Roadmaster

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by ArmyGuy, Jun 27, 2011.

  1. ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    I start school on july 15th with roadmaster, I will be doin the weekend program which is 8 weeks long and im really excited to get this career started. I went to a seperate office of roadmaster and talked with a older guy there and he was really nice. He gave me some pretty good information about the school and some trucking advice. The only thing i didnt realize at the time was him giving me apps to werner and covenant before i even paid for the school lol. I guess the smart thing to do though is fill out apps for everyone i mean u never know whats really goin on as a newbie. A question i do have is do these companies look at who u went to school with or they more interested in you having a cdl and get u started with them no matter what school you went to. Also if someone has gone to roadmaster especially out of tampa im curious of what you thought about the school. I am a really motivated person as this career has to work for me so through the good and bad times of being a newbie the outcome will be me moving forward no matter what. I will be doing OTR for my first year as i want the experience to look into better companies or even local if they pay right. I have a uncle thats big time in walmart, he actually runs distribution centers and thats he can pull strings, i dont know if he can help me with only a year OTR but he if i keep my nose clean with one company for a year i think i will open some doors. Thx in advance for any comments as they are always appreciated!
     
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  3. Trashtrucker1265

    Trashtrucker1265 Road Train Member

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    I attended Roadmaster in Tampa in 03', you'll learn the basics and that's about it. My problem with them was that you don't get enough drive time, luckily for me I was able to pick up on the basics quick and made the best of my 2 driving sessions per day. They don't take you on the road enough in my opinion, and there is no variation, they had the same few mile loop around 301 and the jail and what not, if you get the right trainer though they will break the norm and let you get out and run. Don't quote me on this but I believe the guy I rode with was named Art, he took us out around Mulberry and Lakeland and even let me drive down around Raymond James, this was a big confidence booster. Another thing is you don't get the feel for what a loaded trailer feels like, I went from training at Roadmaster to driving for a sod company pulling my first loads, big difference between an empty van trailer and a fully loaded flatbed pulling sod out of a cow pasture in Zolfo Springs, but I learned and I've stuck with this career for 8 years now. Simply put, utilize your time wisely at Roadmaster and you'll be able to learn a thing or two.
     
  4. ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    thx for that information trashtrucker1265, what about after you were done with school did you see any difference or hear of anyone having a situation where a company would look different at you because of where you went to school?
     
  5. The Challenger

    The Challenger Kinghunter

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    Trash trucker has it spot on. If you do the weekend class and night class, you will get more as you will drive and learn skills at night. More of a learning experience in my opinion.

    KH
     
  6. Trashtrucker1265

    Trashtrucker1265 Road Train Member

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    I attended when I was 19 so I was not offered placement assistance. Most of your big name companies will come and recruit, Stevens, Werner, Covenant, and some of the smaller guys like CT, Cypress, Windy Hill will make their rounds. My advice is take what they say with a grain of salt and come here for confirmation. Roadmaster will make trucking seem like an exciting career, a "paid tourist" if you will, but understand what you're getting in to. You posted that you want to get that first year under your belt and then start looking for better opportunities, find a company and stay put for that first year, it's going to make you look better in the long run. Most guys don't do this, me included, and by the time you're 2 years in to this career you're already labeled a job hopper, and with the way the economy is and trucking companies being able to be more picky you want to show a level of stableness with your jobs. Don't allow these companies to walk on you, but on the same note remember this is no fairytale.......Do you know what the difference between a fairytale and a truckdriver story is? A fairytale starts out "once upon a time", a truckdriver story starts out "this ain't no bull ####"
     
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  7. cadillacdude1975

    cadillacdude1975 Road Train Member

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    do yourself a favor unless it is totally unavoidable, avoid these fly by night places like TDI and roadmaster. search your local colleges for ones that offer a PTDI (Professional Truck Driving Institute) certified training course.

    i took mine from the local college here in chattanooga, they have a 95% pre grad placement rating, and it was a 2 month class that had well over 250 hours of training. not bad for 1247 bucks. most states have a technical grant that is offered, and i qualified for that so my cost was just 581 bucks. the state picked up the other 666 dollars.
     
  8. flatt

    flatt Light Load Member

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    Cadillacdude1975...thank you for this information. Googled "Professional Truck Driving Institute"-certified schools and found this one. Looked up the program that the TN Technology Center in Nashville has at a cost of ~$1400. I was trying to find something with a refresher course or training program that wouldnt cost an arm&leg. Think I just did! Their training program is an 8wk course, but having been out of a truck for more than 15 yrs, the cost more than justifies the amt of time put in (to me any way). Another reason I'll probably take the whole course: my younger brother is a state trooper and he's said things have changed drastically in the last 5 yrs so it'd probably b worth the time&effort (due to so many changes). Again, Thanks for the lead!
     
  9. Hanadarko

    Hanadarko Independent Owner/Operator

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    I don't believe that any non-company CDL school can legally have you pull a loaded trailer during training.

    I believe it's related to insurance reasons. My friend owns and operates one of the only few state approved CDL Schools in IL and I had asked her why none of the schools did this and that's what I was told.

    Made sense......:biggrin_25520:
     
  10. ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    I passed my test today!!!! I am offcially on my way to becoming a truck driver. I got alot ahead of me but I welcome the challenge. Roadmast in tampa was a average school imho. Ive never seen a different driving school so i dont have much to compare it to but for the money roadmaster charges and the teaching you get i dont think i would do it over lol. If someone is out there like me and just wants the closest and quickest as far as when the class starts then roadmaster should be fine. If you want to learn the most stay close to rich as he is really the only instructor that really teaches and tries to make you a better driver. He teaches nights so if you have that option definately go nights, i had weekends but this past weekend i learned more from him in one day then the previous weeks lol. Good luck for whoever starts there trucking career with one of these school, its not to bad and its just the start so once again good luck.
     
    Hanadarko, vmaggs, Raider90262 and 2 others Thank this.
  11. FLTeam

    FLTeam Bobtail Member

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    Aug 20, 2011
    Tampa, Florida
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    Armyguy,
    First, congrats on passing your test!
    Second, my wife and I are starting on tuesday. Any suggestions, tips, or words of wisdom that you can give us to help us out?
     
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