SAGE Truck Driving School

SAGE offers a wide variety of truck driving and CDL training programs to meet the needs of students and employers. SAGE’s basic CDL training program is designed based upon the entry-level truck driver certification standards set by The Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI). PTDI is the country’s foremost advocate of national CDL training standards for truck driving schools. Each training program is patterned after the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Proposed Minimum Standards for Training Tractor Trailer Drivers. The programs are continually improved and updated by the schools’ program advisory committee, comprised of a broad base of the trucking industry.

One of the most important aspects of trucking is the great pay the industry offers. But when you consider a career change, there are many aspects of the job you should think about. If you want to get your CDL and become a truck driver, trucking offers many benefits to the new driver:

High-Paying Trucking Jobs: With starting first year pay that can be up to $55,000 per year, drivers have the opportunity to make really good money. And with the current driver shortage and the amount of freight shipments nationwide and locally, the opportunities are better than ever. Many first year drivers are earning over $1,000 per week, plus bonuses.

Flexible Lifestyle of Trucking: One of the things that attracts a lot of people to trucking is the flexible lifestyle. You don’t work normal hours, you don’t report to an office. Instead, you travel America’s roads on a more flexible schedule. You are on your own, responsible for your freight, and the non-driving time is your own. Companies recognize this and are doing their best to get drivers home and on dedicated runs that drivers want.

Job Security – Truckers Can’t be Outsourced: There is no way the job of an American truck driver can be “outsourced” to Mexico or China. The freight is in America, and the trucks that move that freight drive U.S. roads every day. So truck drivers who have earned a CDL are in a really strong position to always have job security. It is nice to know that a CDL can give you the certainty of always having income opportunities.

Huge Trucking Demand: Truck drivers play an important role in the U.S. economy. Most freight is moved by truck, and drivers are in demand to do this. Internet e-commerce and the “Amazon effect” have created even more demand for deliveries by truck. Drivers move the freight that is critical to the economy, whether across town or across the country. The American Trucking Association estimates a shortage of truck drivers that is expected to grow to over 50,000 truck drivers as this demand continues rising.

Truck Driver Benefits – Medical, Dental and Life Insurance: Most trucking companies have comprehensive medical and dental plans, as well as life, accident and other insurance. These are benefits that help protect employees and their families in the truck driving industry.

Plan and Save for Retirement: Most trucking companies have a 401k Plan that allows drivers to save for retirement. As you earn money, the plan lets you invest for retirement, and most companies will “match” some of the amount you put away. This helps build an account with funds for when you retire. In other words, you drive now and save for your future!

Paid Time Off: One of the benefits of the trucking industry is the generous paid time off for vacation, holidays and sick time. Everyone needs a little time off every once in a while. As a professional truck driver, you can take the time you need to relax, spend time with family, or recover from an illness.

Take Your Pet as a Travel Companion: Many companies have pet policies that allow drivers to take a pet on the road with them. Usually this is for smaller dogs that are trained and not aggressive, so consider taking them with you on the road if the pet meets company requirements!

All these great benefits don’t have an exact dollar figure. But together, they show how much value and benefit there is to becoming a truck driver. As you train for your CDL, your school will help you determine which companies meet your lifestyle and benefit needs. Drive on!

Most people go to truck driving school because they want to get a good job and earn a better living. For this reason, truck driver training can be a great choice for many people. That’s also why job placement assistance is such a big part of CDL training at SAGE. Not all schools provide comprehensive trucking job employment assistance, but we view it as a critical part of the services we provide.
Deciding which trucking companies to drive for is an important decision. But there is also another aspect of the job search. Choosing the wrong company can cost you more money than you think. That’s because there is a financial cost to the driver who changes jobs. For those who change jobs frequently, the cost is even higher.

While you are in school, ask a lot of questions about different trucking companies. We’ve talked about these kinds of questions in other Blog posts. We recommend you do this so you make the most educated decision about a job.
Studies have shown that changing jobs will cost a driver a significant sum of money when they change from one carrier to another. In fact, over a 30 year career, the average driver can lose over $100,000 in wages and benefits if they change jobs frequently.

Here are some of the costs that a driver will incur by changing jobs:

1.Immediate loss of income. Even if there is just a short break between one job and another job, there is a loss of income to the driver. Over the long-term, these gaps in income add up and place a financial burden on the driver.

2.Health/medical insurance loss. If you have health insurance through your employer, coverage is usually lost if you leave your job. This may mean that your level of coverage could be reduced, or that you lose coverage altogether. And it also means you will have to wait until the waiting period at your new company expires. This may mean going without coverage for medical needs and incurring unpaid medical bills.

3.Losing bonus payments. Many companies provide various bonuses for either signing on or meeting certain benchmarks in driving operations (safety, fuel mileage, on-time, etc.). Leave a company, and any bonuses you would have earned may be lost.

4.401(k) loss. Most companies offer a 401(k) retirement fund that includes a company match to the amount the driver saves. But these plans have “vesting” rules that determine when and how much of the investment the employee can keep. Sometimes vesting will occur over a period of years, so if you leave before being fully vested, you can lose much of the money you would be entitled to. In addition, your new company will have waiting period rules, which restricts your participation in the 401(k) until you have been with the company for the required period of time (for example, 3 to 6 months).

5.Loss of cash flow. Losing income is one thing. But a related problem is loss of family cash flow. You count on cash coming into your household on a regular basis to pay your regular bills. Having a break in the cash flow may mean some bills have to go unpaid, and a driver can quickly get behind since income may have stopped, but your regular bills have not.

6.Driver reputation. Keep in mind that every time you change jobs, it could hurt your reputation. Many companies are wary about hiring drivers that are “job hoppers.” That’s because they assume that if you changed jobs 4 times in the last 6 years, you will probably do it again. In other words, companies are reluctant to hire and invest in a driver who has demonstrated very little loyalty to other employers.

The bottom line is that it may seem like changing jobs because you don’t like your dispatcher, or you think a half cent per mile more is worth it. It might be if the differences are significant. But keep in mind that often the benefits of changing trucking companies makes sense, but there are numerous hard and soft costs to changing jobs in trucking. Often the one hurt by the job change is the driver, so take the time to think about how to find the best trucking companies that you can stick with for the long haul.

Don’t have your CDL yet, but interested in a career in driving?
SAGE has one primary objective: train you and put you to work in the trucking industry.

Whether you want to drive trucks locally, regionally or over-the-road, SAGE may be the answer for you. SAGE will assist in completing new truck driver applications, developing a resume, and working with you on professional presentation and interviewing skills. And our placement assistance advisers will assist you in evaluating many aspects of your potential trucking company employers, including benefits, pay and bonus packages, equipment and home time. Then we will assist you in evaluating the offers you receive. Our goal is to help all of our graduates with job placement assistance during the truck driver training program. That’s because the best trucking companies are looking for the highest quality students. They know that a better trained employee will be more responsible, more productive, and safer. And it also means that the best trained students may earn more money faster as a truck driver. With Sage’s training you may be able to be driving a truck solo quicker. We want you to learn more so you earn more!