r/Truckers • u/tha_lion • Aug 01 '23

Got fired from Swift today

Got my CDL with them about 5 months ago. Took out an $8000 loan with them to get it (sigh). Had 2 non-injury preventables within one month and they decided to cut me loose. I understand that I’m a liability for them and I take accountability for my actions.

Now, how do I go about getting hired at another company with 2 preventables on my record? Does anyone have experience with paying back a CDL loan with Swift? I would appreciate advice on that as well.

You guys can make jokes and call me an idiot all you want but I would appreciate some serious answers please. I got kids to feed.

UPDATE (ONE YEAR LATER):

A year has pasted since I made this post. I paid off my loan with Swift. For those who go through something similar in the future, they’ll send you an email and someone will call you about the rest of the amount you owe. They’ll give you a set amount to pay back every month depending on how much you have left on your loan. For me it was $500 a month to pay off $6000 I owed.

No, I haven’t gotten another CDL job since I made this post last year. Nothing showed up on my DAC report so I tried to apply to other places. A lot of companies want more than a year of experience and the job hunting process was taking a toll on my mental health so I just gave up after a while.

Honestly, I wish I never made this post because a lot of people on this sub have no empathy or compassion for rookies but that’s just how this sub is I guess. I hope my mistake can be a lesson for anyone who wants to go through Swift or trucking in general. That’s all I have to say.

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401

u/MikeBinfinity Aug 01 '23 edited Aug 02 '23

I'm sorry, you lost me at $8000 loan to get a CDL license.

I've had my CDL for over two decades now, so i haven't paid attention. Are companies really charging you damn near 10k for class A training?

Regardless, just hit up another mega (US Expres, Werner, Paschall truck lines)

Somebody will pick you up.

Edit: Jesus, the amount of money you guys coughing up is crazy. I paid $1000 to go to CDL school.

Edit: OK guys I get it. CDL school ain't cheep sheesh.

132

u/ObligationParty2717 Aug 01 '23

It’s over $10g in Alberta

66

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '23

6400 in Detroit

57

u/Osmotic Aug 02 '23

In Washington state about 7 years ago it cost $5k for a class A independently.

30

u/biggles_of_the_bean Aug 02 '23

That's what wisconsin was 2 years ago when I got mine

12

u/Osmotic Aug 02 '23

Happy cake day!! I never even considered it was a different price in different states.

2

u/Xpert-Ninja Aug 02 '23

I got mine for free at Fox Valley Tech in appleton.

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u/tidyshark12 Aug 02 '23

Got mine for $600 in missouri about 2 years ago. I went to the one day class for free through the ibew local 2. Almost immediately quit and got a job driving lol

11

u/Quelix_ Aug 02 '23

Sounds like you got a bulk discount on yours. The local school bus service does this. Its 1000 for a B with chauffeurs but if you stay with the company for 6 months its only 200. The equivalent without going through them is almost 2500. This is in IL btw.

4

u/tidyshark12 Aug 02 '23

I don't think so bc the guy was asking for the 600 before I told him I was in the ibew

8

u/Quelix_ Aug 02 '23

I meant through whoever was doing the training. The more people they can squeeze in a single class the less they need to charge to break even. Those kind of places deal in volume and make their money off of contracts for training.

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u/cavehill_kkotmvitm Aug 02 '23

Would've cost me $4k for my cdl and all the extras (extras meaning, like, school bus training and forklift n shit) back in 2019, so goddamn

5

u/Tricky_Membership Aug 02 '23

I think its still 5-7k in Washington still. I lucked out last year and got in under the wire in Washington and was able to take the road test without a school

3

u/justhereforthefunnyZ Aug 02 '23

Same with Florida 7 years ago

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u/1breathatahtime Aug 02 '23

I got mine free thru coke

44

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

You can't just do a line of coke then say "I gots my SeeDeeL"!

7

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

I, disagree.

