Quality Drivers School - Celadon Trucking - Indianapolis, IN - 2013

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by DocComm2, Jun 27, 2013.

  1. DocComm2

    DocComm2 Bobtail Member

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    Greetings to all who look at this. I decided to blog my experience joining Quality Drivers School/Celadon Trucking so people can hear what it is like. I am also doing a vLog on YouTube under my account there, simusiccreation. I will post video experiences, as I can, as well as a description of each day. So, let me give you a little background.

    I am 38 years old. I am married with 5 children ranging in age from 21 to 16. I married a wonderful woman with 3 children and I have 2 of my own. We have 2 still living in the house with us and they are preoccupied with school and their jobs, boyfriends, girlfriend, etc. So, after an in-depth talk with my wife, we agreed that it was time for me to look in to trucking. I have always had a desire to be a professional driver, but other life events have kept me from that pursuit.

    So, this part might seem strange. I am doing things a little backwards from the way many drivers I know, and have known, do things. I have been to college. I have a degree in electronics. I have worked in the telecommunications industry for more than 15 years. I have many certifications, and even started my own tech company. So, you ask, why am I looking to change my whole career path - that is easy. I was a field service tech for most of those 15 years. I got paid well to drive from place to place performing repairs on customer equipment. When I decided to start a company with my business partner, I knew that would mean coming in off the road and being in an office every day. I convinced myself that I was cool with the idea. But, I wasn't. And I am not. So, I am turning the company over to my business partner, even though I will still have some involvement. I am going crazy sitting in this office every day, 10:00 a.m. - lunch - 6:00 p.m. go home. I try and find things to get me out of the office all the time. Little projects that give me an excuse to leave for a bit. So on, and so on.

    Now, after doing a bunch of research, I contacted a few schools here in Indiana about their program. The first ones I spoke with seemed lack-luster in their interest and didn't even return calls or emails. Then, Quality. Three days after putting in my application, the wonderful Wendy called me. She was so nice and helpful that I was signed up and ready to begin on July 8 before I knew what happened. That is less than a week and a half! So, now I am running around trying to tie up loose ends here at the company as well as at home.

    This was always the plan in my life - in some form. I always intended to get in to trucking after my kids were grown and moved out. My wife and I would travel the country as owner-operators, see everything we can. Well, I will be traveling and my wife will be finishing up her school so she can take off on her new career. Right now, as I plan, I will drive OTR for the next couple of years while she wraps up her last of schooling. She won't have any time to spend with me anyway so it is perfect timing. Then, after she is done, I will look for a dedicated local that gets me home most nights. At least that is my "perfect" plan. We shall see where it goes from here.

    So, stay tuned for info and updates on Quality Drivers School - Celadon Trucking and I will try to make it as interesting and insightful as I possibly can.
     
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  3. yessir

    yessir Medium Load Member

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    Good luck, keep us posted and be safe out there.
     
    DocComm2 Thanks this.
  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    What is the cost of the school?
     
  5. whatthetruck?

    whatthetruck? Bobtail Member

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    hmmm...i suspect this is not a genuine post by a real wannabe trucker. I think this is a "fancy" attempt to create awareness of the company's school. I live in Indianapolis and I know celadon got a lot of tax credits to build a big expensive school. so they have lots of incentive to plant stories and testimonials on websites to try to generate buzz. I'm not buying it. this post sounds too fake and he inexplicably included links to the school and the company. who does that?
     
  6. DocComm2

    DocComm2 Bobtail Member

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    May 8, 2013
    Fort Wayne, IN
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    The school is totally free - from what they tell me. They provide 3 meals a day Monday through Friday and give you $50 for the weekend, from what I have been told so far. They also provide housing, medical exam, and the cost of testing at the BMV. The letter I received from my recruiter says to pack clothes for 2 weeks, blanket and pillow, and some documents. My situation is a little unique because I live so close to the center. I will make contact with my recruiter and get a few more details and post them here. Peace
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2013
    newbietrucker007 Thanks this.
  7. DocComm2

    DocComm2 Bobtail Member

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    May 8, 2013
    Fort Wayne, IN
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    Nope - I am legit from Fort Wayne. I have seen a lot of posts for other schools but none for this one, so I thought I would make the info available for those who are interested. I included links to make people's lives easy; so people don't have to scour the internet trying to find it. I like to be helpful like that. It is in my technician nature.

