[ehedgecock]

This may have been asked before, but a search returned 119 pages of anything that mentioned the words in the title.

I not eligble for schooling for my CDL so the only option I have is to go to a company paid job thing, which out of all the major companys that I have found that does this, CRE is the only one that said "Sure come on Up."

I'm not stupid, as I know what CRE is about so I am avoiding them at all cost and saving them as a final solution.

But my quesiton is simple, If I was to obtain my CDL through the local DMV and anywhere else they send me (KY has you do it with the State Police), are there any compaines that would hire me taking this route.

I'd like to think that the answer is no because of so little behind the wheel expiernce, but its just a question that I have been sitting on and wondering.

Also, like I said, CRE is a last resort and I really really really dont want to bother with them, but if I have no option, I take there schooling and CDL just to find a job with another carrier.

I have mention that last part before on a post several months ago, so if you read it ignore it. Mainly wanted to touch on the whole CDL on your own thing.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[greg3564]

Most, if not all, of the major reputable companies won't touch you without schooling. You might get on with a small company or an outlaw company, but then if you do that you might just be better off getting some experience at CRE.

[ehedgecock]

I figured as much. I dont want to get on with a company with bad practices (hence the whole CRE thing, but they're moraly wrong)

I have beaten all my options until I was blue in the face. I have many mistakes that kill my options now (college loans - nuff said). My work history prior to 3 years ago is pathetic cause I was young and dumb, but I have a drive now that could kill a person, so long as the company I go to dont BS me.

I dont want to drive permantly for CRE, and I sure as hell dont want to be one of there cash cows on the L/O plans. But I'll take their schooling for that almighty CDL that says I can do it. I might even pull their loads for a couple months because I have other options I am sure of come August - Sept of this year. They may not be the best, but you cant get good without giving good.

I hate my options, but you work with what you got and then its up to you to make things better.

**Anxousily awaiting comments on how I should go work at Wal-Mart instead of CRE,

[BigWheels]

2 Questions:

1. How bad do you want to drive a big truck and go OTR?

2. Are you willing to commit yourself to a company--the good, the bad, and the ugly--no matter what for 1-years time? (In your case--from what you say, the company would be CRE)

It sounds like CRE will take you, train you, and send you on the road....Training is on their dime as long as you stay with them for 1-year (or however long they say in the contract). If you back out of your side of the deal, you will owe them just as you do your college, etc.

Signing on with CRE ain't the end-of-the-world. However signing on with CRE and ditching them earlier than the contract says might be just about near the end of the world!

If you do decide to go with CRE, stick with them for 1-year and you're driving options will open up after that....

[inmate1577]

Did you try Schneider?

[ehedgecock]

1. How bad do you want to drive a big truck and go OTR?

Its not how bad I want in a truck, but I how bad I want to work. I will work for anyone so long as I can and I am treat like a humanbeing and not a robot.

2. Are you willing to commit yourself to a company--the good, the bad, and the ugly--no matter what for 1-years time? (In your case--from what you say, the company would be CRE)

I can take a fair deal of bad and ugly, but only for so long. I worked at a pizza restaurant for 2 years doing about 70-80 hrs per week and only bringing home a stead 450 a week. 2 years I did this and had zero complaints until the very end.

I loved working it, because I make where I work my home. But if I am getting nickeled and dimed for every penny I make and some hidden clause comes out of the woodwork every paycheck, then I get a little mad.

I could do CRE for 1 year, but from what everyone says, you have to be one hell of a willpower driven person to do it. At the merging point of non-human to pull it off. Shutting out all emotions, taking on new debt, getting shafted. With CRE, from what many a drivers have said, you have 99% ugly, .99% bad, and .01% good. It can be done, but if theres another option to get your 1,2,3,30 years of service in, why not try that other option.

Did you try Schneider?

Schneider is one of my guarrenteed tickets out of CRE in the next few months. I have confirmed it, and they will take me on once a little accident from 5 years ago goes away. This was the route I planned on taking. The Orange guys are not the greates, but hand over fist are better than CRE from what the smart people say. If they are just as bad as CRE, then I hae a choice to pull my year at either one, but If I had a choice, adn I do, my choice is to do it under Schnieder.

