This week we’re featuring truck driving career websites that really give you a glimpse of what to expect during their training process, and how life will be when you’re working for them. These companies also offer programs for experienced drivers and owner-operators, but we’re focusing on their unlicensed prospective drivers programs.
Some companies have multiple training facilities, while many have just one main hub. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to live close to those training sites, but how do you find that out? Is their closest facility the best one for you to train at?
Trucking companies will typically pay for your travel and living expenses while you’re training with them. But are those expenses paid upfront or reimbursed later? Are they considered an advance that you’ll have to pay back? Where do you go to find this information?
The following five companies all have career pages that you may want to investigate further if you want to get a great start on a trucking career.
Roehl
We’ll pay you while you get your Class A CDL and get a high-paying job in the trucking industry with Roehl Transport. For many, our paid cdl training and truck driving job is their way to a better paying career and even the gateway to a middle class lifestyle. After nine months on the job, Roehl drivers are on-track to earn $50,000 + a year. Get Paid While You Get Your CDL
Roehl’s website has all the elements we look for when we’re looking for a new driving job. They break it down for you in no uncertain terms that driving their trucks is no road trip:
You’re not a tourist … It’s hard work and like anything that puts sweat on your brow it brings great rewards.
And they back up that claim with specific info on how much you can expect to make:
You are hired and paid as an employee on day 1.
You’ll be paid $500 a week while you get your CDL.
TeamRoehl drivers average weekly earnings of $900 to $1,250 every week!
After nine months on the job, Roehl drivers are on-track to earn $50,000 + a year.
Prime
Looking for a CDL School? We’ve got a better option than that! Attend Prime’s “On-the-Job” Truck Driver Training Program. A PRIME Opportunity to Become a Professional Commercial Truck Driver! Paid Apprenticeship CDL Training | Prime Inc. (truck driving school – truck driving job – truck driver jobs)
Prime breaks down their program in step by step bullet points, under their “Paid Apprenticeship CDL Training,” heading. You will be expected to pay them back for the allowance they give you while training.
Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
They go on to explain exactly what you’ll owe if you decide not to fulfill your end of the deal by completing training and driving for Prime for a full year. While Prime’s terms may not sound quite as inviting as some other companies’ programs, we like that they tell you this clearly upfront, and explain just how you’re expected to pay them back. Tuition reimbursement is a definite plus.
Recent graduates from other schools may qualify for tuition reimbursement up to $1500!
Knight
After qualifications are met, you will generally begin training within a week. Knight will not make you sign any contracts to begin our commercial driver’s license (CDL) program. You will begin CDL school at Knight’s Phoenix terminal. Students have to provide their own transportation and lodging during the 2-to-3 weeks of CDL training, but receive $400 of trainee salary each week for additional expenses. Knights Driver Training Program | Truck Driving Jobs With Training
Knight makes a point of saying you can begin training without signing a contract. Other companies make a point of saying you will sign a contract before training begins, so that’s something many of you may want to consider. Knight will pay you $400 per week while you’re training, but lodging and meals are your responsibility during that time.
They offer a specific program for Veterans of the US Military, stating clearly that their training program has been approved by the Veteran’s Administration, so you can use your G.I. Bill to pay for your training. They also support and welcome Reservists and National Guardsmen.
Knight claims a lower-than-average turnover rate, (although in fairness, the industry average is close to 100% – theirs may be 92%, it doesn’t say.) and stresses that they work to build a “culture of respect” which they feel…
provide[s] our Driving Associates the strength, capacity and power of a large corporation, with the personal connection and convenience of a hometown carrier.
C.R. England
C.R. England will train truck drivers across the nation. Travel and sleeping accomodations will be offered to those traveling to the various school locations. Fill out our driver application to learn more about getting started at a school location near you. CDL Truck Driving Schools & Training – C.R. England
England’s webpage devoted to those seeking CDL training is relatively short and to the point when compared to the other sites we’re featuring in this post. They offer,
Zero Tuition Truck Driving School with a nine month driving commitment
a 17 Day CDL Program
England will cover your traveling and hotel expenses while you participate in training. They run their own truck driver training school, Premier, and also work with other leading CDL training programs with locations across the country. The school closest to you may not be the right one for you, based on things like enrollment or class wait times, but you can work out the details with your recruiter. They have a link to a page full of positive reviews from their drivers, and a few pictures of the truck you’ll be driving. One of their bullet points is that they’ve enjoyed “Stability and Success since 1920″ and a solid company history is never a bad thing.
