My vote is for SAGE (a number of carriers use them as their school). The range trucks are a little.. old, but that's ok with me. I'd rather learn in something that's not perfect. A) I may not get hired by a company who sells their trucks before they have to maintain them. B) I feel less concern about breaking things

The road rigs are in much better shape (in fact, one here is a rental from a national rental company)

The instructors are great.. if you have a problem, they'll work with you to overcome it (one spent 4 hours in the cab today with one of my classmates who just wasn't getting backing. By the end of the session, well, his backing wasn't perfect, but he wasn't crushing cones any more )

One final advantage - if you are a student in the cab of the truck, either on the range or on the street, you are the ONLY student in the cab of the truck. It's just you and the instructor. Going through pre-trip is one thing, but on the road, I don't want to share my time with anybody. I need all the practice I can get.

At Western Truck School, there could be as many as four students in the truck. Along with the instructor, you get your fellow students critiquing you as well. Talk about extra pressure! Where is SAGE located and what companies use them?

I am going to be the last one to say how "great" Western Truck School is.... but it is what it is........... a CDL mill.

However, as a current student I have not experienced the rude behaviors that you guys have noted.

My trainers have all been really nice guys.... tired and underpaid... but patient and believe it or not......... fun!

Our equipment isn't wonderful but it isn't ancient.... and more importantly.... it is safe. We have 4 different sizes of trailers to haul (including 53') as well as a tanker....

There are 4 of us in my class - they tell me 3 is more common. The other guys in my class are great.... we are all VERY different (I could so go into stories already) but we would never laugh or make fun of each others driving! (Personality traits... oh yeah.... driving ability, no)

The school has what I consider cram classes that are 4 weeks (M-R 8-6 or 12-10)..... as well as 6 and 8 week night classes (M-F 6-10 or 5-12) and weekend classes (8-6)....

My trainers have been great....... they answer every question we have and they have no problem spending extra time with us outside of our "scheduled" time. I know they do not get paid for this extra work but my group and I let them know how much we appreciate them..........

It's just a guess....... and what do I know..... but maybe some of these "trainee groups" that you fella's belonged to weren't full of the most pleasant, good-natured, appreciative humans on the planet??

Like I said....... our trainers are tired and very underpaid....... but we know that the truck school got our money........ NOT OUR TRAINERS! ....... we appreciate the fact they are willing to put up with us and we make our time together fun (as well as educational)......

....... maybe that is why they are willing to put in a little extra effort for us?

(then again, it may be the extra shot venti mocha frapaccino's I bring every day... nothing like a little caffine to get the boys going....lol....)

Which campus are you at? Yes, I agree that the instructors are grossly underpaid and for the most part are pretty good guys. Did you say that there are 3 or 4 of you in the whole class or in the truck? What I meant to say about the other students in the truck is that you know they are there and just that fact is alot of pressure in itself.

I am in Bakersfield.

Yes, there are 4 of us in our class.... they basically start a new class every time they have 3 or 4 students.... (we started with 3 but one more added in on the third day and caught up)....

Now, please realize...... I think the world of my instructors and trainers (so far) but I do NOT have the same warm and fuzzy feelings for the school itself!

(you can search my other posts by clicking on my name I think?)

If you would like more detailed information I guess I could post a week by week kinda thing..........

Do you think people would be interested???

I think I have also posted a few things about Western on that "other site"..... l a y o v e r ..... same username........

There are 4 of us in the truck, which gives us about 45min of driving if we are lucky. They didn't want to pay another instructor to drive with us to give us more time. Anyway good luck! Oh, by the way, there are 13 in the class following ours...maybe they will get another instructor! LOL!

There are four of us as well so we get about the same amount of time as you each day .... however, our trainers are willing to work with us on their own time (read: off the clock - not paid by the school) if we want some extra practice.

Since I don't think you have trainers willing to give you their free time, maybe your group could offer to show up early for pre-trip inspections so they don't cut into your driving time? Just an idea.......

Have you figured out your total wheel time? It should come out to about 40 hours which is pretty typical from what I understand?

Gonzo,

I'm curious.........
What did your group do the first day you went out in the yard and behind the wheel?

Try 8.5hrs before we took the DMV test..... Some maybe had 10hrs, but nowhere close to 40!