I went the Paid CDL Training Programs with CFI and my training was free. I was paid for my time. Now it's been a year and I'm at 41 CPM. I started at 26 CPM while with my trainer. If you live in California CFI pays you hourly. I was on unemployment when I left for training. Good luck.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
That's great man! Been on the unemployment train before, not fun! I do not live in CA. I am choosing the private school route and then (hopefully) get on with a mega carrier. I have interviewed Schneider and Swift, both have tuition reimbursement. I am awaiting word from my worksource counselor to see if I am eligible for any state grant funds for school.
I went the Paid CDL Training Programs with CFI and my training was free. I was paid for my time. Now it's been a year and I'm at 41 CPM. I started at 26 CPM while with my trainer. If you live in California CFI pays you hourly. I was on unemployment when I left for training. Good luck.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
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.
CFI also offers tuition reimbursement.
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Hello,
It's been about six weeks since I last posted on here. I have an update on my CDL journey that I wanted to share. Things have moved forward for the better and now I am starting to see things take shape, and its been encouraging. I found out about a local CDL school only 8 miles from my home, which is alot closer than the 45 minute drive to the other school I had been looking at. I went and spoke to the school director and was impressed, the school also has top reviews online as well as good rapport with the state schools and agencies. They have helped many students find jobs from OTR to local.
The cost for school including license fees and DoT fees,drug test etc comes to around $4900. That is even lower than the school I looked at back in February. I also went to see the workforce reinvestment act counselor at my local community college. He helped me to prepare the application and ensure everything was correct. I should know by this wenesday how much state grant money I can get to cut down my tuition bill. From there it is just working the rest out.
Also was able to go on a ride along with a Schneider driver the week I was on vacation to see what a day is like in the life of a trucker. We hauled Subaru parts from Portland Ore to Mary'sville Wa up and down I5 in one evening. I definitely gained a better understanding of what a trucker goes through, I saw four wheelers doing stupid things and taking stupid risks (we got cut off several times and had one close call which would have sent a lady in her KIA directly into the freeway support pillar - she cut in front of us and was about a foot from our bumper).
My hats off to all of you guys man. This journey to getting my CDL has been an eight month process from the time it was suggested to me till now. I have had to rehab my back from an injury, get in better physical shape- losing 86 pounds, saving as much money as I can in my current job to pay for school, plus enough to live on while I am at CDL school, but I have learned mainly that I need to always keep moving (or trucking) to my goal no matter what. I am getting closer and closer to it and it feels great
Just wanted to share
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.