How much do CDL class A courses cost

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by cao9924, Jul 17, 2013.

  1. cao9924

    cao9924 Bobtail Member

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    What is a reasonable price? I don't want to do it through a company. I want to go out to ND and have my options open.
     
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  3. MsJamie

    MsJamie Road Train Member

    Swift Academy; $3900 cash and go. No commitment.
     
  4. CaptainX3

    CaptainX3 Road Train Member

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    If you're not having a company finance it for you under contract, expect it to cost between $2,000 and $6,000 to attend a school. STAY AWAY from any school that promises you'll have your license in anything less than a month... At least two would be better. Most courses at community colleges are at least halfway decent and usually last a full 3 month semester.

    If you go with anywhere that promises a license in 14 days, or 7 days, or whatever, you will not get the training you need and will probably end your career with a nasty accident or bad mistake.

    If you're looking to start somewhere ASAP, you're better off getting the entire CDL yourself and then getting with a company that will train you properly.
     
  5. CaptainX3

    CaptainX3 Road Train Member

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    I mean no offense by this whatsoever, but I will say offer this fact:

    I have seen 9 accidents in truck stop parking lots since I have been a driver (about 15 months).

    6 of them were Swift drivers.
    1 was CR England.
    1 was Prime.
    And the last one was a Schneider driver, who hit my truck.

    I know that all companies have accidents, but I have seen an AWFUL lot of Swift trucks in accidents, both in person and in photos. I don't mean to insult any driver working there, but I would avoid their training program like the plague. It's obviously not doing a great job.
     
  6. cao9924

    cao9924 Bobtail Member

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    Captain, what if those less than 1 month programs are from 9-5 on M-F? I would have thought 160 hours is enough time, but then again I don't know anything about this lol.
     
  7. Wanderingaimlessly

    Wanderingaimlessly Medium Load Member

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    You can spend a year taking classes about how to drive a truck. It doesn't matter how long you go to class for. There is nothing that can teach you more than actually being out on the road and dealing with situations. One of the biggest complaints seems to be " I didn't get enough backing practice " and I then I hit something because I didn't get training. There is a good majority of people who should not be anywhere near a big truck. If you are a fairly smart person that has common sense then you should not have a problem going to a 160 hr course.
     
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  8. MsJamie

    MsJamie Road Train Member

    What you don't realize is that Swift has 5-6x as many trucks on the road as the other companies listed there, so given the tiny sample size, the ratios are about what I would expect.

    Remember, the point of a CDL school is to pass the DMV test. They don't teach you how to park in a truck stop, secure your load, or the proper way to fuel your truck. They may not even teach you how to do a drop and hook. This is why most companies send new CDL holders out with a trainer to run team for a period of time... to learn how to "be a trucker".

    FYI, Swift is working hard to change its image. Remember how everyone used to make fun of JB Hunt? Not so much anymore. However, it takes time to get 20,000 drivers up to speed (so to speak).
     
  9. MsJamie

    MsJamie Road Train Member

    I disagree. The advantage of going with, say, a 3 week/160+ hour course is that the info that you learn doesn't have a chance to get stale. You keep getting hit with it day after day, and it seems to sink in a bit better. The problem with going to school three days a week is that you'll forget half the stuff you learned yesterday by the time you get into class tomorrow.
     
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  10. CaptainX3

    CaptainX3 Road Train Member

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    Granted that Swift has a larger number of trucks on the road, but keep in mind that big companies like Celadon have just as many and I don't see them in nearly as many accidents.

    And I know that there are a lot of good drivers that drive for Swift that follow the rules and keep themselves out of trouble. But these two week company paid courses should be illegal - you're not taught anywhere near as much as you need to be before you ever take a vehicle out on the road.

    I have to completely disagree about the 3 week course. It's not enough time, even going every day, to learn what you need to learn. And those courses are only designed to pump out as many people as possible, and I've seen plenty that passed that should never be behind the wheel of a CMV.

    A 3 month course at a community college is your best bet if you want to be trained properly. I'm sorry, but the argument about it sticking better in a quick course isn't a great one - if you can't retain what you learned 2 days ago, you have no business being a truck driver, plain and simple.

    I think that any CDL course should last a MINIMUM of 3 months, or maybe two months if going 5 days a week. You just cannot teach vital skills in 3 weeks, especially when you have 30 students and 5 trucks to train them with, as most schools do. And I'm sure those who have had the front end taken off their trucks while parked in a truck stop would wholeheartedly agree.

    If you want to learn how to properly drive your truck, take the time and attend a good course from an accredited college. You'll be glad you did when you go solo and have to back into that tight spot at a customer, or you're dead tired and trying to get parked at a truck stop so you can sleep.

    I mean no disrespect at all to you MsJamie, but a lot of the problems and accidents out here are directly related to lousy training. It's something that Congress is getting ready to crack down on, and there are going to be a lot of schools that will have to change or go out of business. And I can't wait.
     
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  11. cdl67

    cdl67 Bobtail Member

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    X2!!!...I did mine in 60/hr!
     
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