How to: Get Free CDL Training and Not Be a Slave
Read through any trucking forum, and you are bound to run across a comment or two from a person claiming that in order to get free CDL training, you must become a “slave to the trucking company.”
It’s a comment that gets thrown around very generally, oftentimes with a lack of understanding as to what company paid CDL training really means.
Below, we break down why such a statement just isn’t true.
Yes, There’s Commitment
While some level of commitment is involved in company sponsored training, it should be viewed as something far from being a slave.
In fact, it should be viewed as the exact opposite.
At least when it comes to PAM Transport, your first year is all about gaining experience and finding the right career path for you. Company sponsored CDL training is simply fulfilling your obligation to the company that paid for your CDL training, something that can be valued at upwards of $6,000.
With Driver Solutions and PAM Transport, our program requires you to drive for PAM for a year upon successful graduation of CDL school.
But, Look at the Opportunity
During that year though, you are going to get the opportunity to gain valuable career experience. It’s the kind of experience that will make you a better driver and open doors for professional advancement.
You’ll also have the ability to make up to $50,000 in just the first year and take advantage of things such as PAM’s Driver Mentor and Owner Operator/Lease Purchase program.
It’s far from the “slavery” that some claim the first year to be.
Make the Most Out of Year 1
Plain and simple: the first year is tough.
There are going to be times when things don’t go your way. But isn't that how the start of every job goes?
It's all about the attitude that you go into the job with.
If you go into the first year of a company sponsored CDL training program thinking you're going to be a slave to the company, you're looking at it the wrong way. This company is taking a chance on you and paying for your CDL training. You driving with them for the first 12 months of your career is simply making good on your end of the bargain.
But in reality, it’s about learning everything there is to know about trucking. Real on the road experience is one of the best ways for you to learn the ins and outs of trucking. You'll also learn to become familiar with the opportunities available, while fulfilling your end of an agreement that provided you with the CDL training you needed.
There are endless resources out there to help you make it through that first year in trucking. You have to know what to look for, and how to apply what you learn. For a few quick tips, check out our post on first year trucking success.
Start Your Trucking Career Now
Driver Solutions can help you get the CDL training you need to become a truck driver. Start your career now and you could be on the road making up to $50,000 in just the first year! Just take a few moments to complete our online driver application now.