FFE
Get started in a great career in a growing industry with the most driver-friendly CDL training program in the country. For more information, call 800-569-9232, email [email protected], or APPLY ONLINE FFE > Drivers > Student Driver > Need Training?
FFE’s realistic Job Description page had some refreshing honesty about the trucker’s job.
Able to withstand abrupt hour changes, irregular work/rest cycles, noise and vibration, temperature and weather extremes, irregular meals and delays
This kind of talk, similar to what we found with Roehl, is something we actually find encouraging – it shows us that the company wants you to know right up front that you’re not signing on for a laid-back tour of the countryside, but a job with demands that can be… well, demanding. When a company speaks plainly about the ups and downs you’ll experience as a driver, it shows that they want drivers for the “long haul”. They aren’t trying to sell you on a glossy truck and beautiful scenery, but on a legitimate career. Actually, FFE doesn’t seem to be trying to “sell” you on anything – they pay for your travel, housing, and meals, and offer a $400 per week minimum pay for your first 6 weeks as you train. FFE also has a clearly identified Student Complaint Policy – not sure if that’s good news or bad, but they’re not hiding it, and we always appreciate honesty!
Notes about when you’ll need to get your CLP:
If you’re planning on working with these companies to get your CDL, you may have to get your CLP – Commercial Learner’s Permit – before arriving at their school. Confirm with the recruiter of the training program if this is the case.
The CDL permit (and CDL) will be issued in the trucking school’s (or training program’s) state. If this is the case, you’ll have to transfer your CDL to your home state when you get back home. Check with your state first on this because some states actually require you to pass ALL the tests again to transfer your CDL.
Your permit authorizes you to drive a truck as long as a CDL licensed driver is in the passenger seat, which is what will happen at your school. The permit usually expires after 6 months, and some states may limit the amount of times you obtain a permit without then obtaining your CDL.
At Trucker Country, you can prep for the tests with our FREE CDL Practice Tests in conjunction with referencing your state’s CDL Manual.
Hello “Mr. Anderdon”,
I’ll take some of your comments one at a time.
I congratulate you for being a recruiter. But I’m not too sure that qualifies you to give an objective, unbiased review of what a great trucking company is. And as a driver with 3 million miles over the road, I’ve known good recruiters and bad recruiters. Recruiters who accurately describe the company and driving job, and recruiters who promise drivers the moon just to get them in the door.
I made no “choice for great companies”. If you actually read the title of the post, it’s “5 Trucking Companies That Have Great Career Sites for New Drivers”. NOT “great companies”. A great career site is one that is designed well, and clearly outlines the features and benefits of a given trucking company.
All the companies on the list are companies that have programs helping prospective drivers enter the industry without spending cash upfront. So the focus on all 5 companies in this post was: A) Trucking companies with great career sites (ie, websites that explain the program in a helpful way) and B) Trucking companies that are for new drivers. That is, for individuals who want to become truckers, but lack the finances or credit to do so the conventional private school way. By the way, I was in this exact same situation when I started my trucking career back in ’92!
Even if I DID list 5 Great Trucking Companies, would I be in error, or wrong to do so? Or “not accurate” as you say? I believe that would be an opinion from one blogger, not an official statement of fact, a subjective pronouncement of fact, or an endorsement by a organization or official website. THAT, my friend, is the internet.
Sorry, no companies can force a driver to lease. This would be illegal. That’s like forcing a person to buy a house. How do they do this exactly, at gunpoint? Ha! If you understand, in your research of a company, that they are strictly a lease purchase carrier, then DON’T HIRE ON WITH THIS COMPANY! And if you’re a company driver for a company, a company cannot all of a sudden force you to become a lease purchase driver.
