Buffalo, NY For Newbie Outta Cdl School

Hi all,

Ive been reading threads on here for about a month and have to say THANK YOU to everyone this site has the best info and members anywhere.

Ok so i have 3 more weeks of cdl school at BTTI in buffalo NY (hamburg) I have been doing lots of research and already have a pre employment letter from PGT for their flatbed division and wondering of any other companies with lines in my area that hire us noobs.

Thanks in advance Dan

Hi all,

Ive been reading threads on here for about a month and have to say THANK YOU to everyone this site has the best info and members anywhere.

Ok so i have 3 more weeks of cdl school at BTTI in buffalo NY (hamburg) I have been doing lots of research and already have a pre employment letter from PGT for their flatbed division and wondering of any other companies with lines in my area that hire us noobs.

Thanks in advance Dan

Howdy neighbor, welcome to TT. TMC, another flatbed company hires out of that school, too. Plus, they have those BEAUTIFUL black and chrome Petes! Caledon, US Express, Swift, XPO, Schneider, Roehl, and even Challenger (Canadian Co.) will hire us border types.

Good luck in your search.

Thanks for the quick response. I was curious about the canadian companies and what they are like in comparison to the US ones. I would think not much different but we all know where "ass u me ing" gets ya. How is it crossing the border in and outta canada PGT does freight up there too. Also I will have my enhanced license and I hear ya make a little more for crossing and having the option always helps with doors, but is it more hassle than its worth dealing with the border.

One other thing is that I do like the idea of running flatbed. I have 3 yrs driving tow truck and used to securing my loads and such

Let me add i do understand tow truck is not flatbed, but i dont mind getting my hands dirty is all i mean. I know there is extra work involved with flatbed and thats ok with me, having driven alot in various fields i know its nice to get off your @$$ and do something (helps keep the gut down a little lol). I did vehicle repo for a year and man there was alot 10-12 hr straight driving days which was fine too.

You are further along than I am, at this point. I am going the company training route, since it better fits my situation.

You have more opportunities than I do, considering you're at a private school, and TMC, and Roehl, which also has flatbed will hire from the school. Getting your enhanced license can only help, too, especially if the company has Canada routes. Schneider for instance has a dedicated that circles Lake Erie.

I agree with the options of going private first. I like to research what im doing and figured by being at a school there are people there that have been in the industry to help make my beginning decisions more informed and ultimately fit me better.

When do you start training and with who.

I agree with the options of going private first. I like to research what im doing and figured by being at a school there are people there that have been in the industry to help make my beginning decisions more informed and ultimately fit me better.

When do you start training and with who.

Good luck guys, hope it works out for the both of you. I'm from Buffalo looking into trucking as well. How do you feel about BTTI Dan? Is the training top notch?

Top notch isnt exactly the words i would use but they are small and very personalized so everyday you will get lots of drive time and will make sure your reasy to pass you road test. Pretty laid back and easy to work with too.

I looked at NTTS and found that due to class size you might get 1 hour of driving on any given day and your going fir 2-3 months and 10k out of your pocket.

Dan S wrote:

...and figured by being at a school there are people there that have been in the industry to help make my beginning decisions more informed.

Dan, that may or may not be the case.

The school personnel is there to train you in getting your CDL , not necessarily there to offer career advice. Is that something they claim to offer? They may offer a placement service, but that typically provides direct contact with trucking company recruiters and possibly some assistance in filing applications.

The primary reason Brett built the Trucking Truth Website was and is to help folks like you. You are far better off seeking the advice of the TT forum, (you'll get a straight answer)...and if you haven't already, taking a look at this: Trucking Company Reviews. You can also use the search bar found in the upper left hand corner of this page to find archived threads on every trucking company discussed here.

Also, not to give you more to read, but the below links may help with your decision making process:

Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
• Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"

Best of luck in school.

Hi all,

Ive been reading threads on here for about a month and have to say THANK YOU to everyone this site has the best info and members anywhere.

Ok so i have 3 more weeks of cdl school at BTTI in buffalo NY (hamburg) I have been doing lots of research and already have a pre employment letter from PGT for their flatbed division and wondering of any other companies with lines in my area that hire us noobs.

Thanks in advance Dan

that's also where i went to school. the road instructors are some good guys. dennis, mike, and joe.