Eventually, once I am worthy of it, would like to move to a smaller carrier, not family sized, but something smaller then the Mega ones. That I belive will be my niche that I can be super comfortable in. I dont want this handed to me right away, as I want to work for it.

Blah Blah Blah, you guys have heard it all before. Idiots going to CRE. Idiots leaving CRE, yada yada yada.

The plan is set, it only needs to be put into motion. I am just exploring all avenues before choosing one. Dont just call a car dealership and say bring me a car with knowing what your getting and how its going to feel, ya know.

[Jimbpard]

As already said, most major companies wont take you without a "school training", but there are some who will take you and (re)train you if you already have your cdl. I think cfi & USXpress are 2 that come to mind, although they may also want to see that you went to a "school".

*Step 1 is, if you want to do it on your own, you have to find an owner operater or someone with a truck that you can convince to take you out and teach you from scratch. If you can accomplish this, then move to step 2.

*Step 2: Look around locally, go in places, talk to the owners/managers/whoever is in charge and explain it to them. This is what I had to do as I got my cdl on my own too, and I had a few options! Lay it out in black & white; "Hey I wanna drive truck, I got (or gonna get) my cdl on my own, because I cant afford the driving school, and dont want stuck into a year or 2 contract where I'm not going to be making any money. I got my cdl by training under an owner/operater for a few months, and he can verify all miles/dates/logs/or anything else. Can you do anything for me?"

And you may be suprised how many applications you get handed or told "I'll see what we can work out". Stop and ask places who you would never think would be looking for a driver. Thats how I got my current job. I wasnt even gonna stop. I had the attitude of "Oh, why waste my time, these guys own a few trucks, they're gonna think that they're god." Well it so happened that the one driver they had was moving to NJ because his wife got a big job, and that opened a spot for me.
Also, remember, just because they're a small close to home company doesnt mean that they're an "outlaw or fly by night outfit". At a few places, I even kinda hung out around their terminals on a friday night, (assuming alot of drivers get home on a friday night) and waited for drivers to pull in and I'd walk up and asked them how they like the company. Nothing like getting it from the horses mouth.

Thats all I can really suggest for now, but if you have any more questions that you think I may be able to help you with, feel free to ask/msg me.

One more thing I guess I can suggest. If you KNOW your gonna drive somewhere eventually in the somewhat near future, start to study for your cdl permit. I live in PA and studied from www.cristcdl.com and the questions from that site were word for word how they are on the actual test you take at you dmv.
Click on "online testing center"
then study ALL pages/questions from "General Knowledge", "Air brakes", and "combination vehicle" sections.
You will end up with a few headaches, but when you go to the dmv and your screen says "congratulations, you passed", it will all be worth it.

[Scottt]

Have you checked for training grants in your state.

I just finished school using a training grant which paid for school, physical, license fees. It also paid me $25 a day for gas to get to school.

[ehedgecock]

Thanks for all the good info Jimbpard. I was going over what is required to take the skills test for the CDL and realized a very very stupid mistake on my part. Wasnt thinking I was going to need a truck. Kinda SOL there because I dont know anyone that is O/O let alone has there own truck.

Scott, do you know a generalized name of that grant that you got.

Supposedly when I defaulted on my student loans that I was told I could never again obtain financial aid to go towards school, nor could I attend college until they were paid. I find this hard to belive and maybe some sort of scare tactic. Fortunate enough though, my student loans/grants only sum up to about 7k so I am not that far off in knee deep world.

I am going to look up those grants, seems like they were somethign like Workforce Training Grant, or something of that nature.

[Mackman]

I got my CDL on my own like that only cost me like 300 bucks and i didnt have to be a slave to any company. But i did have problems trying to find a job. They want school or exp. I did find a smaller mom and pop trucking company they would take me on for OTR. But i want local. You can find a smaller outfit or a outlaw company to take you on just stay there a year or 2 and you can go anywhere.