If Driver Solutions " Can't Help Me At This Time " Should I Give Up On Paid CDL Training?

Welcome aboard Bob!

First of all, one of the most helpful things you can do for yourself is throw everything you've heard about these companies in the garbage because 99% of the opinions you get on other sites about trucking companies is exactly that - garbage. Slander, heresy, and blatant lies.

We tell people all the time - trucking is performance-based and every company in America has plenty of freight, good equipment, and fair treatment for their best drivers. If you're hard working, reliable, take your trade seriously, and get along well with people you'll do well at any company you work for. If you don't have those qualities - which a lot of people don't - you're going to be miserable no matter where you go. So ignore that garbage and focus on yourself.

Apply to all of the companies you possibly can and see who shows interest. In the meantime, read through our Truck Driver's Career Guide and continue working on our High Road Training Program. Those two things will help you understand the trucking industry, make informed decisions about what will work best for you, and prepare you for your CDL permit and endorsement exams.

Trust me - any major company that hires students can be a great place to get your career started if you're willing and able to do what it takes to become an awesome driver and get along with people. With your background, someone (I suspect several companies in fact) will give you an opportunity. Apply everywhere, find all of the companies that are willing to give you a shot, choose the one you feel best about, and go in there well-prepared and with a fantastic attitude. If you'll do that, things will work out great for ya.

Go to your unemployment office. they have a program i am going thru called The Workforce Investment Act. they will send you to Extramile in Bishopville. they only get paid if you get a job.

Go to your unemployment office. they have a program i am going thru called wia. they will send you to extramile in bishopville. they only get paid if you get a job.

Never heard of WIA or Bishopville. Is that in Kentucky ? I'll google it and see what comes up.

WIA is the Workforce Investment Act. Check into it, you probably qualify from what I have read. I think you might check with your Unemployment Office, or whatever it is in Kentucky. Your training will be paid for by the State or the Feds.

Don't let the out of work thing scare you. I have been out of work for about 14 months. I am currently in school and I gotta say after going over a year with no meaningful interviews it is quite nice having so many companies expressing so much interest in me LOL.

And definitely check into your local unemployment services. I tried to go through mine to get it paid for but my wife made too much money. They still would have sent me through if I had qualified as a displaced worker but I didn't want to jump through hoops so I just went on my own knowing I would get some if not all tuition reimbursement.

Woody

Hey Bob, best of luck to you, and let me tell you, I was desperate when I found this site. I did a complete career change at over 50, and became a truck driver. I followed the advice of people here and it has worked really well for me. I even live in Florida where options are more limited because of availability of freight, and it has still worked for me. You can do it. Take the time to go through all this site has. You will not find a better tutorial for getting your CDL and getting through school and the period you have to work to pay off the school. The best thing is, Brett, the guy who owns this site will support you and will never let anyone here be negative about your choices. You are in the right place! Listen do the work you need to do to get hired and you will have a life changing experience. The people here care and will help you every step of the way. The resources are here for you to be successful. Bretts High Road study program will take you through the whole thing, and I have seen nothing better to give you the knowledge you need to get this started.

Bob best of luck, but really it is not luck. None of this has to do with credit, unemployment. When you are applying for a trucking job with no experience, its like throwing mud against the wall, apply with everyone and see what sticks, see who calls back. There are a ton of trucking jobs out here, so never stick with just one company and then do the wait and see game. The people you are applying with are recruiters, they are paid commission and if hired and stay 90 days the recruiter are paid. Recruiters lie, bottom line, they are salesman wanting to make the deal anyway they can.. They will tell you one thing and do another. USE this site ask questions there are enough of us truckers out here that can give you the insight over almost every company. Brett has done a great job with building this site, so use it to your advantage it will guide you where you need to be.

Well if they only knew how desperate and determined i really am they'd probably be beatin on my camper door sayin " pack your bags " LOL. I know about sticking with your first company and I plan on fulfilling whatever contract I get. To be able to get my foot in the door and for the experience. Hell I have worked jobs where the illegals were quitting right and left because it sucked so bad, so at least I know once I am determined to stick with something I usually can, no matter how much it sucks. I'm easy going and get along well with other folks and don't complain. I have been reading the KY CDL manual and I'm going to start doing the practice on this site probably later today. I don't think I qualify for the WIA though. I had a pell grant a few years back and i owe a stafford loan for that same year also , so I doubt I can get any assistance like that. I will call the local unemployment office to make sure though.

Bob, you should get back to doing the High Road Training Program. It has the CDL manual built right in, along with 700 multiple choice questions and a review system that will continuously cycle through older questions to help reinforce them. That system will teach you the materials 1000 times better than simply reading the manual.

Plus, we've built two sections into it ourselves - one on the Logbook and one on Weight & Balance. Neither of those topics are taught well at all and yet you're going to need them pretty much every day of your life out on the road.

Have some faith,pell grants and loans can be dealt with if you are willing. consolidate,start making payments. as long as you are trying,it will count. i was amazed the unemployment office even let me in the door. i have a college degree that i never even picked up the diploma on . i've been self employed as a dog groomer and a horse trainer for, well im a lady so i'll just say longer than brett drove a truck.(maybe). i have to prove i've worked at all. thank you IRS for making me prove it every year . and the year before that,etc.but i am working the tests on this site daily,between the few dogs the economy has left me. i've said here before,i'm single, my child is disabled and her dad is deceased. but if the gov't gives me a hand i'm taking it. i have to make this work. you have to decide if this is what you want and stop it with reasons you can't make it. if i don't ,taking these tests and just listening to the guys on here, will not have been a waste of time