One of the “worse” companies? That is your opinion, and you are certainly welcome to it! Like many of the biggest companies, they definitely have their detractors. I personally drove for Prime and did lease-purchase for a while. I didn’t find success through their program and went elsewhere. But they are the perfect company for MANY drivers, who claim to be successful and happy. Here’s a video from one of them here.
I DID my research, thanks! Actually, if you were ever a driver, you’d have seen FFE every day of your working life. Independently, they were one of the top refrigerated carriers in the country, but in 2013 they were bought out by the owner of KLLM, and merged into KLLM. As you can see here, “Together FFE and KLLM are the second largest temperature controlled carrier in the nation.”
OK, now I could go point to point here, but this all over the place. So, ALL drivers have only one goal? To make as much money as possible? Time at home with their family is not an issue?
Come on. Anyway, Knight is a big company. If you look at their open positions (here is their Phoenix area page), they have OTR positions where you’ll be out at least a few weeks at a time, regional opportunities where you get home more often, dedicated positions, you name it. I’m not endorsing or recommending Knight, but I will say they give a lot of information on their website that is helpful in explaining what they’re all about and what positions they have available.
OK, you’re a recruiter and you’ve written books about the industry. That’s terrific.
Drivers, here’s something else that’s true. Many recruiters will promise you “plenty of miles” or “all the home time you want”, even if it’s far from the truth! Maybe BOTH! But it’s up to you to do your research, and investigate any claims made by people (ESPECIALLY the ones selling books or recruiting for their trucking company). That means, not only checking out company websites, but also checking company reviews.
Look up whatever company you’re interested in at these 2 sites: Truckers Report and Trucking Truth. On these sites, you’ll read from drivers who have actually driven for those companies in question. Yeah, some good reviews may be from recruiters, and some bad reviews from bitter drivers who had unrealistic expectations. But your goal is to read them all, and get a general feel for the company. Don’t just read one good or bad comment and take it as truth.
Are most comments favorable? Does majority say a company is bad? Unfair to its drivers? No hometime? Are drivers only getting 2000 miles a week? Too many expenses taken out of paychecks. Promises unfulfilled? These are things you want to get a feel for.
Generally, I’ll agree with this: Driving at least 3000 miles is a good goal if you want to make decent money. Especially when you’re a brand new driver and not able to make at least $.40/mile like those drivers with more experience. But a driver just getting into the industry that needs financial help getting started (and who’s considering company-sponsored training like those on this list) should be primarily interested in the quality of training. After a driver gets trained “the right way”, he/she will be in better position to succeed in trucking (and eventually get paid well for it!).
Well, again, generally it’s true that the longer you’re out, the more money you’ll make. Duh. But what do most drivers REALLY want? They want it ALL. Myself included. I wanted good money per mile, enough miles to bring in a good check AND some time at home. I have a wife and kids. What good is all the money in the world if you can’t see your loved ones. Yeah, you may be one of the few drivers who can sacrifice for a while, becoming a road warrior, and just get the miles and make money. Then, after you’ve saved up for your own truck, or a future business or schooling, you can take it easier. But for most drivers, once they begin this pattern, they’re in it for the “long haul”!
I DID have a few driving jobs where I got home every week AND got over 3000 miles. It’s possible. As a matter of fact, for 5 years I left Denver on a Tuesday, made an average of 10-15 drops in the Southeast, and got back to Denver on Saturday. 3500 miles. 2 1/2 days at home. No, these jobs aren’t typical, but you said NEVER!
Before anybody emails you for your “pick for making good money”, I’d suggest they know a bit more about you. Do you have any other experience except for recruiting for a company? Don’t tell me, is it the one you’re recommending? Do you have a website that has information about you or your books?
Either way, it seems your main advice is to get with a company that will get you at least 3000 miles, stay out on the road for at least 3 weeks, and don’t ever lease-purchase. Also, you didn’t mention cents per mile as a key factor. Or quality of equipment. How do you feel about forced dispatch? Well, I bet it’s safe to assume that you’re a recruiter for a trucking company that promises to keep their drivers out for several weeks at a time, with at least 3000 miles per week. Fantastic!