Another question from yet, another noob (Knoxville, TN)
 

I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent school or company contract training program that is near Knoxville. I am looking to get back to driving (I drove in the military, but apparently the license there doesn't mean jack in the civilian world). So I am looking for a way to get my CDL, but I need the truck..therefore, I need either the school or the company training. I'm willing to pay my newbie dues for a couple of years in order to get the nicer companies so that is not an issue. My main issue is, I need to get it going fast. I'm currently unemployed, my wife is working (makes good money but I need to help as quickly as possible). Around here, unless you got a 4 year degree there isn't much that pays over 20k/year. I should know..I've worked at these $8/hr for 12 hours-type of places. It sounds like trucking, even in the first year could at least bring it about 25k/year? That's great where I'm from!!! As you can see, I don't demand no 50k/year job. But if I could pull in 30k/year after about 2 years then I would be a happy guy. I just wanna get some bills paid. I understand life on the road a little bit so that won't be a shock to me. I just need to find a place to get started that is near Knoxville for the training, be it a company or a school.

Reason I need one close to home is because I can't even afford a bus ticket to go anywhere farther out..and none of the companies on the internet are detailed enough to explain whether picking me up is paid for..if so, great...if not, I won't be going anywhere. Just trying to keep my family afloat...gotta wife, and a 6mo. old son..he ain't getting any younger and neither am I (I'm 30). And I need to start bringing home the bacon.

Check with the local state employment office they can give you the info you need,and most companies do pay for the bus ticket to oreintation.

TENNESSEE
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Chattanooga Votech 901 Pineville Rd Chattanooga TN 37405
CDI 6201 Epps Mills Rd., Christiana, TN 37037
CCS Professional Driver Trg 134 Joe McCrary Rd Fall Branch, TN 37656
Drive Train 53 El Morgan Dr # C Jackson TN 38305
Knoxville Votech 1100 Liberty St Knoxville TN 37919-2327 Learn 2 Drive 19381 Hwy 28 Whitewell TN. 37397
M. S. Carriers 1940 E. Brooks Road Memphis TN 38116
Nashville Votech Truck Driver Trg 7204 Cockrill Bend Blvd Nashville TN 37209
Smokey Mountain Truck Driving School 3173 Newport Hwy. Sevierville TN 37876 Roadmaster (West Memphis Campus)
Southwest Tennessee Community College 5983 Macon Cove Memphis TN 38134
State Votech Truck Driver Training PO Box 89 Crump TN 38327-0089
State Tech Center Truck Driver Training 550 Alabama Ave Memphis TN 38105-3604
State Tech Truck Driver Training Phippe Bend Industrial Park Surgoinsville TN 37815-9801
Tennessee Tech Center-Nashville 100 White Bridge Rd Nashville TN 37209
Tennessee Tech 1405 Madison St Shelbyville TN 37160-3629
Transport Training 901 E Baddour Pky Lebanon TN 37087-3706
Transport Training PO Box 990 White Pine TN 37890-0990
United Truck Driving School 1606 East Highway 25 # 70 Dandridge TN 37725

CFI will give you a bus ticket to get to there school. There is a lot more info if you go to CFIDRIVERS.com .It's is not the company website but It's a forum like this that would answer many questions and it has a link to the company website. They are starting one somewhere around Memphis in March

thanks guys!!!

Re: Another question from yet, another noob (Knoxville, TN)
 

Driver take it from me youve got a hard road ahead. I drove in the military too and transfered my military license to a il cdl just taking the written tests. I looked hard for about 7 months just calling company after company until i finally found a company to pick me up. they put me with a trainer and after a couple weeks set me free. Try risinger bros transfer out of morton Il , The may be able to help you if they are still around.

GoVols, huh? Okay, WAR EAGLE! *grin*

GMAN already listed this one, but I got my CDL through Smoky Mountain in Sevierville. As close as you are, you could commute to school and save a bundle on lodging and meals.

yeah after looking at that list, it looks like either that place in Sevierville OR the Tennessee Tech place in Knoxville will be my best shot. I drove in the Air Force..I actually did maintenance on the Minute Man III ICBM's in North Dakota..but on "bomb swaps" we had military CDL's to drive the trucks..they were basically 18 Wheels..with added muscle and fireproof walls, complete with APU units...so with those units right behind the cab, we had to be basically perfect in our backing. Go past a 45 degree angle and you could pop the power cable leading from the APU..not a fun thing to go through if you have a warhead in the back..not because it would explode, but because of all the hell you would catch once you got back to base.

I DO have some time and money left on my GI Bill..I just have to find out if that would cover the training.

And "WAR EAGLE" is entirely acceptable, we both despise Bama so it's all good. You just better hope Saban doesn't trump you all down there in the recruiting wars. :)

gman good list

we went to Tennessee Tech Center-Nashville, great school it was 6hr per day 5 days a week for three months and it was $980

i know thy have changed it some, less than three months now.

and GO VOL's