Do you guys know of any "good" companies that have their own schools. I do now have my CDL yet but I am dead set on getting in the industry so I figured that it would be better going to a school offered by a company so I wouldnt have trouble getting a job. I am looking for decent pay and good benefits. Home time isnt that important to me, seems as I am 22 with no kids, not much reason to be at home everyweekend. Thoughts or comments?? Everything is appreciated.

Thanks,
Tracy

Good start by asking. As with just about anything, you get out of it what you put into it. Any company school can be considered great by one person and terrible by the next.

CFI looks to be pretty good as well as Celadon. Barr-Nunn looks good as well. If they do not offer schools, try Roadmaster and get your CDL on your own and then apply to any of these companies.

Company schools will pay for your training up front and then deduct out of your paychecks once hired and on the road. This could be discouraging because the first 6-8 months of pay is also paying off your training. So, you might feel like you are working for nothing. You might have other expenses as well that really make it hurt financially. It takes getting through the first year or so and finally establishing yourself before you reep the financial rewards and even then, it might be tough.

Spend a lot of time researching the companies and check out their reputations on-line, like google, this web-site and the ripoffreport.com. There are some real financially tragic stories out there with some companies.

Roadmaster CDL Schools are the best ones I can recommend, they are in Florida, Texas, Utah, Ohio, Arkansas and Indiana. You will learn what you need to know and graduate from these schools with the proper effort. Oh, and when you are hired, watch out for lease purchase agreements, they are tailored to make the company money, not the driver.

Tracy,

In the region that you live in you might contact Schneider as they have company training in Fontana, CA and also Watkins and Shepard in Missoula, MT. Schneider has two weeks of training in Fontana and then out with a trainer for two weeks. Watkins/Shepard has four week training and then you are out on your own without a trainer. Hope this information helps.

Brad