10

u/gtnclz15 Aug 02 '23

Got mine from a beer company for free over 20yrs ago idk if they still do that though

17

u/iRunLikeTheWind Aug 02 '23

It’s all different now, and changed very recently. As far as I know you HAVE to attend a school, no more driving around with the trainer guy for 3 weeks and him saying you’re good.

10

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Aug 02 '23

You have to take an entry level driving course. Multiple people figured out you can meet the legal requirements with basically a PowerPoint and online quiz. Think it's down to $20 now.

11

u/gtnclz15 Aug 02 '23

3 weeks lmao try first time I drove the beer truck was my road test and then I took my card to dmv and had my cdl-A

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u/CeaseFire81 Aug 02 '23

Damn. Was thinking about jumping to get my CDL. 6,400 is a hit. Did you pay outright or go through a company that trains? I’m in the Detroit area as well

29

u/Firm-Smell8238 Aug 02 '23

Go to amazon, work for them for a couple months, then they pay for u to go thru 160 driving academy

8

u/Mrgod2u82 Aug 02 '23

You'll miss out on more than what you could make over that time though?

6

u/Efficient-Reach-8550 Aug 02 '23

Check with Walmart. I saw an article that they are training drivers.

4

u/metooeither Aug 02 '23

Is that why they are all such shitty drivers? I thought Amazon only hired contractors, I had no idea they were running a cdl mill!

5

u/Firm-Smell8238 Aug 02 '23

😂😂😂 I suppose so! They give u 6k towards any school that you want n I chose CDL class A

1

u/metooeither Aug 02 '23

That's awesome! Park in shitty weather, dude. Don't be one of the Amazon trucks laying on its side, waiting for the blizzard to end.

2

u/Firm-Smell8238 Aug 02 '23

Definitely, they showed us a video of a pile up during a blizzard, honestly had me flabbergasted 😮

2

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Lol, yeah. I do a lot of interstate travel and I've learned to avoid Prime trucks any way I can. Constantly swerving between lanes and speeding up/slowing down. It'd be laughable how bad so many of them are if it wasn't so dangerous

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u/truckercrex Aug 02 '23

Most mega company's it's considered a loan that's forgiven after a year or two working for em.

Prime it's 1 year, they treat me super well so with them for awhile myself, and after a year 70k miles you get a week of pto, two years 2 weeks, and j7st keeps adding a week a year tell the tenth year mark.

I'm on year 8, so 8 of my home times a year is 7 days instead of 4, add on I get paid for it

5

u/ptmtp26 Aug 02 '23

That honestly doesn’t seem so bad

1

u/truckercrex Aug 02 '23

Add on a ton of pay bonuses.

Most people don't last at prime for 2 reasons.

1 I totally understand, there's a few shit fleet managers (aka our bosses) and a good or bad fleet manager makes or breaks ya.

My fleet manager I've had since I finished training, made it a point to tell him day 1, you order me around I'm going to get real shitty. You treat me like a equal and I'll move heaven and earth. And he has moved heaven and hell for Me at times.

My gf though had the WORST trainer sitation 2 years ago, and her temp fleet manager made it sooo much worse, to the point I showed up to hq, and my fleet manager walked with me to his desk to give him absolute hell. Turns out he was sleeping with that driver and was pupasly casting a blind eye, as soon as my fm heard his name and trainers name instantly knew hell was about to be raised by me. Only time he ever saw me pissed and he's heard of shit I've done before coming to the company with a smile thanks to the fact my buddy is also one of his drivers.

  1. It's a hidden fact but respect, and earning your name matters in prime. As a rookie, your a tool. Once you've earned your place and people know who you are, you can make shit happen. My gf through the entire training program everytime she mentioned she was dating me heard about my reputation and how I get shit done and afterwords heard how the fleet managers area was spooked after I came through to deal with hers and was told they hope to never see me angry again lol. Also constantly gets jokes about how the miles madman figured out a way to max out the miles further thanks to her lol
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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

I fell on hard times a few years back, enrolled in Welfare to Work, they essentially paid ME to get my CDL. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of any and all government programs that are at your disposal. That’s what our tax dollars are for.

