I was treated like a SWIFT employee when I went to research Georgia Driving Academy. I was approved for training through the WIA program. I wanted to research both schools to make sure I get a half way decent training. When I walked in to GDA I was treated decent. " Hi sir, how can we help you today"? Smiles all around. They had me fill out an application. They had someone named Carl, a career advisor speak with me. He was decent. I informed him that I'm going through the WIA program. He informed me that I had to speak with someone named Joanie, the finance manager, she handles WIA. Joanie treated me like crap. I can tell when I was speaking to her, she did not want to talk with me. She never looked me in the eye. It was as if she was just going through the motions of saying what she had to say to get me out of her office. Her office connects to an outside area. People kept walking in interrupting my time. She never said, "excuse me". She would just start speaking with whomever walked through her office, it did'nt matter if I was in the middle of a sentence or not. I felt like an idiot. I asked her why should I choose GDA over Daly's, I was redirected to Dave. Let the bashing begin. How can you bash your competition that bad with a clean conscience? He told me Daly's does not have a placement department, that their instructors send in applications. He also said Daly's lies about their graduation %. He said Daly's accreditations were fake. WOW!!! My ears hurt. I left there feeling like I wasted an hour.
I then went over to Daly's. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! The first thing I noticed was that their yard and equipment was a LOT better. I sat down filled out the application. I met with Stephanie. Stephanie was extremely professional. She treated me with respect. I had a extremely different experience at Daly's. I asked Stephanie the same questions, "Why should I pick Daly's over GDA"? No Bashing!!! All she said was the strong points that Daly's had to offer. Daly's does have a placement department! When you do your driving test, you do it on-site, at the same yard you been driving on in training. They are one of the few schools in GA that can do this. At GDA you have to schedule an appointment in Jackson, that may take up to 4 weeks to test!!! They have smaller class sizes for more personalized attention. I left there feeling like this is were I want to go to school.
I start school with Daly's on July 2nd. I will let you know how the training goes. If your are considering GDA vs Daly's like I have been. Do yourself a favor and visit both schools, I think the evidence will speak for itself.

Schools are a lot like companies. Remember to keep an open mind there as well! Good luck!

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Very true. My experience at roadmasters was good and the staff was professional FOR THE MOST PART. Remember they are in business to make a PROFIT. Luckily it was free for me.

You said you were in GA. Do you qualify (or have you checked to see if you qualify) for the HOPE Grant? Similar to the HOPE Scholarship for regional colleges and universities?

Man, I went to GDA. You would have liked the instructors. There was the "Ragin' Cajin" Chuck with inch long fingernails filed to a point. There was Chicken Bob. An old trucker with 48 years experience and owns some land and chicken plants down by Lake Oconee?? That lake in Milledgeville, Ga. There was also a guy who was the safety person for Gainey who gave a fellow student and I the blow-by-blow of his encounter with a midget prostitute.

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Fair Exchange Is No Robbery

"Leonard was the kind of ######### that gave Nazis a bad name."
"My greatest fear is that this world will eventually be overrun. Overrun by midgets. Evil, soul-less, albino midgets. God help us."

Testing out at Daly's this Thursday, 2/21. Finished the course this past Friday. I also checked out both schools and the fact that the state examiners come to the school is what swayed me to Daly's. I can promise you will have a great time with all the instructors. They all are pro's and make it fun as well. Stef. is a sweetheart as well.
Good Luck.

The problem with using the Hope grant is the schools you will go to (Tech or Community Colleges) for your CDL all offer courses that are 10 weeks long or longer. I don't know many people who can go 10 weeks with no income while waiting for their CDL. The training is better from what I hear, but there has to be a trade off somewhere.

LB

That is the same reason I didn't go the hope rout. I would have also had to wait until March to begin the school.
For those on unemployment, you can get something called a Wia or Wea grant thru unemployment. We had a few in our class that went that way. They said if you do go thru unemployment you will be expected to take any driving job you are offered by the unemployment office. If you take a non-driving job you have to pay the grant money back....Not sure if all this is true or not, just going by what I was told.
I went to Daly's and paid out of pocket. Took my test this past Thursday and picked up my CDL yesterday. Happy to be finished. Now just have to try to weed thru all the companies out there and try to find the better ones.