FINALLY; It Is My Turn To Get My CDL And I Am Nervous! :)

Hello Everyone, 44yo female here. Residing in Northern Nevada. After years of contemplating, research, reading this forum and being unhappy and career-less I finally went to a local agency and I've applied for CDL school funding. I decided to go to CDL school on my own instead of going to a mega carrier to get it. I am more inclined to do a student apprenticeship program then have my employer pay for my CDL even though it sounds easier; getting paid while doing the deed sounds great but I didn't want to limit myself. I am wanting freedom with my CDL. My plan is to get my CDL this year...2023 and be fully endorsed including HAZMA T with my TWIC and passport in tow before getting a job. Its just a goal of mine and I am set on that decision. ( FYI - I already have my TWIC from a different career path)

My questions and concerns are this:

1. Winter- PRO: I believe this will be a good thing because I'll be apprenticing with someone CON: Its winter and Ill be a very new driver. Risk is self explanatory

2. Job Options- I am looking at KNIGHT and SWIFT because they have terminals in my home town. Are these good for new students with CDL's that have 0 driving experience? COVENENT: the team driving interests me because of having someone else with me while I get my feet wet, however they pull doubles. Would that be something a new driver should stay away from?

3. ANY advice is welcome, please feel free to leave your opinions on the above questions and concerns.

Thanks and Happy Trucking everyone Melissa

Hello Everyone, 44yo female here. Residing in Northern Nevada. After years of contemplating, research, reading this forum and being unhappy and career-less I finally went to a local agency and I've applied for CDL school funding. I decided to go to CDL school on my own instead of going to a mega carrier to get it. I am more inclined to do a student apprenticeship program then have my employer pay for my CDL even though it sounds easier; getting paid while doing the deed sounds great but I didn't want to limit myself. I am wanting freedom with my CDL. My plan is to get my CDL this year...2023 and be fully endorsed including HAZMA T with my TWIC and passport in tow before getting a job. Its just a goal of mine and I am set on that decision. ( FYI - I already have my TWIC from a different career path)

My questions and concerns are this:

1. Winter- PRO: I believe this will be a good thing because I'll be apprenticing with someone CON: Its winter and Ill be a very new driver. Risk is self explanatory

2. Job Options- I am looking at KNIGHT and SWIFT because they have terminals in my home town. Are these good for new students with CDL's that have 0 driving experience? COVENENT: the team driving interests me because of having someone else with me while I get my feet wet, however they pull doubles. Would that be something a new driver should stay away from?

3. ANY advice is welcome, please feel free to leave your opinions on the above questions and concerns.

Thanks and Happy Trucking everyone Melissa

Howdy!

Just want to let you know that some of the other females will probably come into this forum over the next couple days. I generally just read the General forum and come in here once or twice a week.

Right now I've got to head out and try to make it to Boomtown or maybe even Fernley if I don't run into heavy traffic around Sacramento.

Since you've been on Trucking Truth for 11 years, you know that what you are proposing is not what we suggest. Actually, I am confused as to why you don't want to have Swift or Knight pay for your schooling and give you a job when you graduate from their school? It's been a long day, so I'll think on what you posted as I go over the mountain.

Laura

Hello Everyone, 44yo female here. Residing in Northern Nevada. After years of contemplating, research, reading this forum and being unhappy and career-less I finally went to a local agency and I've applied for CDL school funding. I decided to go to CDL school on my own instead of going to a mega carrier to get it. I am more inclined to do a student apprenticeship program then have my employer pay for my CDL even though it sounds easier; getting paid while doing the deed sounds great but I didn't want to limit myself. I am wanting freedom with my CDL. My plan is to get my CDL this year...2023 and be fully endorsed including HAZMA T with my TWIC and passport in tow before getting a job. Its just a goal of mine and I am set on that decision. ( FYI - I already have my TWIC from a different career path)

My questions and concerns are this:

1. Winter- PRO: I believe this will be a good thing because I'll be apprenticing with someone CON: Its winter and Ill be a very new driver. Risk is self explanatory

2. Job Options- I am looking at KNIGHT and SWIFT because they have terminals in my home town. Are these good for new students with CDL's that have 0 driving experience? COVENENT: the team driving interests me because of having someone else with me while I get my feet wet, however they pull doubles. Would that be something a new driver should stay away from?