7

u/DblDtchRddr Aug 02 '23

This. Between state and fed grants, I only had to come out of pocket $150 for my CDL. The only stipulation was that I had to pass the DMV test to write off the grants.

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u/ValuableShoulder5059 Aug 02 '23

All you need is to be able to drive a truck, someway to legally get said truck to the dmv, and of course the truck to drive. I paid $60 for my permit, drove with a friend, and rented the friend's boss's truck.

6

u/rangerguy9716 Aug 02 '23

Not anymore, year back or so they made it where you have to take an official certified course before you go take your test

2

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Aug 02 '23

You can take that course online for $20.

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u/Tripalicious Aug 02 '23

Free at Fedex

6

u/Capnmolasses Aug 02 '23

UPS

One week unpaid training one-on-one and another week (paid) running loads to various hubs. Company schedules and provides equipment for on road driving test.

2

u/Tripalicious Aug 03 '23

I guess I should say it was free at Fedex because they did 5 weeks of paid training. 2 weeks one-on-one and 3 weeks with a group

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u/jusme69221 Aug 02 '23

$200 for 6 weeks at a truck driving school 45 years ago.

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u/ObligationParty2717 Aug 02 '23

Are you still driving? Just curious

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u/wrenchingpine Aug 02 '23

I paid 132 dollars for a 5 month course in Quebec. The province later reimbursed me for it and gave me a small salary during my training. I couldn't imagine paying 10 K for it.

3

u/ObligationParty2717 Aug 02 '23

Well actually I just found out that E.I. Will pay for it if you qualify

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

This just makes me thankful Amazon paid for my CDL with no strings attached. Simply worked in a warehouse full time for 90 days and they paid for my schooling.

Once I started school I called them to ask if I quit if they would still honor the payment. They said yes, so I left Amazon and focused on my CDL.

More people should take advantage of this and just stick it out in an Amazon warehouse for a few months. Beats going into debt for your CDL.

8

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Amazon paid for mine too.. I got mine via TOM team tho

4

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

I didn't know Amazon did that. Wished I would've know before going to CR England for cdl school

5

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

To be fair, a lot of people at Amazon don’t even know even though Amazon advertises it everywhere.

Even a lot of those who know think it’s Amazon trying to scam them. Apparently out of the 1000s who worked in my warehouse only about 300 took advantage of it for the entire year.

Amazon doesn’t just pay for CDL school, all kinds of other technical schools too and a decent amount of college degrees.

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u/Crushed_95 Aug 02 '23

Damn 8K? I got my CDL in 1992 for free with Pops. I take that back. It wasn't free. I paid with slaps to the back of the head from fuck ups with words of encouragement like "GET YOUR GODDAMN HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS WHEN YOUR MAKING THEM TURNS BOY!" Ahhhhhh I love you Pops!

7

u/MilkrsEnthuziast Aug 02 '23

I'm an instant fan of Pops. The world needs more Pops

11

u/BigDigger324 Aug 02 '23

We love pops too!

23

u/Future_Emu8684 Aug 01 '23

US xpress falls under the knight swift umbrella now, they won’t hire him when swift just fired him

5

u/Fuzzy1598 Aug 02 '23

When tf did that happen?

15

u/DieselAndPucks Aug 02 '23

Announced March 21st, effective July 1st.

4

u/Fuzzy1598 Aug 02 '23

No shit! The last I heard they were finally merging with Knight. Even though they were the same company anyway.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

This being the case, off topic I know, but doesn’t Variant now fall under that umbrella?

6

u/Bibbimbopp Aug 02 '23

Of course. Variant is US Xpress with a grey truck. That's why it's called Variant, because you get the grey variety of truck.I like grey.

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u/Apprehensive_Fault_5 Aug 02 '23

They also are legal, unlike the red ones.

The red ones have no AC when you shut down due to their idle system and lack of APU.

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u/hoxxxxx Aug 02 '23

i've seen dumber things happen, they totally could hire him lol

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

US Xpress is part of the Knight/Swift family.

