What Companies, States, And/or 3rd Party Providers Are Providing Training And/or Administering Skills Testing During Covid-19?

I am new to trucking. I have my learner's permit and was scheduled to attend a trucking driving school in Idaho on March 30, 2020. Because of Covid-19, the school I was to attend shut down. I found another school to attend, attended for a week, then they shut down for two weeks (scheduled to re-open April 20, 2020 - fingers crossed).

It would be most helpful if Trucking Truth could keep us updated re where someone can obtain truck driver training and the cdl skills test during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Regards,

AaronN California

Prime is still accepting applicants and training. Prime's CDL examiners are in-house so you can take your CDL skills test when ready.

Roehl is also starting new classes weekly. You’re paid from day one and examiners are in house.

CFI is still training.

Aaron, did you notice the pattern in those three responses? They're all referring to Paid CDL Training Programs. That's always been our suggestion for the best way to start your trucking career. Who would have thought a nation wide panic would have given us one more good reason to reccomend that method?

I am new to trucking. I have my learner's permit and was scheduled to attend a trucking driving school in Idaho on March 30, 2020.

AaronN California

What truck driving school were you going to attend in Idaho? Where is it located?

Laura

I have been trying to find a school who offers the CDL written testing as all of Minnesotas DMV's are closed. I have called Roehl and they state I need my permit before being accepted. I called many different schools and they all say the same thing. "You need your cdl permit and physical before attending class". Are there any companies offering the whole package? Training, permit and guaranteed employment once the training is passed and completed.

Roehl is also starting new classes weekly. You’re paid from day one and examiners are in house.

"What truck driving school were you going to attend in Idaho? Where is it located?"

Hey Laura, Sage in Coeur D'Alene. AaronN

Hey Laura, Sage in Coeur D'Alene. AaronN

Interesting....didn't know there was a Sage up there (panhandle). I went to Sage in Twin Falls. A couple years later, they closed because they couldn't get set up taking the GI Bill....not that I could use it, mine expired.

Matt,

As all of the above guys have stated, it's far better to go to a company that has a school and a 12 mth commitment afterwards. However, I'm not familiar with schools enough to know if they have the whole package or not.

I lucked out going to Sage and getting hired afterwards BUT Sage didn't teach anything about logs. The instructor said, we would have elogs and that would keep us straight. No, my first and 2d company had paper and both were into cheating on the logs. Never learned about recap, the brakes....because "most companies have their own shops and will adjust them" and a couple other things, while minor need to be known. While learning thru the school of hard knocks, it really isn't a good way to learn.

Laura

UPDATE

The other school I began in Sacramento opened up again. It was a 120 hr/three week school which I completed except for the last day/8hrs. Because CA DMV commercial was still shut down when we finished, they wanted to save one day for us to practice before testing (once CA DMV commercial opened back up, which it hasn't as of this post).

During the week that followed, I waited for CA DMV commercial to open up or provide some word on an anticipated opening date, I contacted several trucking companies to see if they would take me on with the training I had to-date. First of all, I found out, the school I attended in Sac, for CDL training purposes, is not recognized by all trucking companies. There were none that wanted to take me on with what I had. In addition, because of my Cali CLP , even if the company had its own CDL training program, I successfully completed it, and they had third party testers/-ors which could test me and put my info in the database (if I passed), I still wouldn't be able to get my CA CDL unless CA DMV commercial was open for business. So...

After more research, I drove over to Cheyenne, applied and was accepted at a school there which is recognized by all trucking companies (or at least the ones I am interested in). I traded my CA DL for a WY DL, retested and obtained a WY CLP. This school has its own third party tester/-or and WY DMV commercial is open for business. My school instruction begins this Thursday. In the meantime, they are letting me use their facilities to study for and obtain the endorsements I didn't test for when going for my CLP. Which leads me to more questions for the old salts out there:

How is me having a WY CDL but the trucking company(ies) I'm interested in do not have terminals in WY going to affect me? With a WY CDL, may I still drive for a company with a terminal in, say, California, Idaho, or Washington but none in Wyoming? How does that work?

And, for now, (in the immortal words of Pork Pig) that's all folks. Keep on truckin'. I hope to join you soon.

AaronN Sacramento, CA (now Cheyenne, WY)