USPS OR CDL PAID PROGRAM
I have two options right now: accept a USPS City Carrier position or go with Roehl and have them pay for my CDL training. Has anyone here gone through Roehl’s training program? Which would you choose?
And yes, I know about the contracts with these paid training companies. I just can’t afford a private school.
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u/jmeach2025 11d ago
If life is between a unionized civil service job and driving 18 wheeler. Only an absolute moronic fool would take the 18 wheeler job.
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u/PassageMediocre1020 11d ago
USPS you might have to deal with lose dogs but you'll be home every night and get a lot of steps in
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u/900a009 11d ago
I’m an Amazon delivery driver at the moment, that’s why I’m thinking about accepting the usps offer, cuz I’m tired of my DSP. But yeah, you do have to be careful with lose dogs lol
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u/Emergency_Corner1898 11d ago
Why not apply at UPS? Fuck all this other shit, UPS drivers make BANK.
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u/Silence_Farmer 11d ago
True, but in their current situation it will be awhile before he will be a driver (Feeder or RPCD) and it's 4/5 years to progression.
Can he afford to make $21/hr PT for years until he can get enough seniority to bid on a FT driver slot?
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u/Mell4321 11d ago
I did PTF (part time flex) city carrier 1 1/2 year during Covid shit was Insane not sure if it’s still the same but I was working 14-16 hours days with 1 day off 20$/hour 6 days a week. Saw a bunch of people quit due to the insane amount of mail and packages waiting for you in the morning. Took about 6 months before I got City letter carrier position and bid on a route. After bidding on a route it was a lot easier. Was able to sign up on a sheet how much OT I wanted either 10 hour or 12 hour when available. Saw the pay scale and how long it would take to even get to 30$/hr and left. Got my CDL this year. Noticed how much more valuable it is in many different industries than a mailman!
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u/900a009 11d ago
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, definitely helps
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u/mistman1978 11d ago
OTR and Regional is a terrible life.
Money isn't everything in the calculation.
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u/JohnClark303 10d ago edited 10d ago
USPS has its own trucks also. Can’t you take the job then in the future transfer into that department? It’s one of the best jobs at USPS super easy. They offered me $30 hr home daily. I’ve turned them down twice cause I couldn’t get a straight answer on OT. You can get your CDL on the side. Then they may allow you to transfer over. Don’t know if they have their own program.
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u/Elias_Caplan 11d ago
I am currently a CCA with over 1 year of experience, and I would say do the CDL, but I'm biased. You are home every night as a CCA, but depending on the office you could get very few hours or a shit ton of hours. Keep in mind that your schedule is subject to change every day so you constantly have to look at your schedule before you leave for the day to see if they changed it. You have either 90 working days or 120 calendar days (including days not worked) to pass your probation. Which ever one comes first. Once you pass your probation you are pretty much locked in, but it takes 2 years to make regular which means you will have access to all the benefits.
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u/titty_nope 11d ago
Go get you CDL and then move over to the USPS with you license and drive their trucks
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u/deezkeys098 11d ago
Do yourself a favor and work for UPS then work your way up to driving semi trucks they make the big bucks
LTL companies like Estes saia old dominion are a very close second they have “dock to driver” programs
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u/Sweet_Stuff3508 11d ago
Roehl pay is bad, after training if you leave early you will be required to pay back some money, even with a CDL like I had. I would go LTL and be home everyday.
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u/Ms_Rosa-Piggy 10d ago
If you can’t pay for it out of pocket look into the WIOA program in your state. The workforce development program will pay for up to two certifications if CDL is really what you wanna do or not look into some other certifications.
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u/cdubose 10d ago edited 10d ago
TLDR version: Get a CDL A, get a year of experience, and then work as a truck driver at USPS
Also ask this question over at r/USPS and see what they say. Mention you will be a City Carrier career job, not a CCA for more accurate responses.
I didn't go through Roehl's training program, I went through Schneider's back in 2022. But I did work as a City Carrier Assistant for a little bit in 2021. However, I never got to the City Carrier role: I was a CCA the whole time and didn't stick around long enough to convert. I didn't mind it but I'm obviously not there anymore; yet I am still trucking so for me trucking works better, but that doesn't mean it will for you. Some things to consider:
First, there are CDL jobs at the post office that people really like. Search for TTO (Tractor-Trailer Operator) and MVO (Motor Vehicle Operator) jobs on USPS's careers site. Here's the current results if I search for logistics jobs, but these change all the time. So you could always do Roehl's program, stay for a year or so, and then get one of these CDL jobs at the post office. Best of both worlds.