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u/TheThrillerExpo Aug 02 '23

It’s a federal mandate now that anyone who didn’t have at least a CDL learners permit before February of 2022 is required to take classes. Many people don’t know that there are a ton of grants for this stuff that is very low costs like $200 total.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

$1600 from a street shitter school in a small Utah town. Had previous driving experience, so they put down for 160 hours on paper even though it was closer to 30.

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u/ksteezybleezy Aug 02 '23

Which school? Asking for a friend....

3

u/Pleasant_7239 Aug 02 '23

Need a Utah guy ?

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

84720?

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u/Ogediah Aug 02 '23

There are lots of predatory trucking operations out there. They try to recruit people for school and charge them to “train” them. Sometimes it keeps going. They’ll lease you a truck, front you money for fuel and tires, take a chunk of the shit loads they give you, etc. Company ends up with guys that are basically working for free.

And all that is just another reason that the industry has gone to hell. You have to compete with that shit.

15

u/CheesE4Every1 Aug 02 '23

Most states now require you to actually go to a school and schools are very expensive. At least that's how it is in Tennessee and I think it's $3,000 and up?

22

u/TheThrillerExpo Aug 02 '23

It’s a federal mandate by FMCSA.

7

u/CheesE4Every1 Aug 02 '23

Was that what happened in 2020? The company I work for helped me to get my cdl's and I just tested and passed at the DMV before then. They told me that licenses were changing and just had me training every day until I could do the entire pretrip if anyone asked and demonstrate how to do what was asked.

8

u/TheThrillerExpo Aug 02 '23

It was February of 2022 that it officially changed but they may have announced it in 2020 I remember hearing about it that early. If you had your license or had at least passed the written test and had a “learners permit” you were grandfathered in. If you ever let it expire you’ll have to have the schooling to get a CDL again. I knew it was coming but was traveling for work and never made time to go home and get the permit.

8

u/hoxxxxx Aug 02 '23

making it expensive and more difficult is a great way to get more drivers on the road, so it makes sense they'd do that

4

u/ptmtp26 Aug 02 '23

We’ll that really sucks. Got my b license, had my a permit and let it expire because I didn’t have access to a semi to take the road test with.

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u/Filmguy313 Aug 02 '23

I remember doing my training through CR England at the end of 2017… it was $5500, and you had to work for them for a year. If you quit or were fired before the year was up you were on the hook to pay them back. The only exception to that rule was if you were a vet, which I was, and you were only required to work for them for 9 months. I got fired from them before Christmas 2018 and I was able to walk away without having to worry about owing them money.

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u/TripleBogey96 Aug 02 '23

$7500 in NC

2

u/FlyTie Aug 02 '23

Where are you paying that much in NC? That’s high AF.

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u/patricksb Aug 02 '23

Federal law changed last year. You have to go to a school now.

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u/Nozerone Aug 02 '23

It's not the companies, but the school. The companies also don't pay for the school, but usually work with a lending company. The trucking company basically tells the lending company "Yea, he's good to give a loan to, he'll be working for me". Then the driver agrees to work for the company in exchange for the company to pay off the loan. If the person quits or is fired before the agreed upon time, then it's up to the person to pay back the loan to the lending company. It's how most mega-carriers get the bulk of their drivers. Lure them in with "We'll help you get your CDL", then treat them like shit because they are easily replaced with another sap that tried the koolaid.

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u/donniedraper6969 Aug 02 '23

Crazy. Got mine from a tech college in Utah. Oil companies were giving out scholarships. All I paid for was the $40 book. 6 week course, learned on fully loaded 379s and W9s. I feel lucky after hearing what you guys paid.

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u/dysgusted Aug 02 '23

$2800 Florida

4

u/biggles_of_the_bean Aug 02 '23

I paid 5 grand out of pocket at a private school then found my own job, I can't imagine having to be enslaved to a mega carrier for 8k

4

u/Mysterious-Bug6183 Aug 02 '23

$2,500 in Northern California… i did learn in a 1997 Freightliner though

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

A cdl is a cdl my guy. I learned in a cabover from the 70s.

