Career Change

[dewercs2]

Hello everyone, first off... I have been reading most of everything on this site for about 3 months now.
I've been married 11yrs and have 1 son in High school. I have been thinking about leaving my retail job of 8yrs at a Home Depot store to drive. I do not have a class 'A' lic but have located a school here in Riverside County to attend.
I run the delivery program for my store and we have a driver that delivers the product to the customer for us on his leased flat bed from his company.
I just had my best driver quit to go to work at CFI or CFL :? He was my other source of OTR info.
In the beginning of my research my wife and I went to a Swift job fair and spoke to a recruiter. I ended up filling out an application and signed it. The recruiter has called me twice now. He has asked if I'm ready to start at a school yet.
My question... Am I now obligated to Swift or can I still go and apply with other companies.
I'm thinking Watkins & Shepard with their 10day training..... In fact the wife and I drove out to Santa Fe Springs this afternoon with the hopes of speaking with someone in the office or a driver. The only person I found was a kid guarding the gate.

Thanks,

[Driveline]

You are under no obligation to work for Swift by just filling out an application. Its just a job offering, you can still look around at other companies. Are you going to put yourself threw school or are you looking for a company to pay for it?

[dewercs2]

Thanks Driveline.... I don't have to worry about that one now.

[mapleleaf_1]

Research several companies dewers. You're not obligated to the first recruiter. Best of luck!! Drive safe everyone.

[dieselgrl]

You're not obligated until you show up and sign schooling/hiring paperwork at the terminal.

Best of luck!

[Sealord]

Stay home until your kid's out of school. He needs you the most now. BOL

[Useless]

Stay home until your kid's out of school. He needs you the most now. BOL

First off dewercs2, Welcome to the board!!

Assuming that you have a strong, healthy relationship with your son, I would agree with Sealord!!

In any event, I would strongly advise that you pay for your own training, as long as your finances will allow you to.

Check with your local community college district. Many of them have training programs that are far superior to "Diploma Mills" or company sponsored training, often at a much lower cost.

Many companies offer tuition reimbursement, which will help defer the cost of training.

There are some company sponsored training programs that will qualify you to obtain a CDL, but not qualify you to go to work for another company until you have at least 6 months of driving under your belt. Their "free training" is not so free as it may seem at first; that "free training" usually requires you to indenture yourself for a certain amount of time, while driving for sub-standard wages.

For some people, that is the only way that they can get their chips on the table; the trade-off is that the companies know that their new drivers are indentured servants, and will not hesitate to treat them as such.

As far as companies to work for are concerned, I think that CFI is one of the best choices you can make. When I began driving, they required six months experience to sign on with them, so I went to work for a different company. I don't drive for them, nor do I recruit for them. I did find their drivers to be a cut above other companies out there, and a couple of times, they were of great help to me in dealing with some difficult situations.

Please let us know how your search is progressing!!

BOL2U!!

BTW, You can do a whole lot better than Swift. Have not heard much good about CRST!! or USA Trucks; Run like Hell from CR England

[Midnight Flyer]

[ Run like Hell from CR England[/color]

Or do like I did; I flew on a big Southwest Airlines jet the hell away from them!! 8)

[Useless]

Run like Hell from CR England

Or do like I did; I flew on a big Southwest Airlines jet the hell away from them!! 8)

A decision that was "Just Plane Smart"!! 8)

[Midnight Flyer]

Run like Hell from CR England

Or do like I did; I flew on a big Southwest Airlines jet the hell away from them!! 8)

A decision that was "Just Plane Smart"!! 8)

Use old buddy, you got that right!! They tried pushing their lease operator deal on me, I walked outta orientation class, called Southwest and confirmed my reservation, was on that big jet the next morning! That was in the days when I was young and stupid, fresh outta truck driving school and before I discovered CAD. 8)

[Bigmon]

Dewercs,

Look in the Press Enterprise and you'll see ads from a lots of the major trucking companies every week. Most of them are sleezy. The recruiter for one of them even goes by then name "Fonz".

If you have time go to the DMV in Hemet. They do some testing there. You can see the type of jokers that are from the schools and companies. It might give you some insight.

[Bumper]

I was sitting in the day room at Central Reefer in West Valley City one night in February and this kid came staggering in from the cold. He was shaking like a leaf and could barely talk.

We got him some hot coffee and pretty soon he began to feel better.

He had just been down the street at Englands OC and had been given the Lease Treatment in their back room. He came staggering out and ended up at our place.

Poor kid was fresh in from Texas. The night dispatchers set him up to spend the night there and set up an appt to meet with one of our company driver recruiters in the morning. They even called his wife to let her know he was ok and not out on the streets looking for shelter.

I got a load and left later that night and have no idea what ever happened to him.

I hope he survived the ordeal.

[Useless]

dewercs2;

In choosing a company to drive for, remember that the name of the company will often tell you a great deal about the company.

For Example:

SWIFT:
Sure Wish I'd Finished Training!!

CR England:
Crash & Roll; Every New Guy Leaves After Ninety Days!!

CRST:
Completely Rejected Swift Trainees

USA Truck:
Using Sub-standard Amaturer TRUCKdrivers

Hope this helps!!

[dewercs2]

Thanks everyone for the replies.....

Sealord & Useless,
Funny thing about my son, He's saying dad hurry up and go, so in the summer we can cruise the country...

I've been his baseball coach for 5yrs now and don't have to do it now since he's playing in high school now. I figure I can miss a year of his football and baseball games while I'm OTR. :sad: The kid he even said Dad, I'm only playing freshman/JV right now, you can miss some of those games, I don't mind, besides mom can record them for you. He's a pretty independent kid..., now we just have to keep him away from the girls and all the problems that comes from having a girlfriend.

As far as CFI goes, my driver went to work for them, I haven't looked at them as I to heard they don't hire students.

I'm thinking that I will pay for my own training and not go the way of swift. I just don't like the idea of getting 300.00 a week for several weeks. I'm leaning towards Watkins &Shepard since they offer 10days out with there trainer and then you get keys to your truck. They also have a terminal in Billings, where we figure to move to in 3yrs...My old boss is driving local and wants me to go OTR for a yr and then come to work with his company until we move to Montana.

Bigmom,
I saw that ad, I even showed it to my wife.... I wonder if he wears a white t-shirt. Are there certain days that the students/reps are at the DMV?

Someone posted to make sure what they offer on the phone or in person for it to to be written into the contract... that's something that I won't forget!

Thank you all....

pb

[Useless]

Thanks everyone for the replies.....

As far as CFI goes, my driver went to work for them, I haven't looked at them as I to heard they don't hire students.

Thank you all....

[b]pb

I would strongly encourage you to do some further checking on that matter. From what I have just recently learned, CFI DOES now accept students, and the training school seems to be a very good one. I've even been told that they offer skip pad training.!!

We have a fine guy here on the board who goes by the handle "Skywalker" who, just until very recently, drove many a mile for CFI. Might want to shoot him a P.M., I know he'd be glad to help you!!

[glasman2]

Whats a "skip pad training" :P

[mikey4069]

Do they hire drivers from california ?

[mikey4069]

skid pad maybe ?

[glasman2]

skid pad maybe ?

Ya I know... just messing with useless :twisted:

[mikey4069]

me too