CDL school process

Stopped by the school today to drop off some pre-hire applications. Basically, as soon as you start school (or in my overacheiving case, even before then) you send what is called a "pre-hire application" to any number of trucking companies. They'll look at your background and references and if they like what they see, they'll send you a conditional job offer. Conditional on obtaining your CDL (commercial driving license) of course. That means there's a job waiting for you as soon as you finish school.

Once you obtain your CDL and go to work for a trucking company, you are a student driver.

Sometimes, you'll go through orientation at your new company and then you are paired with an experienced driver for a few weeks of additional training and mentoring.  Some companies require you to drive as a team (maybe with another student or with an experienced driver) for your first six months. Others give you your own truck as soon as you finish your orientation.  Each company is different and you need to read up on companies you're interested in so that you now what you're signing up for.

I have no interest in driving as part of a team, so I have not filled out any applications for companies with a mandatory team driving phase.  To each her own.