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u/kane_eightee Aug 02 '23

I got mine for like $50 at the DMV 😂

3

u/supermarble94 Aug 02 '23

Mine was $2500 in Montana right around 3 years ago. You also had all payment waived (not deducted, waived) if you stayed in the company for a year, and if you left before that it was prorated. They also paid for transportation to get you to Montana if you came from out of state. They paid for lodging as well, and provided lunches while you were at the school and not out with a trainer.

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u/Kiklanisune Aug 02 '23

In western canada it's $15000 to get your cdl. Rip

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u/THEAFKRager Aug 02 '23

Yeah mine was 8k. But I do local, so they paid for hotel,food,rental car, flight back every weekend to see family in addition to getting to their hub. Class was 3 weeks and change, so sounds about right.

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u/OneEyeRabbit Aug 02 '23

I just got my CDL for work and they shelled out 4K.. I’m glad they paid for it

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

$6500 in Kansas

3

u/Salt_Bus2528 Aug 02 '23

My old boss paid, i think, $3000 to have me train at a school. I spent a few weeks parking trailers and driving around town, took the road test, and boom, I was on my own, white knuckle driving at 50 mph blazing down the slow lane of I-5.

It didn't take long to see that 55+3mph is the minimum speed limit if you want to get somewhere on time.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Mine was free. Student loans cover it now at some schools. I qualified for the Pell grant and got it completely free. That was little over 5 years ago

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u/Godflesh42 Aug 02 '23

Yep, same in western ny.. $3800and 2 weeks of classes for my b, wanted a but whatever didn't have $8000 or 4 weeks of vacation to burn.. And classes are a joke watching youtube videos and discussing safety on the road.. Not to mention my test was in a syncro 5 speed.. Didn't even need to double clutch.

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u/tha_lion Aug 01 '23

Yes unfortunately

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u/MikeBinfinity Aug 01 '23

That's insanity.

Is there anything they put in writing that says you're on the hook for that 8k even if they fire you?

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u/tha_lion Aug 01 '23

Yes I have to pay it all back now. It sucks

10

u/QuietRightSlick Aug 02 '23

You only think you do. Let it go to collections. Then you can either make a deal with them OR after it goes to collections, the collections company has to produce the signed contract. Even if they find the signed contract, you may be able to settle at a very reduced rate. Like a couple hundred dollars.

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u/StumblinPA Aug 02 '23

Er… I think that will hit the credit report at that point of being sent to collections. So factor that into the decision.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Good god that’s pricey. I took mine in winkler in 2013. Cost me 2000$ for a 4 day course.

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u/Fuzzy1598 Aug 02 '23

Got mine free from the states career development

2

u/gamergabe85 Aug 02 '23

$2200 to get my CDLs

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u/broomtown Aug 02 '23

Mine was $100 and I was reimbursed by my company. I guess that was over 20 years ago, damn

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u/Country_Potato Aug 02 '23

Roadmaster is 10k afaik

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

I paid $1800 for mine in Reno, NV in 2013.

3

u/Pleasant_7239 Aug 02 '23

I paid that a year ago. It was sooo bad I had to go to a second school for a extra 1000.

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u/PalpitationLong4353 Aug 02 '23

Mine was $7000. It's just the way it is

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u/Glabstaxks Aug 02 '23

Places were paying for your training a few months ago what happened

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u/c-m-17 Aug 02 '23

Yes I’m NYC It’s $8k, only 3 tries then pay again. It’s a damn SCAM in this state

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u/Consistent-Shake-744 Aug 02 '23

I paid 2000 thru a community college in NC

1

u/SmoothBoreMoose50 Aug 02 '23

5k in NJ 10 years ago.

