I'm just a few weeks into the research on the best way to start this career. I have an excellent 3 to 4 week CDL school in my area but a $1000 down is required to enroll and I dont have it. So, I'm wondering which companies, and Ive seen a few out there, that will start a complete rookie off with basic CDL training and then actual employment. Yes,I know you will have to work a year for them. Thanks

 

The decent companies i knew who took trainees have all stopped. Avoid the hell out of swift and Schneider. Swift you'll live in a truck, starve and start your career with the swift albatross around your neck. Avoid schneider they send you otr and you'll never see home. You should probably avoid JB though they seem to suck slightly less (their lease drivers ive talked to seemed happy strangely enough. their company drivers less and they have TINY trucks now). If you can find a small company in your area. And they seem to be expanding into things that can get you home more. But.. you'll be a jb driver... Good luck

 

You might try Prime.

 

Shameless plug here, but all of these companies on our site will train and hire students: https://www.classadrivers.com/trucki...udent-training.

Also, we list a few companies that train on our sister site Bubbajunk.com such as Stevens Transport and Smith & Solomon.

 

go to a local tech school or college, you will be much better off. you can get government assistance with the tuition

 

I don't know about the tech college route? You might check their objectives. If you want to go OTR, you'll need that type of training. It's more than just learning the truck or passing the test. Driving local, and local equipment is different. Learning to drive in major cities, trip planning, mountain and all weather driving is the key. I was skeptical of the simulators they had at Schneider until I used one that was programmed for delivery in a big city. It would try to get you to go down the wrong street or under low bridges, etc. It made you think. A lot of those scenarios came back to me later. Other tricks, ie talking to yourself through maneuvers proved out to be useful as well. Their mountain, jake training was as realistic as it was the first time I did it in the truck. I dunno, but I'd hate to go OTR by myself without extensive specialized training, or without a veteran trainer. There are a thousand ways to get yourself into a mess with a big truck. I'm not plugging Schneider in particular, and don't even know if they still train, but I'd do it all over again if I was entering trucking, despite the fact I starved my first year. Good luck.