If some people would be willing to give me some advice I would appreciate it. I am going to be retiring soon from the US Air Force after 22 years. Problem is right now I live in Germany and will be basically just dropped back at home in Northwest Ohio. Now comes the questions, I was considering becoming a truck driver, if I was to do it seems from what I read that it could be very easy to get in with a bad company.

1, My gut tells me I should pay for a driving school myself instead of letting a company pay for it, my thinking is I would be held under their thumb of a company for paying for the training, am I right or wrong?

2, A lot of the schools say they have companies come in during the training to recruit, since I will be inexperienced is it a good idea to talk to those companies or are they looking for people to take advantage of?

3, How hard would it be to find employment with benefits, home most weekends with decent pay? IE after finishing a truck school how long do you think it would take for me to find a job, I haven’t even looked for a job in 24 years. Or am I just dreaming?

My biggest concern is how long after getting to Ohio going to school then having a paying job, I will have about 90 days of still being paid so I have a small buffer.

Any advice, thoughts, comets, or concerns are most welcome.

Thanks

 

Your gut tells you correctly.

Many of those companies that come in to recruit are giving kickbacks to the school. They are, however, a good way of getting "prehired" before you have even finished school. Do your own research on the company, and don't believe what the recruiters tell you.

What it appears that you want is a REGIONAL job. They aren't that difficult to find, but you need to make sure that if the job pays mileage, then you will make enough miles to get a decent paycheck.

Most people who go to driving schools have a job immediately upon completion of the program. What you need to concern yourself with is whether or not the school is going to "finish" you, or if you will be expected to go through a finishing program with a carrier. Many schools only teach you the MINIMUM to allow you to get your CDL. Then the carrier takes you, and you are expected to go out with a trainer for several weeks to several months. Because of this, you may have some difficulty getting a regional job, as I would doubt that most regional companies will "finish" a new driver.

 

 

Try to find a community college near your home and pay for the course yourself so that you won't be locked into a contract for a year. A good place to check for schools in your area would be:
http://www.ptdi.org/

Most school programs just teach you the basics so that you can pass your state exam. After you get your CDL, your employer will send you out with an experienced driver for 3 to 6 weeks of additional training "finishing". During this time you will only be making $300 to $450 a week, so your buffer will definitely be needed.

If possible try to avoid companies that train as teams!!!!

 

While I normally would not suggest this, you might want to check and see if the GI Bill would pay for all or part of your schooling. I have heard of people using it in the past.

As far as getting home every weekend, that is possible depending on what type of trucking you get into. You might end up being on the road for up to 6 weeks straight however during the OTJ training phase.

It is very possible to be working within a week or two of completing CDL school. The fastest way to get a job is to start applying to companies as soon as you start school. That way by the time you finish you should have several conditional job offers.

BTW: Most private schools, if you attend full time, are about 4 weeks. Some are longer and some a bit shorter. To maximize your job oppurtunites you want one that is at least 160 hours.

 

[quote="Uturn2001"]

BTW: Most private schools, if you attend full time, are about 4 weeks. Some are longer and some a bit shorter. To maximize your job oppurtunites you want one that is at least 160 hours.[/quote]

An excellent point made here!! Some company sponsored schools do not meet that requirement, so even though you have a certificate and a CDL, many companies will not take you unless you have 6 mos to 1yr. of experience!!

 

All good replies, one thing to add. TRY to figure out through research WHO you may like to work for and then find out what their requirements are as far as schooling is concerned. All schools are not approved by all companies. Some companies will reimburse you for your schooling if you wish. Also, I know I'm in the minority here, but I let TMC sponsor (pay for) my training. In return I must stay with them for one year. I see no down side to this since if I decide to quit, I'd just have to pay off the balance of the loan. Since you are considering paying for it YOURSELF, what's the big deal letting a company pay for it? If you leave before the year is up, the worst case scenario is you pay for it yourself, same as you were planning to do in the first place.
It's not like they keep your first born.

 

This is not the norm. Most of these companies will hit you for the entire amount if you leave before you have fulfilled your obligation.

But they do keep your pay low. Most companies that train are in the lower brackets as far as their pay scale goes. They tend to get away with it because they know that they have the driver locked in for a set period of time.

Not to mention the fact that many of them are charging inflated prices for their "schooling", and that training may not be transferrable to another company if you leave too soon.

 

Thanks for all your input it helps alot.

Red

 

[quote="Uturn2001"]While I normally would not suggest this, you might want to check and see if the GI Bill would pay for all or part of your schooling. I have heard of people using it in the past.

quote]


Why would you not "normally" suggest using the GI Bill to pay for truck driving school?