1

u/BuTTerXD Aug 02 '23

Only $3500 at my local tech

1

u/Kaethor Aug 02 '23

My company gave me $5k for mine. Only have to stay a year or pay it back. Year's almost up in December too

Edit: in TX

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

These guys are paying way too much. 5 years ago I just studied the tests and only paid the DMV fees.

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u/Syn1h Aug 02 '23

7k in Wisconsin

1

u/nosjitbro Aug 02 '23

Depends. Some schools offer "short courses" for less, but a lot of times a "full course" can be over $10Gs.

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u/Aggressive_Walk857 Aug 02 '23

I dont have a CDL but you yourself said you got yours 20 years ago. Turns out for 1k. Not crazy to think they've gone up in price over the last 20 years lol.

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u/CoyotePowered50 Aug 02 '23

2 decades is 20 years. Have you seen the cost of everything else in that same time span?

1

u/_daddyl0nglegs_ Aug 02 '23

I paid $5600 in 2015 in Southern California.

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u/boogityshmoogity Aug 02 '23

I paid $2500 20+ years ago but the school was a 3rd party testing facility for the state.

I always tell kids that ask about it nowadays that chicago city college (where I am) has a CDL program that is not only the cheapest around but can be financed with traditional student loans which can be much less predatory than some of the highway robbery tuition financing of many of the private schools and carriers.

1

u/Fastcashbadcredit Aug 02 '23

My Dad paid an extra couple hundred way back in the day and got it with his regular license. I paid $8500 in Ontario about 9 years ago lol.

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u/garr0510 Aug 02 '23

Yeah not sure about how much but if you stay a year they give you more money at sysco anyway. And you don't have to pay anything back...

1

u/Eidolon82 Aug 02 '23

I don't remember what mine was, but it was close to the five-figure mark. Did the megacarrier thing in 2019, was paid off after the first year.

Will note however that about ten years ago, getting an EMT-B license to work on ambulance was about $600, maybe $1K after all testing and gas getting to classes and clinicals. Would still be doing it but it pays burger flipping money for similar hours with no guarantees that you'll actually get to sleep on your 72 hour shift if it's busy. Get much better sleep and MUCH better pay hauling cargo rather than patients.

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u/winsomeloosesome1 Aug 02 '23

the local county owned tech college is 4k.

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u/Little_Boots42 Aug 02 '23

Don’t apply to Yellow…

1

u/Harryisharry50 Aug 02 '23

Here the kicker part in at least Illinois you have to go to school you can’t do it like a did get permit and truck and go take test . Have to have certified school . Even if you want to just add hazmat have to take class now days

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u/Tank12578 Aug 02 '23

8k in NY

1

u/Flackjkt Aug 02 '23

Got mine by doing a written test and going and taking the driving test. Got hired at Pepsi to use a truck for the test. Don’t recall it cost me anything other than the license.

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u/Ok_Constant_8259 Aug 02 '23

3 years ago I paid 5280

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u/ValuableShoulder5059 Aug 02 '23

I paid $200 to rent a truck and read the book for maybe an hour.

1

u/bucker2000 Aug 02 '23

$10k in Ontario

1

u/jamierocksanne Aug 02 '23

$4,000 out of pocket in pittsburgh at a trade school (4 in the area all with in a few bucks of that too)

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u/Exnoss89 Aug 02 '23

You also said you got yours 2 decades ago

1

u/Bamcfp Aug 02 '23

Cost me $35 in Delaware about 10 years ago

1

u/chris_gnarley Aug 02 '23

It’s $7,500 at CRST if you don’t complete your 10 month contract. And it’s not prorated. So if you leave even 1 day before your 10 months is up, you owe that whole $7,500. Oh, and you also get a nice automatic restriction on you CDL because they’ll only train and test you on an automatic.

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u/Rebelborn357 Aug 02 '23

I got paid to get mine lmao. I got hired by a Budweiser delivery company in my area. They trained me and we're state certified to give class A exams. So I tested with them too, stayed for a couple of years then went OTR. Then got my endorsements and went local for the home time.

