them any good. In fact, they trained a driver for one of their competitors and now they have to start over with someone else.
Matt,...I suggest looking at this from a different perspective, simply put the company who trained you in school and then Road Trains you is more likely to stick with you when you go through the rough spots. They have a vested interest in your success.
The other aspect of this, by paying for the school up front, out of your own pocket completely bypasses the greatest benefit of Paid CDL Training Programs.
Many of us on this forum have benefitted from company sponsored training and continue driving for the original company that trained us.
What is your end goal here? Or is it just curiosity?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Honestly my end goal is something I will be honest I.have been hesitant on posting on this forum just because I know it's not encouraged. And I have read the reasons why therefore I'm trying to take the best approach to success. As you probably know from my many in experienced posts I'm currently a heavy duty diesel tech. I have been for about 6 years on trucks alone. Now I'm not a expert there is always more to learn but I can hold my own in a shop professionally. I would like to own my own truck actually i would like to own a small fleet of trucks. However I have seen the posts and done much research and I want to get driving experience first and experience in the driving portion of the industry. That may change completely after I have that knowledge and experience. I currently have a 2 year and one on the way which is making the commitment to go otr a vary difficult one that I think would affect my performance for the company. The local LTL companies sound good but in order to get hired with them you have to work there as a dock worker. Which I would be willing to do but would be taking a dramatic pay cut affecting bills. Most I have contacted will hire people out of a school though. The closest school I.have is about an hour away 3 week day class for about 4 grand a chunk of change during a time I wouldn't have an income and no job security afterwards. I found one otr that gets you home every weekend which is one im keeping on my radar. However thats only one. So yes I was just wondering if the large megas offered a school that would accept pay upfront for no contract. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the time.
LTL:
Less Than Truckload
Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.
LTL carriers include:
- FedEx Freight
- Con-way
- YRC Freight
- UPS
- Old Dominion
- Estes
- Yellow-Roadway
- ABF Freight
- R+L Carrier
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Maybe you should consider a private CDL school, since uou say you can pay for it up front. Then get a job with a company for the road training part and see where that gets you.
You may decide it's not for you at all. Is there anyway your current job will give you as personal leave of absence to go to school and try OTR training?
Owning a truck is a grueling complicated undertaking and generally is NEVER RECOMMENDED for those who don't understand how the industry works.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
If you go to a community college that has a CDL program a lot of the time you can get grants and/or loans to pay for school. Do that and use the money you would of paid for the school as a living expense while going to school and doing company "finishing" training. Most companies that hire straight out of school have tuition reimbursement. There are more than a few companies that will let you start out as a regional driver where you are home every weekend.
May I ask where you live, Matt? Nothing specific just general area of what state.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
I went to a private school that had weekend classes. I was able to keep working full time through school. Cost me $5000 but I would do it all over again. I had a great experience in school and had a regional job lined up before I graduated.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
I agree I definitely want some experience before I even decide to do that.
Maybe you should consider a private CDL school, since uou say you can pay for it up front. Then get a job with a company for the road training part and see where that gets you.
You may decide it's not for you at all. Is there anyway your current job will give you as personal leave of absence to go to school and try OTR training?
Owning a truck is a grueling complicated undertaking and generally is NEVER RECOMMENDED for those who don't understand how the industry works.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Around green bay Appleton area of Wisconsin
If you go to a community college that has a CDL program a lot of the time you can get grants and/or loans to pay for school. Do that and use the money you would of paid for the school as a living expense while going to school and doing company "finishing" training. Most companies that hire straight out of school have tuition reimbursement. There are more than a few companies that will let you start out as a regional driver where you are home every weekend.
May I ask where you live, Matt? Nothing specific just general area of what state.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
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Can you attend a company training course without going to that company if you paid up front for the cost?