Company driving school?

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

I have been trying to locate a trucking company in my area that has a training company to get your class A. I live in Southwest Florida, in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area. So if anyone knows of a company please let me know!

I talked to one company that hires you AFTER you get your class A through a school and then they put you through their training program, 12 weeks and the pay is $400-$450 a month during that time. But after the 12 weeks pay goes up to $1,000 - $1,200 a week.

My husband and I want to drive as a team together, for a company, but we only have our class B driver's license. We found a school near us that we can get our class A driver's license with, but they want $2,000 per person!!!! Is that rate normal? We have heard that there are companies that have a driving school so that is what we are looking for.

Thanks!
Jen

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Where you live, most companies rarely hire drivers WITH experience, let alone send someone to school due to the fact that freight to S. Florida is scarce, and they won't be able to get you home often. I do know Swift, Werner and I believe TMC have training schools tho so try checking them out.

[Luzon]

I'll 2nd what Cowboy says. I live in Tampa and it's hard enough to find decent companies that hire this far south, much less in your area. There are some though and I'll throw out a few more names in a sec.

$2000 for CDL school is actually on the lower side of the scale. I paid $4500 at Roadmasters up here in Tampa but at the time was not interested in waiting around for a cheaper school's program to start so i just paid it and finished. There were two guys in my class that were planning to team drive from the start and they ended up going to Werner. I'm quite sure that they had to each go with seperate trainers and once they were both done then they would hook back up. I didn't stay in touch with them so I have no idea how it worked out for them.

A couple other companies that you may consider checking into are:

CR England (This would be my drop dead company of last-resort)
Crete Carriers
May Trucking
Roehl (They offer a company CDL school and of the companies that do, this would probably be my first choice)
Con-Way Truckload
Schneider
US Express

Not sure if all are hiring in FL or not. I doubt Schneider is but no harm in calling. US Express, Con-Way, Roehl, Crete, and May definately do and they'll all especially like hearing that you two want to team.

Hope that helps.

GL

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Hey Luzon, whats that company I see out of Miami all the time, they run mainly Miami to ATL.... I can't remember the name. I don't think they have a driving school tho, I just remembered seeing their trucks all over down there and signs along I-75.

I was going to suggest Schneider, but I know they closed their school, but heard they re-opened it??? I trained drivers up in Green Bay back in 2004 for them. It was a very good program and they are a pretty fair company to work for. I was leased to them from 03-07 and did quite well. But once again, I doubt they will hire anyone in FL, but as a team operation, they may have a dedicated lane you could run.

Deff call Con-Way, I know they were looking for teams in florida bad...... just not sure about the driving school with them either.

TMC is also Arnett Holdings which is based in S. Florida and I just saw and advert for them training company drivers, so give them a buzz too.

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

I found a place that I can go to after I get my class A permit, he says he'll stick me in a truck to evaluate where I'm at and then charge me $500-$900 depending on how bad I am, and then get me trained on driving/backing/turning and let me practice as much as I need until I'm ready to take the driving test. I like that number a lot better. I can study the manuel and get my learner's permit easily. It's the backing and turning that I need help with. I drove a tractor/trailer combo 10 years ago in the Air Force so I just need a refresher.

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

I understand the cost, but if it isn't an accredited driving school, you won't find a company to hire you and u will be in the same boat and out the $ and I'm sure he knows it. Call some of the companies I said, I know for a fact Schneider will put u on something, especially with your military background. Other than that, your just going to get ripped off by this guy.

Because even after the driving test and you het your CDL, all the companies will require you to be trained and most likely go thru their school. It's am insurance thing and its required for them to hire you.

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

So are you saying that if I get my Class A permit, that a company might hire me as a trainee? I thought I had to have my actual CDL first...

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

So are you saying that if I get my Class A permit, that a company might hire me as a trainee? I thought I had to have my actual CDL first...

NOPE. I kow for a fact that Schneider, Werner and a few others will still send you to their driving school because you have NO OTR experience. I'd say just to keep looking at companies and find one who will pay your way. I think you said you were in FL??? Have you contacted TMC yet, cuz they are hiring driving students and run in florida.

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

I called TMC and they are not hiring out of Florida. They only hire north of I-10. And I will have to be a graduate of an accredited driving school with 140 hours. But the program they have sounds great, they pay me $300/week for a 2 week orientation and then $350/week for 5 weeks with a trainer. I thought I would have to be with a trainer for 3 months or more! I also called WSE Transportation, and they have a 2.5 day orientation and then pay me $350/week for 4-5 weeks with a trainer. But they also require me to be graduated from an accredited driving school, and they don't hire out of Florida (but they do hire out of Georgia).

The first guy, at TMC, said to try Werner or Swift, so I'm going to try them next. But if we have to, we will move to another state.

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

Swift says there's a hiring freeze in Florida, but if I move to Pheonix I just have to have my Class A permit and they put me through their driving academy. I didn't ask her how much they pay for that or anything. I find that to get any information out of these people I'm calling it's like pulling teeth.

Anyway, Werner says I have to be graduated with 160 hours OR have 30 days experience, then they put me through 275 hours of training (6-8 weeks) at $350/week, and they hire team drivers but they start at .29/mile for a team and from what I hear that is really poor pay. I called a few other places and they all want at least a year of verifiable otr experience, even if we own our truck.

