I want to become a trucker (still deciding what kind, but I’m hoping for something local) and the only thing that’s stopping me is I’m afraid I won’t be able to make ends meet while I’m getting my CDL. I’m living paycheck to paycheck on my current job so if I quit I wouldn’t have anything in savings to get me through the weeks/months it takes to earn my CDL and start working. I know there are companies that will pay for my classes, but will they also pay *me* while I’m taking those classes so that I can still afford rent, food, etc? And if so, how common are these companies and are how hard is it to get a spot with them? Any advice I could get would be really appreciated!
Edit: here’s a secondary question. I live in Northwest Arkansas and the most obvious company to apply at for trucking careers is Walmart. Have any of you driven for Walmart, and would you recommend others look into it? They brag about how they pay their drivers more, but I’ve worked for Walmart before (not as a driver) so I know all too well that they’ll promise you one thing and then throw every obstacle they can at you to stop you from actually getting it.
