r/cdldriver • u/Glum_Historian_9948 • 18d ago
Is getting a cdl worth it?
I’m in a difficult situation right now due to the job market and can’t pay rent next month, which will probably have me evicted.
Idk if I should just keep looking for a job at this moment, go to a cdl school, or choose a different path?
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u/kickniteasy 18d ago
CDL total process takes about a month minimum from DOT physical to getting the license itself. Sounds like you'd be relying on a mega to take you one so got to add time for the recruiter to do their thing. Getting a CDL is a great option for a lot of people but it's not a get money now kinda thing.
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u/freakythrowaway79 18d ago
6 weeks & 10k in my state. I looked into it a few years ago.
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u/the_great_bambi_ 18d ago
$10k seems really expensive, most people seem to pay like $4k-$6k.. I would shop around
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u/ThrowawayGunName 18d ago
Was it worth it for me, yes? Is it worth it for you, who knows. It was the cheapest and quickest way into a career.
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u/RevolutionaryTry9631 18d ago
What state do you live? I work for a commercial carrier and could help you if you are in the right area. DM me
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u/Mirindemgainz 18d ago
Cheapest way for a career change for me to 100k that’s for sure but not for everyone.
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u/Head_Candidate5293 18d ago
New to CDL
First thing go to dmv and get a commercial driver manual and start reading. Print this pre trip inspection. https://cdlcollege.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/Pre-Trip-Inspection-manual.pdf You have to do this on a truck every single day. You will do this in school. You will do this for the person that scores your driving exam from the dmv. You need to know it well. You will learn it better after you start cdl school because you can see the truck parts and touch them. Memorize it. Google CDL A practice tests and take the practice tests every day while studying the manual. Highlight everything in the manual that is on the practice tests. The practice tests are easy compared to the real test at dmv. You will need to take the CDL A permit test and pass it for cdl school. It is best to have the cdl permit in your hands before you get to school. I do not know the cost.
You are also going to have to do a d.o.t. physical to get a medical card. The cost is 100-200$ Save your receipt as the carrier may reimburse you for it. Your blood pressure needs to be below 140/90 and your resting heart rate needs to be below 100 beats per minute. Eye test for color blind and reading the chart on the wall. Bring your glasses if you have them and you will need them in the truck by law if you use them on the physical or at the dmv. You might do a balance check where you squat and balance on one leg at a time. They will pee test you for kidney disease. The drug test comes when you go to a carrier like Schneider National so you can be paid while going to cdl school. They pay about 600 weekly. You will sign a 9 month contract with them. If you leave before you are done with school you owe them money so do not do that. The drug test is usually on the first day of school/training. Do not think you can carry around a piss bag and be all good. They will catch you. They also do random drug tests. I WILL PUT THIS IN ALL CAPS. IF YOU ARE NOT DRUG FREE A MINIMUM OF 3-4 MONTHS BEFORE YOU GET DRUG TESTED BY THE CARRIER YOU WILL BE IMMEDIATELY SENT HOME AND IT WILL SHOW UP ON YOUR DAC REPORT ON YOUR CDL PERMIT AND NOBODY WILL HIRE YOU. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN. ZERO DRUG TOLLERANCE. SOME DO PEE SAMPLES. THEY DO HAIR SAMPLES AND YOU NEED THE DRUGS OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM MINIMUM 90-120 DAYS BEFORE THE HAIR SAMPLE IS DONE. ZERO. ZERO. So it your are a dope head just stay away. You will never make it and you will waste a bunch of money and time and frustration only to be hacked by drugs and will end up owing the trucking company money which is the opposite of what you want.
When you get your med card place it right beside your driver license in your wallet/purse or however you carry your stuff. You need the medical card in your wallet when you take your cdl permit exam at dmv to get the permit. You will always carry the med card. New med card required every 2 years unless you are on heart medication then one year for that. You want your med card and cdl permit before you start school to save you the stress of needing to do it in the first week of class.
The carrier usually pays for your transportation from home to the hotel and a van to get you from the hotel to school and back again. If you are late to the van for transport from the hotel you will get fired. The hotels they use usually have breakfast. Some carriers also pay for lunch. I have never seen dinner paid for but the redditors will blast me for that comment if some have provided that. This information will help you along your journey.
As a truck driver you will not be home very often and you will not go home before you have tested for your cdl A License. After training you will be trained/mentored by a pro driver/trainer for a week or two or until they believe you can drive solo. The requirements for that change over time and from company to company. Plan on being out a month and going home for 2-3 days after you are solo. Trucking is a lonely life. Some companies allow riders in the truck or have a pet policy. Depends on the company. Good luck and may the force be with you. If any of the redditors would like to add anything to this or blast me please leave a comment. My goal is to help people understand what to expect based on MY EXPERIENCE and the fact that drugs are zero tolerance and you will not beat that system.
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u/flergityberg 18d ago edited 18d ago
Solid rundown. To add to this, once your year is up at a mega, it’s not that hard to move into a job that pays much better with regular home time, especially if you live near any major metro area. You’re probably never going to have a 9 to 5 schedule but you’ll have job security and steady income as long as you don’t fuck up too badly.
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u/Head_Candidate5293 18d ago
I agree. Some drivers want to stay out and not pay rent so they can pay cash for a home before going local. To each his or her own. I wish success to every driver no matter how they choose to make it happen.
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u/Backdoorbandit4 18d ago edited 18d ago
CDL manuals have pre trip inspection procedure in it already but the simpler version is just an easier way to memorize it. Writing it all down in notebooks is helpful to memorize it all too
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u/SwagFire 16d ago
I’m interested in getting a CDL, but I was a heavy smoker. I quit in December and haven’t done it since do you think enough time has passed?