I can see that it's really tough to get started in this business...

[GMAN]

Swift says there's a hiring freeze in Florida, but if I move to Phoenix I just have to have my Class A permit and they put me through their driving academy. I didn't ask her how much they pay for that or anything. I find that to get any information out of these people I'm calling it's like pulling teeth.

Anyway, Werner says I have to be graduated with 160 hours OR have 30 days experience, then they put me through 275 hours of training (6-8 weeks) at $350/week, and they hire team drivers but they start at .29/mile for a team and from what I hear that is really poor pay. I called a few other places and they all want at least a year of verifiable otr experience, even if we own our truck.

I can see that it's really tough to get started in this business...

Something to keep in mind is that you are learning a new profession. Training pay is not great, but you are essentially being paid to learn a new career. It may be a bit rough until you get into your own truck, but pay will go up once you get some experience behind you. Most teams will do over 5,000 miles/week. The pay is split between the two team members. At 5,000 miles you will both split almost $1,500. that is over $700/week each. You can be making that much in as little as 6-8 weeks.

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

That is what I'm hoping for Gman. Well actually I was hoping we would get paid more then that haha. It's just getting the foot in the door that is proving hard. We even thought 'oh let's just buy our own truck then they won't ask for experience' but nooooo, they still want you to have experience! I asked one lady why and she said 'because it's our freight that you're hauling'. Totally makes sense.

[Scoe]

It would be tough to get a loan too with no experience. Perhaps you are thinking of buying a truck outright with cash but if you go through the bank they want experience.

[Orangetxguy]

That is what I'm hoping for Gman. Well actually I was hoping we would get paid more then that haha. It's just getting the foot in the door that is proving hard. We even thought 'oh let's just buy our own truck then they won't ask for experience' but nooooo, they still want you to have experience! I asked one lady why and she said 'because it's our freight that you're hauling'. Totally makes sense.

If you and the Hubby are serious about team driving...You really need to absorb some of the advise you have received. It has all been spot on. Heck...You even got a comment from the Caveman! Which is saying something!

IF you are serious about driving truck together.......Either move to Atlanta........or Chicago......or Salt Lake City.......or Seattle........or Phoenix.......or Los Angeles........or Columbus OH..........or Iowa City Iowa............... DO NOT jump into buying a truck until you have at least driven one for a thousand miles or so!! Get some training out of the way. Team together for a year or so......then figure out what you want to do after that.

my two cents

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

I agree with Orange.... your location is what is going to kill you. If you move out west, you will be limited on freight and movement I think. The midwest is the best place for freight, miles and most companies you look at (if not ALL of them) have it as a hiring area. IN/IL/OH/MO/WI are the one's I'd say look towards. If you come my way then I could help you locate a few places around here. I know TMC takes drivers who go thru a driving academy here in NW Indiana....... steer away from moving to Chicago due to HIGH rent. I live 60min from downtown and my house payment is less than my apartment was in the burbs by $300. Just some FYI, and if you need anything just shoot me a PM, I'd be glad to help the best I can

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

Since I started this thread I have hit the phones hard and now I have talked with several people who said they would hire my husband and I as a team out of where we currently live, but only AFTER we graduate from an accredited driving school with 160 hours. One guy in particular is from Wil Trans, they haul refrigerated trailers. The guy told me that once hubby and I graduate from the school we would have to train for 60,000 miles with seperate trainers first, which takes about 4 months. But after that we will be able to drive together. But I didn't get any particulars out of him like how much we would get paid, I figure when it comes time to pick a company I would ask those questions. The guy at the school told me that once he puts me through his system I would have about 7 or 8 companies to choose from for what I am looking for (to be hired out of my area and to drive team with hubby).

Of course all of this is just our back-up plan. As soon as we get our dump truck all fixed up we are going to put it to work and see how it goes. We are going to give it 2-3 months. We already know what they pay, but what we are worried about is whether or not we will have enough work to keep us busy at least 5 or 6 days a week.

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Since I started this thread I have hit the phones hard and now I have talked with several people who said they would hire my husband and I as a team out of where we currently live, but only AFTER we graduate from an accredited driving school with 160 hours. One guy in particular is from Wil Trans, they haul refrigerated trailers. The guy told me that once hubby and I graduate from the school we would have to train for 60,000 miles with seperate trainers first, which takes about 4 months. But after that we will be able to drive together. But I didn't get any particulars out of him like how much we would get paid, I figure when it comes time to pick a company I would ask those questions. The guy at the school told me that once he puts me through his system I would have about 7 or 8 companies to choose from for what I am looking for (to be hired out of my area and to drive team with hubby).

Of course all of this is just our back-up plan. As soon as we get our dump truck all fixed up we are going to put it to work and see how it goes. We are going to give it 2-3 months. We already know what they pay, but what we are worried about is whether or not we will have enough work to keep us busy at least 5 or 6 days a week.

I always see the WIL guys at Wildwood. Trucks seem nice and all the guys I talked to were good and seemed professional as drivers. Might be just the ticket for you two

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

I always see the WIL guys at Wildwood. Trucks seem nice and all the guys I talked to were good and seemed professional as drivers. Might be just the ticket for you two

Awesome

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Awesome

Actually, I also used to run into a lot of drivers for Averitt and WEL too