3. ANY advice is welcome, please feel free to leave your opinions on the above questions and concerns.

Thanks and Happy Trucking everyone Melissa

Howdy!

Just want to let you know that some of the other females will probably come into this forum over the next couple days. I generally just read the General forum and come in here once or twice a week.

Right now I've got to head out and try to make it to Boomtown or maybe even Fernley if I don't run into heavy traffic around Sacramento.

Since you've been on Trucking Truth for 11 years, you know that what you are proposing is not what we suggest. Actually, I am confused as to why you don't want to have Swift or Knight pay for your schooling and give you a job when you graduate from their school? It's been a long day, so I'll think on what you posted as I go over the mountain.

Laura

Hi Laura, I see you're in my backyard lol. Super cool, small world for sure.

To answer your question about why I don't want to use a company to get my CDL , the short answer is because I have a scholarship from my state that completely covers the tuition.

The deciding factors are also; I can stay home and still make the income I am making while going to school. I will not be responsible for paying back room and board costs as with KNIGHT. With SWIFT, I'd be leaving home to get paid less during the CDL phase than I currently make here in RENO, and be required to work for them for a specific amount of time. COVENENT, my other interest, does not provide the training themselves. I am also in a unique program called WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT through my local housing authority and the scholarship route helps me comply with that program so I can increase my ESCROW check that they offer. Once I have my CDL, I can go to the same companies that have a school, or that resource it out to local schools to reimburse once hired, and get right to the student driver/apprenticeship part. The same part that their CDL students will participate in during a PHASE 2 (AFTER CDL OBTAINED).

Another reason, I can learn on a manual transmission. A lot of local jobs here in RENO such as NEV CAL, RENO ROCK, and LAKESIDE SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT and SNC still operate manuals. With a restriction from the get go, I am limited in the fields I am interested in after some OTR experience is under my belt.

DESERT KNIGHT TRUCKING SCHOOL has a good reputation here. Is family owned and like I said, I have a FREE scholarship there that increases my WFD Escrow through housing. Most people aren't in my unique situation and would definitely benefit from going to a MEGA CARRIER for their license more than I would.

I hope that gives you some insight to my decision. Safe travels, M

Cheater bar to use on the handles. However, because containers sit on the outside of a ship going over to foreign countries, the salt air corrodes them and they are very hard to open and I've pulled some muscles. So I have given my company one month notice, although Utah and Idaho are "at will" States and I don't have to give them any notice, they are a good company and I know what it takes to meet their loads. I will take off some time before going to another company because at 72 I need to get my energy back.

If you would like for me to stop and visit for a little bit and show you around the truck and container trailers, just let me know and maybe we can arrange something before I leave this company on 9 November.

To see where I'm at, go to the three bars on top left, click, go down to Members and click on GPS Tracker. You will see where I'm at on any given day as long as I sign in, which I do a couple times a day.

As for winter, yes it's coming and it will be a good time for you to learn how to drive in snow in a big truck. The school may even teach you how to chain up your tires. While many companies are posting that they want you to park, sometimes you have to chain up to get to a parking area. This company leaves it up to you, but..... Last winter I chained up five times going over Donner, going both directions. One time the company routed me down south and Tehachapi had snow and was shut down. Chains were not an option at that time and I had to go further south around the Tehachapi range and get back on CA 58. I'm looking at a couple companies that either use socks or cables. I haven't used cables in 35 years and that might be an easier solution for me than the regular chains. So going to school in Winter would be a good thing. Just take it slow!

If you have any questions or want to ask personal stuff, my phone number is in my bio. I have really got to get in gear so I can park early tonight.

Laura

The general consensus in this forum is to go with Mega-carrier training, but I don't hold to that - because everyone's situation is different. Your rational for CDL school makes sense, it sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this. I went with a 10 week Technical College, 5 days a week, that allowed me to continue working nights and weekends. After getting my CDL, I was able to "shop around" for an employer that fit for me. One caveat: that was 9 years ago, when the job market for drivers was pretty hot, I don't know what it's like now.

As for winter driving, since you live in northern Nevada, you have no doubt driven in snow. All the things you do in a car to be safe are multiplied in a truck; take it easy, maintain a generous following distance, don't slam on the brakes, no fast moves, etc. I went out with a trainer in the dead of winter (January in Wisconsin), it was intimidating, but it was good to get it over with, dealing with the bad weather while I had that experienced person with me worked out well.