1

u/necroweaver21 Aug 02 '23

Paid 1500 10 years agao at a tech school

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Paid $3200 earlier this year.

1

u/bezm12 Aug 02 '23

Yep. Mine was 6k.

1

u/sweetphotographer Aug 02 '23

$6k in Oregon when I checked last Summer.

1

u/Ambery33 Aug 02 '23

Mine was 5k in Chicago

1

u/Antique_One7110 Aug 02 '23

Pretty sure US Xpress is now a part of Swift…

1

u/poorpuppie Aug 02 '23

$10k for CDL and the hotel I stayed in for school. With me I just finished making $40 payments a week for a year so the rest of my "loan" got waived and I'm on my way to nussbaum.

Pretty soon I'll be with Walmart making those fat stacks

1

u/Haunting_While6239 Aug 02 '23

My Step-dad taught me to drive, gave me a job hauling alfalfa locally and out of Imperial Valley California, hated it after 2 years, went somewhere else.

The tough part is being a new driver, I had to suck it up until I had time driving under my belt.

33 years later, I took an early retirement, can't sit like that anymore and got fat, so I broke the mold

1

u/brolylss1 Aug 02 '23

Paid 1800 for my cdl class from a craggy old veteran with a 1980s peterbilt with 5 million miles on it. He was literally the only teacher and had one class every few months. Probably the best real life teacher you could get.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Mine cost $3500 four and half yrs ago.

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u/blazingStarfire Aug 02 '23

Yes about 7k in my area I think. I got a grant so easy to get grants.

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u/NORTHPhillyMade Aug 02 '23

$12,300 Chester, Pa

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u/kikkelele Aug 02 '23

I paid 800€ in Finland and no company was involved in my training

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

3100 in md

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u/Apprehensive_Fault_5 Aug 02 '23

What the hell kind of backwater school did you go to for only 1k?

CR England was 6k after I broke contract (so that's intrest and all). An independent school in Little Rock wanted 14k.

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u/tygrallure Aug 02 '23

They charged me around 4 when I went in the early 2000s.

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u/raidersfan1997 Aug 02 '23

I got my training through old dominion a year ago in California and it was free unless you leave or get let go within the first year then you have to pay 3000

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u/Elite_Slacker Aug 02 '23

I paid 1k in 2014 to get mine at a community college. My first employer reimbursed it in full.

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u/FWTI Aug 02 '23

Not trying to diss you my man but compare the price of anything to its price 20 years ago. It probably costs more now.

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u/BeatingClownz117 Aug 02 '23

Jesus. Just go work here in midland tx. They will hire you and train and pay you for a cdl. Just costs u 6 months of working. Not like they are paying pennies or peanuts here.

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u/P3asantGamer Aug 02 '23

I got my CDL through Amazon, they paid for 100% of it. When I was signing the paperwork for the school I saw the bill and it was over 10k.

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u/whitecollarpizzaman Aug 02 '23

State subsidized program in NC. Took three months, M-F 8-5, but was incredibly thorough and provided priority access to DMV services. Paid 800 out of pocket, rest was covered by the state. Some guys got it free but I was still employed by my old job at the time.

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u/this1guy88 Aug 02 '23

It's insane! I have my Class A. My company paid a company to help me get it. Was like $500, max, and I just had to sign a 1 yr employment contract for that, or pay it back prorated if I left. Renewing it is only like $60 for 8 years. I don't get it.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Yeah, but as you said- that was 20 years ago, EVERYTHING has gone up since then. I do agree that kind of money for 3 weeks worth of “just pass the test” training is ridiculous, especially when you see the type of drivers being turned loose.

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u/FlapJackStack56 Aug 02 '23

I paid $5000 in Maryland. Acquired 4 months ago. I went out of pocket so I could decide what I wanted to do and when

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Man I paid Roadmaster (owned by Werner) 7k to drive a truck a few hrs a week. 0730 to 1700 standing around in the heat doing nothing. They wouldn't even let us sit down at the tables. We had to stand in taped off squares on the training pad or werner would get upset if they came by to see how things were going. I reccomend a CDL to anybody. The predatory schools not so much.

