Jesse, If I were you I would check around for company sponsored training. Save the 4 grand for the transition while you get your license. A lot of what you describe as far as home time isn't offered by all the carriers. Take a look at Roehls site. I think it's Roehl.jobs. Enter your zip code and your experience (need my cdl) and see what available in your area. Then call the school tomorrow. My recruiter was Kim Calhoun...she was very good and everything she said was accurate and true. Good luck in your search
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
Your best bet, is to call the companies that you are interested in, and ask the recruiter if they hire students from that school. Start researching the companies that best fits your needs and give them a call. Once you are in school you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs in one step. This will help you get pre hires. After that, you can pick from those companies, and then attend orientation at your top choice.
Some other helpful links
, High Road Training Program, and
Good luck
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Tim F. -- Thanks for the info, I have looked them up and weighing my options now! Seems every time I make a decision and say - yep, that's what i'm doing - I get more info and think ok now i"m not so sure... but thanks for helping me in this journey!!
DanielSahn (love the name)
Reading Brett's Book: Truth -- Wow, i'm on page 16 and already feel smarter and not as much confused... or I'm completely lost at this point--LOL - not really - it's a GREAT book!!!
Love this site, so glad I found it!!!
Your best bet, is to call the companies that you are interested in, and ask the recruiter if they hire students from that school. Start researching the companies that best fits your needs and give them a call. Once you are in school you can Apply For Truck Driving Jobs in one step. This will help you get pre hires. After that, you can pick from those companies, and then attend orientation at your top choice.
Some other helpful links
- 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"
, High Road Training Program, and
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road Training Program
Good luck
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
If you live in Texas, check out kllm /ffe they have a great training program, in the Dallas area, I think.
I looked into international and heard nothing but horror stories and wasn't impressed after speaking to them either. I paid cash @ continental in Dallas where I currently am. $3200
Hey if I were you and you are on unemployment, check with them first, they might have programs where they will send you to CDL school for free and you will still be able to claim your unemployment benefits, that is how I ended up getting my CDL two months ago and now I am currently in orientation and just finished my time with a trainer. But that is something to look into if you havent already, would save you a bunch of $$$$$$
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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From what I have read from EVERYONE on here, everybody seem like stand up great people and I hope I get out there and meet some one day, but here is my question...
On April 5th, I will be going to International Truck Driving School in Dallas for orientation and pay for my schooling. I went to steven's first, but after discussing with my wife she did not feel comfortable with me being gone 6 weeks, then for 6 weeks at a time after that and not making much money. which if she would have said no problem, I was gone! I know that my first year or two , money wont be great, but not having to put in 16 to 18 hour days and weekends constantly will be a blessing!
I did computer work for 30 years and recently got laid off due to so many companies outsourcing to India and now India outsourcing has come to our shores causing most of my friends I have made over the years to lose their jobs as well, but that's another story. I have always since I was a kid, wanted to drive a truck. I love driving and jumped at every chance I could when there was a pickup or delivery of equipment to get in a truck and hit the road, I loved it. I want a more secure future and feel this is it, I'm so sick of computers and the people who should not own them and trust me, there are alot!!!
Anyway, after I get my CDL I will be looking for a regional , local or dedicated route so I can be home a bit more, even 2 weeks out is fine for her, that all being said, after I get settled in, I am going to try to get her to get her CDL and we can team...
I have not found ANYTHING on International and they have been around for 24 years, odd there are 0 reviews. I did find 2 on yellow pages link, but one is for and one against, just cannot trust those types of reviews when so few of them, not sure if ex-employees or still employee's, i'm sure y'all know what I mean.
Does anybody have any info on them before I go put down $4G... will be paying myself, so i'm 110% dedicated to making this work. I am 48 and in great shape and hoping I can make it to retirement with a great employer. I am not one to change jobs, if I get treated right, I will bust my ass to make everyone happy, including myself....
Any info for or against International would be greatly appreciated and if anyone has a better school option in Dallas besides contract schools please feel free to suggest.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.