Advise

Hello all, Ready to pull the trigger on obtaining my CDL A, I have three options here in Minnesota. 1. Century College 5 weeks 4k. 2. Heavy Metal Truck driving school 5 weeks 4k or 3. Hire on with a carrier who will train me, but make me commit to a time period. Any advise and or thoughts would be great. I need to make the decision in the next couple of days.

Thanks Ken

Hello all, Ready to pull the trigger on obtaining my CDL A, I have three options here in Minnesota. 1. Century College 5 weeks 4k. 2. Heavy Metal Truck driving school 5 weeks 4k or 3. Hire on with a carrier who will train me, but make me commit to a time period. Any advise and or thoughts would be great. I need to make the decision in the next couple of days.

Thanks Ken

Really just depends on whether you want to take money out of pocket or let a company flip the bill for you. Personally, i think it's a no brainer to go with a company sponsored school but that is just me. If you can't commit to a company for a year, no matter what kind of job it is, than trucking is probably the wrong career choice anyway. Just my viewpoint. Find the right company for you, give them a year, and you still have 4-6k in your pocket and a great job.

Hello all, Ready to pull the trigger on obtaining my CDL A, I have three options here in Minnesota. 1. Century College 5 weeks 4k. 2. Heavy Metal Truck driving school 5 weeks 4k or 3. Hire on with a carrier who will train me, but make me commit to a time period. Any advise and or thoughts would be great. I need to make the decision in the next couple of days.

Thanks Ken

Really just depends on whether you want to take money out of pocket or let a company flip the bill for you. Personally, i think it's a no brainer to go with a company sponsored school but that is just me. If you can't commit to a company for a year, no matter what kind of job it is, than trucking is probably the wrong career choice anyway. Just my viewpoint. Find the right company for you, give them a year, and you still have 4-6k in your pocket and a great job.

I agree with Gunner, get your training through a company sponsored program. Save your money and get paid to learn, best of both worlds in my opinion (I did my training through Prime).

As has been advised many times here on this site, you need to stay with your first company for a year for the experience anyway, so why not save your money and get your training for free?

Just my .02 cents worth.

Ernie

You can go with your private schools, and then get your hiring company to pay them off. But, #1, make that arrangement before you sign any school papers and #2, you will still be in a one-year or so commitment with your new job. ("free money" doesn't really exist, now, does it?)

Ken, our Truck Driver's Career Guide has a section on choosing a truck driving school and we also have a series of articles in our blog on how to choose a school.

I highly suggest going through that career guide from beginning to end and following all of the links you come across. There's a lot to know and even one or two small bits of information could completely change how you approach getting your career underway.