Are you ready for a change in your career? Have you decided the call of the road can’t be ignored any longer? You may just be ready for a career as a truck driver. Before you get too ahead of yourself, in order to head out on the road, you’ll need to get some practice behind the wheel first.
What are you going to do to get this training? Fortunately, the trucking industry has made it easy for potential drivers to get their start through paid and private CDL training programs. Look through this guide and find out which type of program is best for you.
What separates company CDL training from truck driving school?
Company-sponsored CDL programs are just what they sound like: training programs that are run by a trucking company or are covered financially when you sign up with a trucking company. They usually require little to no upfront money, since the company typically requires program participants to become company drivers. Private truck driving schools, on the other hand, are operated independently of a truck driving company. Due to this, they typically require a larger upfront payment, ranging anywhere from $3,000-$6,000 or more. Ultimately, both will allow you to earn your CDL, but company sponsored programs typically offer a far less expensive solution while providing more one-on-one training time.
If you need more convincing, we’ve listed three of the main perks of company paid CDL training:
- No job hunt. For students going through the Prime Student Driver Training Program, you will be given a job at Prime when you earn your Class A CDL. This eliminates the stress of looking for a job once you are done with truck driving school and allows you to start earning as soon as possible.
- Trusted training. Prime student drivers receive 1-on-1 training while earning their CDL, ensuring success from the start. You’ll be given the time you need to learn all necessary concepts you’ll need to carry freight across the country.
- Earn while you learn. Don’t stress about where your next paycheck will come from while you’re training. Student drivers at Prime earn guaranteed pay as a new CDL-holder. During the first phase of the Prime Student Driver Program training with your permit, you are given a $200 loan (interest-free) each week to spend on food and living costs.
How does a paid CDL training program work?
While we can’t speak for every company, Prime’s Student Driver Training Program costs only $155 for a student. $100 of your cost is a one-time administrative fee while the $55 covers the cost of cost of receiving your class A learner’s permit for your CDL if you start in the Springfield, MO location. If you start in Pittston, PA or Salt Lake City, UT, you will obtain your permit in your home state prior to attending Prime’s orientation. The permit fee cost varies from state to state. Prime will cover transportation, lodging and three meals a day during your orientation. Once orientation is complete, you will begin training to earn your CDL. This can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks. During this training, you may opt to receive a $200 per week loan from Prime that can be spent on food and living expenses. Once you start working for Prime, the loaned amount will be taken out of your paycheck at a rate of $25 per week. When your training is completed, you will take your CDL exam. To reward our especially hard working drivers, those who pass their CDL exam on the first try will receive a $250 bonus.
As soon as you pass, you’ll pair up with a team driving trainer to drive 30,000 miles and start earninga guaranteed $700 per week that you are on the road. Drivers who earned their CDL at an outside school within the last 45 days will drive 40,000 miles with a trainer, earning $600 per week for their first five weeks and $700 per week for each week thereafter. After you’ve acquired the necessary experience, skills, and miles, you’ll be ready to embark on the road as a solo Prime driver or can choose to continue running as a team!
Ready to get started? Enroll in Prime’s Student Driver Training Program and earn while you train to become a truck driver.
If you have any further questions about becoming a truck driver, reach out to us. Our recruiters can assist you in your path to becoming a driver.
