Question About After CDL School

Topic 21742 | Page 1

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Brent R.'s Comment
member avatar

Greetings, first off I enjoy reading and learning from everyone on this site, I am 46 years old and looking for a new career in trucking, I have been a police officer and now a high school teacher, but have always had a love of driving a truck, I live in Amarillo Texas about a mile south of I-40. I am currently looking at going to the Amarillo College truck driving academy to obtain my CDL sometime when time permits, Do companies prefer to train you at their own school or does it matter? My other question is this are there companies that will hire and train newly graduated students who offer regional routes? I am not afraid to be gone weeks at a time training but would like something where I am home every 5-10 days if that's even possible once i get on my own. Does anyone know any companies in the Area I live that are good to work for? I know no place is perfect and people have their opinions while others may praise other companies, one thing I have learned is base your own opinion on your own experiences. Anyway appreciate your help and good luck to yall.

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.

G-Town's Comment
member avatar

Welcome to the forum Brent.

Perhaps the very best place to begin your research and knowledge building process is in the beginning; using Trucking Truth's "tried and true" starter kit:

As far as comparing Paid CDL Training Programs vs Private Truck Driving Schools although there are pros and cons for both, based on your personal situation, many times the overall benefits tip the scale in favor of Company Sponsored.

Here are a couple of articles addressing this:

Busting the Free Agent Myth

Company Sponsored preferred over Private Schools

Good luck!

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.
Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

Brent, you asked a question about home time and regional runs. Of course your company can assign you wherever they have a need (and it just might match up to what you want!), new hires generally are assigned Over The Road at first. Here, the most common mix of home time is one day home for every week you drive. And the common minimum road time is two weeks, though they prefer more OTR time than that.

After a few months OTR, both polishing your new skills and showing the office you won't be running over lampposts and such, simply ask about a transfer. In a truckload company (I drive for Swift) you can consider regional and get home every weekend, or shuttle/ express where you put in about 11-12 hours a day, but you get home every day.

It never hurts to ask!

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.

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.

Over The Road:

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Big Scott's Comment
member avatar

I think CFI has a regional area that includes Texas. I know they have regional routes, I just don't know anything about them. Either way CFI offers free CDL training and paid time while out with your finisher/trainer. Also, start with the links that G-Town provided. I also recommend reading training diaries, so you'll know what to expect from school. Put any questions you have in the search bar at the top of this page, you will get so much info on the topic. Good luck.

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.

Brent R.'s Comment
member avatar

I appreciate the responses, I have read all about the job and investigated many different options and companies, this has been a dream of mine for many years, now my son is older and moved on with his life i am at a position i can finally do it, I really think being OTR for the first few years to get the experience and miles is the best option, as far as schools I'm actually leaning towards a company sponsored training just to get the best training I can to succeed. I have made decisions financially that I can survive easily while in training and I am very easy to get along with and can handle any situation that may arise, I have to finish out the school year and will be looking hard at different options in May to hopefully start a school around June or July. Right now I am leaning towards Stevens in Dallas, but looking at a few others as well.

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.

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.

Nighthawk's Comment
member avatar

Right now I am leaning towards Stevens in Dallas, but looking at a few others as well.

Just to make sure you're informed, I must tell you that with Stevens, you will be paying them back for the training. Just something to consider.

Simon D. (Grandpa)'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

Right now I am leaning towards Stevens in Dallas, but looking at a few others as well.

double-quotes-end.png

Just to make sure you're informed, I must tell you that with Stevens, you will be paying them back for the training. Just something to consider.

This is true to a point... but not ' the rest of the story' 😜

After completing the payback; if you should decide to stay at Stevens; they then re-reimburse you at the same rate you paid them back... which is a small deduction weekly once you are solo...this gets added to your pay, once per week. I guess it's their way of encouraging people to stay.

This means that should you have the willpower and desire to stay with Stevens, the training eventually becomes zero cost to you.

Stevens rate per mile may not be industry leading, but then again; a great mileage rate means absolutely nothing if adequate miles are not regularly available.

The equipment is excellent and the training is nothing if not thorough! lol

Stevens states that they will get you all the miles you want and so far this has been very true...My team mate and i just totalled up the trip sheets scanned in for the last 7 days and we have run slighly in excess of 7000 miles in 7 days...So; seemingly, the miles are there for the taking! lol

Whatever you decide; good luck and best wishes for the future!

Cheers,

Simon

Simon D. (Grandpa)'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

double-quotes-start.png

Right now I am leaning towards Stevens in Dallas, but looking at a few others as well.

double-quotes-end.png

double-quotes-end.png

Just to make sure you're informed, I must tell you that with Stevens, you will be paying them back for the training. Just something to consider.

double-quotes-end.png

This is true to a point... but not ' the rest of the story' 😜

After completing the payback; if you should decide to stay at Stevens; they then re-reimburse you at the same rate you paid them back... which is a small deduction weekly once you are solo...this gets added to your pay, once per week. I guess it's their way of encouraging people to stay.

This means that should you have the willpower and desire to stay with Stevens, the training eventually becomes zero cost to you.

Stevens rate per mile may not be industry leading, but then again; a great mileage rate means absolutely nothing if adequate miles are not regularly available.

The equipment is excellent and the training is nothing if not thorough! lol

Stevens states that they will get you all the miles you want and so far this has been very true...My team mate and i just totalled up the trip sheets scanned in for the last 7 days and we have run slighly in excess of 7000 miles in 7 days...So; seemingly, the miles are there for the taking! lol

Whatever you decide; good luck and best wishes for the future!

Cheers,

Simon

Just a quick addendum to the above:

I know nothing about other company pay procedures...I'm sure that all the info is on this fab site somewhere....👍

But; Stevens pays per trip...My team mate and i have had 4 'paychecks' so far this week with 2 more to come in the next 3 days..... Personally i love it! As 'they' say: Cash flow is King! lol 😜

Brent R.'s Comment
member avatar

yea i am aware the Community College here charges 4,000 so either way I am gonna be out money or end up having to stay which is fine with me,

double-quotes-start.png

Right now I am leaning towards Stevens in Dallas, but looking at a few others as well.

double-quotes-end.png

Just to make sure you're informed, I must tell you that with Stevens, you will be paying them back for the training. Just something to consider.

Kevin L.'s Comment
member avatar

Brent I just wanted to remind you that not all company training or repayments are the same. Some companies your training is free after a year while others it may be 6 months. Also with a background in law enforcement you may find the written tests quite easy. If you go through the high road program here you can pass them either way. Then it just a matter of practice and the actual testing. Look and see if your state offers 3rd party testing and if they do you often can rent the truck for the test itself or work out a deal with them to teach you as another option. Also many companies will reimburse you for your school if your the first job since graduating

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