Hello, I have just a few questions to ask. How does getting your CDL with a company hiring you without one all work out? How long is the training and what types? (BHTW, Classroom, Trainer) How long would a trainer be with you in your truck? How long until you get your own truck and start driving by yourself? Do you train with a truck full of people or just you and the trainer? My father drove truck forever, but now we dont talk so any help would work out great.


Thanks

 

Well there are only a few companies that come to mind that actually do their CDL licensing, Swift and CR England. Many of the other companies you go to truck driving school and get your CDL than do 250 hours of training with them. Then they reimburse you for the training. I would recommend paying for your CDL, if possible, yourself than go to a company that does training so you can be reimbursed. Get your CDL through the company usually requires you to sign a contract and have to work for them for a year to pay it off. :x The training to get your CDL can be anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks. It includes classroom and behind the wheel training. The training for 250 hours that training companies require includes a company orientation, physical, drug screen, and behind the wheel training. It can be anywhere from 4-6 weeks depending on the company and the availability of driver trainers. Once you finish the company training you are usually assigned your own truck then, but some companies require a few more phases of training before getting your own truck. Getting your CDL you will training with a truck full of people usually, but the company training will be you and the trainer.

 

It all depends upon the school, the company and you.

You will spend probably 3-5 weeks in school getting your CDL (this is generally not paid). Typically you will be trained in a class with at least one other person, maybe 10+ other people and you will go out in the truck with a couple of other students.

You will probably then spend a week in orientation with the company and then you will probably spend 3-8 weeks out with a trainer. This is where you come in. The training period will probably average around 6 weeks with a trainer. Some people may take longer so you may take 8 weeks, some may catch on quick and be 3 weeks. It all depends. It should only be you and your trainer in the truck, no additional trainees. Generally there is a pay plan for orientation and training (approx. 300-500 per week).

Throw into all of this that there may be a waiting list for school, waiting list for orientation or waiting list for trainers. I would plan on not being out in my own truck for 2-3 months if you started the process today. Could be shorter, could be longer.

My experience was that I got my CDL on my own (made the process a little quicker). This took 3 weeks. Took a week off to get things straightened out at home then headed for orientation and securement training (flatbed). Spent almost 4 weeks in the barn working on securement training and in the parking lot working on obstacle course training. This is not normally that long, but because of a trainer shortage at the time it took a little longer. As it turned out, it was very beneficial and really shortened the amount of time out with the trainer because I had a very good grasp on securement and tarping. Then I went out with a trainer for about 2 weeks, however there were 2 weekends in that as well. Caught on to the driving part quickly because of my experience around the farm and he joked that I knew more about securement than he did because of all the training so there wasn't much point in keeping me out 6 weeks. Then it was back to the main terminal to test out and get truck assignment. Got a load that night and headed for the house, rolled in the next afternoon for the weekend. During orientation and training, I made 700 bucks per week (100/day) because we did something 7 days a week, some days it was only going to the barn for 3-4 hours.

From the time I started school to the time I got in my own truck it was about 2 1/2 months. It could be different for everyone, however.

Good luck.

 

How does getting your CDL with a company hiring you without one all work out? The company provides initial knowledge and skills training to enable the prospective employee to pass the state CDL tests. When the prospective employee passes those tests, then he enters OTR training. How long Initial 160 hours, externship 250 or more is the training and what types? (BHTW (?), Classroom Yes, closed circuit Yes Local road training Yes Trainer OTR - 4 - 7 weeks How long would a trainer be with you in your truck? The trainee is in the trainer's truck. How long until you get your own truck and start driving by yourself? usually 4 - 7 weeks depending on wagon Do you train with a truck full of people initial school skills training, 1 - 4 or just you and the trainer? OTR. After a particular point in the training, depending on the company, the trainee may or may not be responsible for the costs of training to that point. BOL

 

Run as fast as you can from companies like swift and CR England. They have horrible reps for very valid reasons. I strongly suggest you look up a school in your area or even one out of the area that offers an accredited program. The reason for this is that they give you close to 200 hours of training usually broken 100 hours of class and another 100 hours on the truck.

A school I have sent my relatives, friends and their kids to is AIT (American Institute of Technology) out of N. Las Vegas and Arizona
www.ait-schools.com. I have met students who had hotel included in their tuition and made part of their student loan. Community Colleges do a pretty good job.

Once you think you found a school go down to a DMV near them and see if anyone will give you an opinion on the preparedness of their students. DO NOT go to school that puts you in a truck in 3 to 5 easy days. Do not go to a company school, you sign a contract and they own your ass even after you leave. A Government student loan should run you 25 to 100/mo after you start work and schools who hire your through the school usually agree to pay it as long as you are with them.

Next, the school will have you get a DOT Physical, fill out employment applications for several schools to get you a prehire. A good school will do this before you start to make sure you have a job at graduation. Heads up, MOST of the companies hiring out of schools have bad reps for being meat grinders. My people I send out to the asphalt world are steered toward Arrow Trucking ( flatbed), U.S. Express, CRST (TeamDriver only) and Gordon (GTI). Your first year will likely be rough and low paying but, after that, your options with better companies opens if you stay clean on your MVR and DAC.

All companies will put you on a truck with trainer 2 to 6 weeks depending on your abilities. You will make crappola during this time so have your house and finances in order. Aaaannnnndddd I'm spent :lol:

 

They are kinda expensive, but if there is a Sage school near you I'd recommend them. They have a policy of 1 student per truck while training.

 

You say find an accredited school but say don't go to Swift. Swift's school is accredited by the PTDI, in case you didn't know. All these CDL schools are in for the money, obviously. All they really care about is someone making it through DMV. After that they could care less. All this talk about a school getting you a job is pure sales gimmicks. They aren't doing anything that a student can't do for himself in 5 minutes. But alot fall for this pitch. AIT sends their folks to Werner and Swift as well.

 

You say find an accredited school but say don't go to Swift. Swift's school is accredited by the PTDI, in case you didn't know. All these CDL schools are in for the money, obviously. All they really care about is someone making it through DMV. After that they could care less. All this talk about a school getting you a job is pure sales gimmicks. They aren't doing anything that a student can't do for himself in 5 minutes. But alot fall for this pitch. AIT sends their folks to Werner and Swift as well.

 

You say find an accredited school but say don't go to Swift. Swift's school is accredited by the PTDI, in case you didn't know. All these CDL schools are in for the money, obviously. All they really care about is someone making it through DMV. After that they could care less. All this talk about a school getting you a job is pure sales gimmicks. They aren't doing anything that a student can't do for himself in 5 minutes. But alot fall for this pitch. AIT sends their folks to Werner and Swift as well.

 

here is one way to look it,

if you have a few thousand bucks to spare go to truck driving school and get a CDL, I went to a state college that had workforce training to get a career, was cheaper than a CDL Mill...

if you don,t have extra cash spilling out your pockets then sign up with a trucking company that provides a CDL coarse and paid training...

Being with a trainer depends on the company and your ability to learn... i drive for FFE and i have seen new drivers fresh out of school.. some learn with a trainer and have truck in 2 to 3 weeks, some got to go all the way with trainer for the full 6 weeks and some i seen still could not get it had to go 8 weeks and some will just give up or be denied to drive at all.. so if you want to learn take all the time with a trainer that you can, will make you understand more hopefully, make you a better driver...

now your on the road going solo in your truck, goodluck