here is the deal.
i can't afford to pay for training or be out of work for more than a few weeks.
so , i had been looking at driver solutions Co. sponsored program and was kinda set on going with them (PAM transport)
that is until the recruiter from Roadmaster called me yesterday.
he did a THOROUGH interview and asked me repeatedly if i was sure i wanted to go OTR.
i was impressed with the conversation i had with him (not the sales pitch part but the interview as a whole) and the training pay was 2-3 times that of driver solutions. (300 a week at D.S. vs 400-800 at roadmaster
i ALSO spoke with the school director frome SAGE in J'ville Fl. at lake city C.C. he suggested i apply for financing from the sallie mae foundation (which i did) but they don't "gaurantee" you a job right out of school which scares my wife silly

soooo any advice or things to think about would be greatly appreciated

i gotta go deliver pizza right now so i will see y'all tonight

anyone anyone??

I've researched for two weeks about which school to got to. My results are this.

Roadmaster, 3 weeks training, $6000, will find you a job with company that paid kickback.
National, also expensive truck driving training is not there primary forte, heavy equipment is, you'll get trained on outdated trucks.
CDL mills, a few hundred dollars, you'll barely pass the driving test but that's it.
Bradford Vo-Tech, very intensive 8 week course, 320hrs., $1600 and will help you find a job for life as an alumni whenever you need it. That's where I'm going because there is no PTDI schools in Florida.

thanks for yor opinion druid much appreciated i hope all goes well. you will keep us posted right?

Will be a little while though. Have to talk with my financial adviser among other things first, probably be around summer.

keep us up to date on how the school is Druidlogan hope it turns out good.......where is it located (Bradford Vo-tech)? why is it so cheap compared to the others, make sure you keep a baseball bat in the trunk just in case.

cool deal druid i gotta wait till end of feb. myself to tie up loose ends before i go.

BTW where in Fl. are you ? i'm in NW Fl.

It's in Starke. Idon't know why it's so cheap. I would have to guess because its a rural county with limited employment options; farming, prison or this. I was told by them that recently they are able to offer scholarships that would pay for it completely. That even I, a white, middleaged, middleclass male may even qualify for it. Never been that lucky before, would be nice.

I live in the county, Pat. The schools 10 mi. from my house. The first stroke of luck.

that is good to be so close