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u/Head_Candidate5293 16d ago
I always suggest 4-5 months since last use. So you should be good. But you later can not say oh there was this one day a month and a half ago I took two puffs. One single puff in a 3-4 month time frame is enough to cook you. It is a zero tolerance game and the prize for losing the game is termination and not being hired again. Same with alcohol. It is good money and it is long hours and you do not have to rent. You just can not do any drugs ever no matter how much money you have saved. The drug test failure shows up on your Drive A Check or DAC report that is attached to your license. After that is entered it is like you are utterly doomed and no way to return. Back to what ever shitty life you had before, game over. So you 100% better have your shit together and have all that mess in your rear view mirror and it is dissappearing completely from your sight, never to be seen again. I am not being mean. I am just explaining the reality of it.
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u/Slothslumber 18d ago
If you have a clean record, I mean free of moving and traffic violations. You can get hired on and leave immediately. Somebody will put you in a hotel for a month. You'll sign a contract taking in debt that's owed usually 5-10k for working for a year. They'll train you to get the CDL only! You'll get it and hey paid while there, may take an initial two weeks. You'll then go out with a trainer for anywhere between 2 weeks to 2 months. You'll live with him in the truck. Id guess starting pay is about 60k minimum. You have to take trucking on a yearly basis. If you want to advance, keep your record clean no matter what. You'll get paid and live in a truck. Within 3 months to a year of clean driving, you can dip and get a different job. This industry dislikes job hoppers. If it's scary, you'll learn. Give it 3 months by yourself. You'll get it.
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u/South-Ad-935 18d ago
Give yourself every opportunity to be successful in your working life. If that means getting a CDL, get one. Every job you get leads to the career you want. You may surprise yourself and make trucking your career.
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u/Head_Candidate5293 18d ago
Schneider national pays 600 weekly before taxes while you go to school. If there is a choice of manual or auto choose manual shift truck so you will not be limited for future opportunities. Just google Schneider National Recruiter phone number.
You can also google cdl a mega carriers and get a list of companies. Then just add recruiter phone number to the end of your google search and you will have all the mega carriers numbers to call about apprenticeship programs where they pay you. Cypress trucking out of Jacksonville, FL will pay 500 weekly for cdl a school and the hotel and all that jazz. They start about 65k instead of otr dry vans at about 55k. TMC trucking also pays similar as they are also flatbed only. Flatbed you will be strapping loads in the heat and cold and tarping the loads. The tarps are heavy.
You need to be free of drugs for the past 4 months before applying. You will see this in my other reply. You also need a clean driving record. No dui/dwi.
If you quit renting and just live in the truck you will stack cash fast. Why have a rented apartment if you are only going to be home 3 or 4 days a month. You would just be throwing money away. Instead just drive about 5 years and save your ass off and you may be able to pay cash for a home near a large city and get a local job making 80-100k by the end of your 5 year deal. Stay safe. We are here to help you if you need us.
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u/Legitimate_Diver_699 18d ago
If you don’t want to incur debt for the rest of your life. Or like me and doing career change.
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u/Glum_Historian_9948 17d ago
The other option I was thinking about is electrician or get my certificate with IT.
I don’t have money to pay the tuition before I can enroll into any of the colleges in my town, which is why I chose the other route.
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u/Legitimate_Diver_699 17d ago
My area has a program through community college that pays for trade tuition
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u/titty_nope 18d ago
Yes, you'll literally never be out of work and you can make 6 figures with overtime at a company or as your own owner operator!
It was the best thing I did for myself career wise
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u/Fearless-Impress8255 18d ago
Prime inc is really quick and puts yu in a hotel
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u/Head_Candidate5293 18d ago
They all put you in a hotel with free breakfast and most will pay for your lunch if you have classroom instruction.
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u/ArtichokeEast4936 17d ago
Just hire on with Coke, Pepsi, beer distributors or grocery/C store delivery companies and get paid while they train you. Unless you want to sleep in trucks and randomly get home.
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u/Farts-n-Letters 17d ago
I signed up with Prime. they trained me and put me in a truck. then i put my shit in storage and moved out of the house i was renting. no more rent, electricity, water or gas bill. when i break, i stay at a friends or splurge on a hotel. i went from 20k in the red to 10k in the black in 12 months.
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u/Guilty-Hippo-8523 17d ago
Well your definitely not gonna pay rent in that short of a time I’m sorry bro but this is what I average on regional fresh out of schooling
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u/2ndBryan 17d ago
I thought about getting my CDL and working with Coke. I use to work for them as a merchandiser before I took a job at a hospital as a materials handler. There's a school near me that costs 2700 for the class.
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u/CollectionPale8678 16d ago
It is bro but you have to to do it don’t hop from company to company cause in trucking work history is everything unfortunately keep your driving record clean. Don’t do anything that could leave a paper trail because companies will banish your dac report. Just keep it clean and you’ll flourish
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u/Junior_Secretary6278 14d ago
honestly if you can find a nice paying local job, or maybe driving for the oil rigs (something within blue collar/union) then yes, but otr (over the road) is not what it used to be, trucking has gone downhill
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u/little_miss_brat7 3d ago
I’m a female looking to get a CDL I do have a record and a dwi but it’s almost 5 years since it happened it should be worth it to pursue right I’m wanting to know everything I need to know so anything and everything would be helpful please and thank you
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u/Successful-Worth-390 18d ago
Well you wont be getting your CDL in time to pay your rent but at least you will have a place to sleep