Best Options To Get My Cdl

I'm currently looking to get my cdl and start driving. So I'm currently going over my options that are available to me. Is it better to go with paid training with a company or go to school with my gi bill benefits. but I'm not sure what is the best option for me since I'm currently paying rent and bills. Hopefully I can get some insight from here on what would be best money wise so I can keep paying my bills.

Welcome to Trucking Truth, Joe!

I wonder if you can get "paid training" and double dip for your GI bill. As a veteran, you have a leg-up in some places. Trucking companies like to support vets as they can. Some will literally give you the training, as long as you work for them one year. Some give you credit in seniority for your time in service. Going to a trucking school on your own has some risks. A private school is really in bottom-line business to sell CDLs: ya pays yer money and ya gets a CDL ." Yes private companies do their best to get you into a trucking company.

On the other hand "Paid CDL Training mostly gets your training financed by a trucking company. The big difference is in this route, you are all-but hired when you are invited to attend training. And no, There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Usually. You will probably sign a one year or so contract for that company.

Community colleges might offer a good deal, both in tuition/"lab" costs and class schedules on weekends for us working stiffs. Going full time into a school (company or private) will last four weeks at least, so plan ahead.

Best of luck!

I used the GI Bill to pay for my school. Keep in mind you have to pay out of your own pocket initially but will get reimbursed.

After completing school I was able to research and choose the company I wanted to apply for. They, Maverick Transportation, also offered tuition reimbursement. So in the end I actually got paid to go to school.

The overwhelming consensus on this site is to go with company paid and sponsored training when entering the trucking industry.

If you use your GI provision, you still have to find a job afterwards. But if you go with Company paid and sponsored training, you still get your training paid for plus you then have a guaranteed job if you successfully complete the company program. So it looks to me like even with your military advantages, you still would come out best by enrolling in a company paid program.

You only have a certain amount of time to use your GI Bill benefits. Whatever you do, don't let them go to waste. You earned them.

You'll have plenty of time to think about any classes or additional training you'd like to learn while you're driving. Figure it out and use your GI Bill later if you can't do it now.

This comment/question is for anyone who might know:

GI benefits are not something I'm familiar with. Is there a way a veteran can receive regular, weekly payments from these benefits in order to keep paying bills while not working bc they are going to school full time?

I saw BY comment that he initially had to pay out of pocket at a private CDL school.

I'm basically wondering if a vet goes to a company sponsored program, can they receive payments (in lieu of tuition reimbursement) until they actually start making money during training?

Well, my veteran benefits were used up before most of you were born, so I'm not current. Locate your local VA office, they will help you out. Any school would be happy to help you find financing. A quick look on VA.GOV I found a pamphlet that might help out. Download page: Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors

The VA "Start Page" for education benefis: How to apply for the GI Bill

I am 99 percent you can double dip company based training and get your GI bill benefits for a certain period of time. When I was looking more seriously upgrading my class B to an A it was available under a few companies that had apprenticeship programs approved through the VA. I would start at the VA website and you could always talk to a recruiter, I think Swift was one of the companies that participated in the program.

I know Prime drops their contract for vets from 12 months to 9 months. But it would not be advisable to leave at least until your 1 year mark with your first company for numerous reasons. But it is an option at Prime.

I'm pretty sure Knight will cover ypur tuition. I seem to recall vets discussing it when I went through.

I'm not trying to recommend one company over another, just saying there are options available with the larger carriers.

Military opportunities at Knight