    Sorry you feel that way, whatthetruck, but I am the real deal. A guy trying to change careers. A guy who wants to share the experiences of a particular school that there isn't much info on. If I was going to the Swift academy, or Roadmaster, I probably wouldn't have started this. I do the vlog because some people like to visually see things. I started this because this is where I came first to learn about the different schools and companies out there. Truth be told, I applied to them 2 weeks after Stevens and Roadmaster. I didn't even know about the Celadon school until I stumbled upon it @ the in.gov website in a post about Celadon starting the school. I was researching WorkOne and grants to pay for school. If you want, I can post a link to the article I read.

    I actually started reading the DocWatson posts about his Swift journey. Thought I might want to go in that direction. But, Swift doesn't have a terminal very close to me, Gary is the closest, so I had concerns about home time if I went with them. Then I found sheriff1/6. I got a bit concerned about Swift after reading his experiences. That is when I decided to try and get my CDL on my own - so I wasn't tied to a particular company with some sort of contract. I contacted Sage Schools @ Ivy Tech in Muncie, got all of their info, and tried to raise the money to go there. Couldn't come up with enough to go to school there and live for a couple of months until I started getting a paycheck. After that fell through, I contacted Stevens, then Roadmaster, ending at Celadon. My first choice was, and still is, Sage in Muncie, but that just doesn't look like it is going to happen. So I am going where I can to move forward in this plan.

    Peace
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2013
  8. DocComm2

    DocComm2 Bobtail Member

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    Also, on the in.gov website, it says many of their tax credits are contingent on training and hiring Hoosiers like you and me..... jus' sayin. Peace
     
  9. Drachen

    Drachen Heavy Load Member

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    did you contact the driving school in Fort Wayne?
    fwiw Doc there have been people exposed on this site as company employees trying to talk up their company and shoot down nay sayers. i believe there have also been people fired as a result of negative experience posts on this site seen by their company.

    i do know Celadon just bought a company that was previously based out of Huntington. not sure if they kept the location there though.

    what were their requirements like for getting into their program? i've considered driving jobs before and am again currently due to irritations with my current job.
     
  10. DocComm2

    DocComm2 Bobtail Member

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    Fort Wayne, IN
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    I didn't hear anything about them buying out a company in Huntington, but that would be cool if they kept the location open! What a short drive home! The online app you fill out asks for the standard stuff - name, address, phone, soc, dl number, current/previous employment, driving record, convictions - the standard things from the other apps I have looked at. When I talked to the recruiter, she was short, sweet, and to the point. Background check came back ok, driving record came back ok, so now I am down to passing the medical, drug, and the CDL testing.

    I know about companies wanting to keep certain details private. If you have seen or ever have the chance to, check out http://youtube.com/bigrigtalk - his name is Jerry and he drives for Celadon. He said that their only main requirement is to keep shippers/receivers confidential as well as company proprietary info. He has tons of videos about Celadon and driving, and he talks about Celadon knowing about his channel all the time.

    All I can say is this - I do not currently work for Celadon, Quality Drivers, or any company related to them in any way. I hope to attend and complete Quality Drivers and be employed by Celadon - but that is an ongoing process.

    I did look at the driving schools here - C1, CDI - which I couldn't find anything on, and CDLPlus - which I couldn't find anything on. After I researched each of them I wasn't left with a very good impression. A lot of negatives about C1 out there. Not many positives that I could find so that was my deciding factor in not going there. Nothing against them, but I want to give myself the best chance at success. So, I have tried to make an educated decision about where I am going to go. I will say this - Stevens Transport recruiter line had an auto-attendant. Roadmaster/Werner had an auto-attendant. Even Sage @ Ivy Tech had an auto-attendant. When I called Quality Drivers, a human answered the phone. Man, that through me off for a second. I had my finger all ready to dial the extension of my recruiter when the voice at the other end said,"Quality, How may I help you?" I asked for my recruiter by name and the voice said, "hold on while I get her for you." Then, a few moments later, I was talking with Wendy, my recruiter. She asked me about my plans and what I was looking to do. After a few minutes she told me I was all approved and could start whenever I wanted. She offered me July 8 or 22 and I chose July 8. I can't wait to get started on this! I have always thought about doing it and now seems the perfect time - so, here I go! Peace.
     
  11. Drachen

    Drachen Heavy Load Member

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    company they bought was Hiner. i only know because WANE did a story on it back when it occurred.

    fwiw i'm in the area and because of where i work i see Celadon trucks at least once a day delivering to another company(not sure what the company is though) in the warehouse complex i work in. so i know they can most likely get a person home without too much difficulty.
     
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