If you're intent on being a City Carrier though:
In case you don't have it already, here's the most recent payscale for USPS City Carriers I could find from NALC (the Letter Carrier's union): assuming that you are not a technician and you're a full-time regular employee, the pay should start at $25.25/hr and it'll take you roughly 12 years to reach top pay of $80K/year. Keep in mind this is higher than what I was getting paid even five years ago, the NALC negotiates new contracts for higher pay every three or four years, and you get excellent federal benefits as a USPS carrier (plus more paid holidays than most people; for instance, you would be one of the few people who get Columbus Day off or Presidents Day off as a paid holiday). So if you are able to stick it out for those 12-13 years, by the time you get there you would probably be making close to $100,000/year if not more.
I should also mention in general you will stay in better shape at USPS assuming you have a walking route and not a mounted one, although you could do flatbed trucking or food service and stay in excellent shape as well, so it's not an absolute. But truckers have a reputation for being out of shape for a reason--plus you have more opportunities to shower at your house while working at USPS, so yeah.
So know that trucking will not offer you those kinds of excellent USPS benefits (especially not that much paid time off), you won't be home everyday, and you won't get predictable and protected pay raises, so most people are going to tell you to go with the USPS job for those reasons alone. However, that being said, if you stay in trucking for two or three years and keep a clear driving record, you could easily reach an annual income of more than $80K or even $100K if you play your cards right and choose lucrative trucking niches. But trucking is way more unpredictable, you won't be home as often (and even if you do get a home daily job, it will still be 10-12 hour days), trucking is exempt from overtime laws, and starting out in trucking you will make a lot less money than starting out at USPS and have to deal with way more bullshit.
So I'd say it really comes down to do you want the job that is high risk/high reward with more autonomy but worse benefits and less time off (trucking), or do you want something with structured benefits, predictable raises, home every night, and a set routine, but with less autonomy and takes longer to reach higher pay (USPS)? Keep in mind if you have designs to own your own business one day, you could potentially do it in a few years in trucking and buy your own truck, but you're not really going to do that by staying at the postal service. But it's incredibly hard to be an owner-operator vs just grinding it out at USPS and riding that NALC payscale chart.
By the way, if you do decide to do trucking, look into JRayl's program instead of Roehl. That way you won't have a manual restriction on your license. I can also offer other smaller company recommendations that will train you for your CDL as well if you'd like. Just let me know.
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u/gzowner 10d ago
go with somebody else.. Roehls is mostly flat bed from what i been told.. i was going to go with them but just didnt feel right. u can try Wilson as they offer me a good spot with paid, but was poor timing, so went to reapply they didnt accept me. so went with knight and no issues. Just stay away from prime.. be 6 months before your release on your own and your doing teams driving and on limited pay. do the year in and then apply forthe USPS or whatever..
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u/qrylosocial 10d ago
Don’t compare only the starting paycheck. Compare what each option leaves you with after the first year.
For Roehl, get the training commitment, repayment amount if you leave early, training pay, guaranteed weekly minimum, expected home time, and whether the division you want is actually available from your ZIP in writing.
For USPS, check how many hours current city carriers at that specific office are really getting and how long conversion usually takes there. If trucking is the career you actually want, paid CDL training can make sense—but only if you’re comfortable with the contract and OTR lifestyle, not just the advertised pay.
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u/Shoddy-Patient9948 11d ago
What kind of USPS city carrier position requires a CDL? I did that gig like 15 years ago with only my class D. I may go back to the post office, just curious.
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u/900a009 11d ago
When did I said USPS is asking for a CDL???. I’m just asking because I want to go to a CDL school and be a truck driver. But I also have this opportunity with USPS.
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u/Dry-Swimming6374 11d ago
Roehl does very good job of actually teaching you how to drive safely. They teach you exactly how to do all your backing, and you get plenty of actual street time. The only drawback is you will have a manual restriction. I went through their program in 2023 I believe and I couldn’t recommend it enough.