2500 bucks is not a bad deal at all. That's what I payed for mine and I didn't find any around here that were less than that. There are plenty of them that are more, however.
What GMAN is saying about the refresher course is correct if you plan to hire on with just about any major trucking company. However, if you check around a little you will find that there are probably tons of opportunities locally whether you have any experience or not. I can name ten companies here locally that will hire a guy with a CDL no matter if he just got his CDL yesterday, got it 10 years ago and never used it or has been using it for the past 20 years. Most of them couldn't care less if you even have a criminal record and the won't even bother to verify employment history.
Most of the local rock bucket outfits around here work this way. Even the "we can't insure you unless you have 2 years experience" issue is bogus. Bottom line is, 99.9% of the time an insurance company will never know or check into how much experience you have. They will simply go on what the employer tells them. I know this because my wife is an insurance agent and her agency handles several local carriers. I personally know one guy who got his CDL, bought a dump truck, told his insurance company that he had 5 years experience and has been running for the past 2 years. Honestly, he's making a pretty darn good living also. He got in with a large local paving company and works pretty much no stop.
I am not saying that I agree with all of this at all. As a matter of fact, even though I knew all of this I still chose to go about it the right way, get my CDL, hire on with a reputable company and get experience. I am simply stating the facts. If you have a CDL and you are still breathing, someone out there will hire you regardless of your experience or past history.
__________________
The opinions expressed are those of the author's only. They do not represent the views of CAD or of the other members of CAD...
|