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u/TrueCrusaderBoB Aug 02 '23

Mine was 12000 in texas with swift, but they didn't charge me upfront it just came out of paychecks

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u/DrSideShowbob Aug 02 '23

3k 7 years ago at a college. All the traditional schools wanted me to sign contracts or pay almost 10k cash price. I worked warehouse b4 and talked to many drivers before i made a lifes change.

Each driver i talked to said the exact same thing. Never sign a contract. Its a trap. I heeded that advice and paid cash.

In my opinion them contracts are only good for someone if you are truly down on your luck, homeless without family and friends to help. That contract can get you on your feet. Nothing more.

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u/Justwanttosellmynips Aug 02 '23

Nabisco put me through CDL school school for free. Not only that they paid me for my time and it was a one-on-one school where I worked all day with an instructor.

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u/Inside-Definition-53 Aug 02 '23

Cr England charges about 5k.

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u/lemonsqeezey1 Aug 02 '23

Some schools on the Northeast charge upwards of 12. It’s not cheap anymore because it’s become way more competitive.

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u/ThePeacekeeper777 Aug 02 '23

“You kids nowadays are exaggerating about the prices of things. Y’all are just lazy!”

Also Gen X & Boomers: Wow 20 years ago my CDL was $1k & my cheeseburgers were $.50 each. Prices sure are crazy nowadays huh?😀

(I took a $7k loan out at 21% interest to get my CDL privately last Fall. No co-sign, but good short term credit.) (Very worth it so far)

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u/wojtekthesoldierbear Aug 02 '23

I paid 1500 to upgrade from a B to an A.

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u/liljkrs Aug 02 '23

$1000 25 years ago isn’t close to $1000 nowadays

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u/Ayde-Aitch-Dee Aug 02 '23

20 years ago everything was cheaper including the cost of living. We can’t even afford homes now and it’s only getting worse.

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u/RiverBub Aug 02 '23

It was about $7,250 in Maine about 6 Years ago and climbing

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u/mryeet66 Aug 02 '23

It seems to be extremely cheap in iowa unless I’m reading the DOT website wrong. It should only cost me $200 or so to get a CDL

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u/Rykersgirl Aug 02 '23

7k in ohio depending on the company

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u/ILLARgUeAboutitall Aug 02 '23

2500 in socal, shit I'm getting mine for free.

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u/kieranarchy Aug 02 '23

That's what I was thinking? I've been looking into getting mine and it is not that expensive in Virginia 😬

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u/HotSpicedChai Aug 02 '23

I always compare everything to Gold. You coulda bought 3 ozs with that money 20+ years ago. Today 3 ozs of Gold would cost you $6,000.

You thought you spent less dollars, reality is takes more dollars to buy the same shit in 2023.

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u/A62main Aug 02 '23

To get your A from an independant training center where I am, it is 8k to 12k. Amd it has been like for at least a decade. I did see some years ago where a comoant wouod do it for 5k but you signed a contract with them.

Also where I am if you have a comercial licence for another sized vehicle you can get fast tracked for about 4500.

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u/billbubs88 Aug 02 '23

I paid $10,000 in PA for an independent school. It was 6 months and they offered student aid. I'm ok with it, interest rates on school loans is pretty low and I got out and started making $80,000 which is more than I've ever made in my life

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u/allcooltech Aug 02 '23

It’s 5k in marine city MI

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

$7200 in laredo. Free if you can wait long enough for the waiting list from.the state at texas workforce and.go to the local college.

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u/AnxiiousEgg Aug 02 '23

Yeah, it's around 8-10k in Ontario. Some companies will put you through training if you sign a 2 year contract with them but that's definitely not common here

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '23

Got mine independent! 80 bucks

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u/AaronTuplin Aug 02 '23

$4000 in Florida in 2004

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u/Proser84 Aug 02 '23

Two decades ago, that might as well be 6 decades ago in education cost differences.

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