Congrats!

Well you did it! You decided to go to driving school! I am so proud you!!

If you haven’t already stick around for the ultimate guide on how to get from decision to school!

If you have chosen a school I couldn’t be more excited for you! I hope you did your research, I mean that as honestly as I can. I hope you found out all the things you could, because that was my major pitfall, I didn’t.

Choosing the Right School

When choosing a school to go to for truck driving, you want to choose one that fits your needs and pocket book the best. As I said, there are programs out there that can help you, in some locations. That isn’t always a guarantee. I can’t promise one way or another if your city or county has one. You have to look. Bring up Google and get to looking. After that you are going to have to call, and ask questions. Some of these are going to be YOU specific and some are general.

1. Please make sure that they work with your schedule. Remember you are paying them big money, (in my world it is big money) So make sure they will work with you.

2. Find out what/whom they use for testing. Find out if the tester is on site? That way you know what to expect of the tester.

3. If you found a school where you are going to sign a contract for a year and they will pay for your schooling as long as you work for them for a year, you need to know the rules of campus. What is expected of you? How will they be getting you to campus? What will they be paying you while you are in training? What will you have to cover?

A. What are your requirements for after training? How long will you be in the training program hands on in the truck. This is sometimes called OJT (On the Job Training)

4. Know your limits, know your learning style. This is hands on industry, if you don’t learn that way, you really need to be able to adapt.

5. Do they offer assistance with job placement? For how long will they help you find a job?

Steps After Graduation

WOOHOOO! You did it! I knew you could. When you get out there on your own, remember that you have the ability and capability to still ask questions. Never stop learning, if you ever do, GET OUT OF THAT SEAT! You will become dangerous at that point. There is always something to learn.

You will be “green” for at least a year. You will still be learning what they didn’t teach you in school. It isn’t going to be the best lessons you learn but they are part of the process of becoming a bonafide driver.

Please make sure that whatever company you go to you have a clear understanding of pay scale and when you will get paid. Also, you want to ask if you are charged for any of the merchandise you haul if it is damaged in shipping. That is important.

Dispatchers are not your friends. (NOT ALWAYS) They don’t always know what it is like to be a driver. They go home each night, you don’t. Your truck is now your home most nights. We joke in our house that we visit home and live at work. It becomes the truth when this is your lifestyle.

This can be a very lucrative industry. If you put in your dues. Remember no one is going to hand you a thing. Work for it and do it well and you will be rewarded. But also know when you are being taken advantage of.

However you can also make money on the side with a laptop in the beginning. That might not be a bad idea, pay is low but doable for beginners. There are ways to supplement it, check it out here if you want to know how. You can also check out the cashflowsisters.com

Best wishes and I will see you out on the road! Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down.

All the best,

Leslie

Leave a Reply