Husband and Wife starting CDL school in Nov

we're a friendly bunch most of the time

 

There really isn't any difference in the quality of training between the two. Personally I would recommend company schooling. No money upfront. Why would you want to be held liable for a bank loan or worse yet, a government loan for school? Now you are putting your credit on the line. Plus if you default they surely will take you to court and garnish your future wages. I don't see why so many people are afraid to sign a contract with a trucking company. If you default with a trucking company they are going to spend the money to take you to court. It didn't cost them crap to train you! They are going to spend thousands of dollars to take you to court in hopes to get a $500 settlement. Company schooling is an excellent way to get your foot in the door with no money upfront. The biggest perk in going this route is provided you pass the test and get your CDL you are already guaranteed a job. Pass the test and you jump in the truck with a trainer and immediately start making money! In my world that's a "no brainer"!!!

 

If you default on the company training before the agreed upon period and do not reimburse them the $5K, they will ding your credit rating and transition your case to a collections agency, where at least they'll recover half. The collection agency will have liens placed on property after hounding you to death for months.

Same thing if you default on a private school and/or govt loan, but if for some reason you feel like the company you're indebted to is not working out after a few months for various reasons, you at least have a choice to work elsewhere. The financing is strictly between you and the financier, not a trucking company and their collections people.

Some people have no choice but to go with company training. For them its a good deal.
If you can afford a private school and/or get a grant of some sort - that's the preferred route; it leaves you with more options.

 

That's your "preferred route". Yes it leaves you with more options but most newbies end up going with the recommended top 5 mega-carriers anyway which all have their own schools to begin with.