This weekend was my first scheduled weekend there, $9000 class 24 weeks. I was excited for the opportunity. However..

Yesterday was my first day, they put about 6 of us new people into an already started class of maybe 25. We picked up in course 3 of 5, they said they just keep going through courses like a cycle as new people come in. We would go 3-4-5-1-2. Which is fine with me.

We get our books and everything, instructor seems nice, lots of experience under his belt, some 30+ years I think. Yesterday in class I would say out of 10 hours, maybe 1 or 2 of it was spent going over material or discussing things that matter, the other hours were spent talking about how blacks are an oppressed race which leads to higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes etc... Then we talked about politics a little, war, and today I went back in the morning thinking it might be different. One of two black women in the class decided to start asking questions about what some cb slangs mean... Not really part of the program but then the instructor somehow got on the subject of how banks steal money and loans and how his house caught fire in 1985 and about some lawsuit with the city.

By 10am our first break I was so fed up that I left, I'm going to write a letter dated today and request a refund of my reg. fee. Honestly I was excited to go and learn but no wonder the course takes 24 weeks

Would not suggest this school to anyone.

And now I'm frustrated because I thought I wanted to be a truck driver, and this is just a huge disappoinment for me.

I see that you live here in Pa. I have a suggestion for you in regard to training.
AAA trucking has 2 schools. 1 in Reading Pa and 1 in Harrisburg Pa. The school is a 4 week course and the cost is 5500. They accept 2000.00 down and are willing to finance the remainder 6 months after graduation your payments will start.
My wife attended the school in Harrisburg with about 5 other drivers in various stages of the program. Much of the time is spent watching videos and taking tests but they do have a practice yard for maneuvers (although it is small) for yard training.
The main point is this; This school has PA approved cdl testers that actually give the final road exams and if you pass they give you the stamped paperwork attesting to your completion. The school is accredited and has several recruiters and posters for companies willing to hire students fresh out of school.

Dont give up on trucking! Best of luck to you.

Hey Opi, i hope your still checking the site here, im a all state student here, i have 6 weeks left, and ill tell ya, I CANT _-_-_-_ WAIT TO GET OUT! , i started back in Sept. and the class room suck ###! it was horriable, my teacher was the Big Dave, aka the lier!, he fed us sooo much B.S. it was actualy disgusting! however, do to my finachal situation i had no chose other then to attend All State, they were the only place i was able to find thet didnt want $$$ upfront. so anyway, iv now been out on the range for about 6 weeks now, its much better then the class room setting, however, there happen to be a lot of people in my class, 10 of us, which the school concider's to be big, so it makes getting a turn in the truck a bit harder.
i hear ya brother, i will never, ever, ever ever ever ever ever ever tell anyone to go this school, im in already, i cant get my money back, if i could, I WOULD!,
well Opi, best of luck to you.
look into trucking companies that offer paid training, there are a lot of them out there.
again, best of luck.

Hey man. I forgot to update the post I made, I called the school and talked to a few people, seems things have changed slightly. As you said though, it's really my only option so I'm just going to put up with the bs and get on my way. My grad. date is set for June 22nd so I just gotta keep with it I guess. It will be worth it if one day I can make 40k+ a year and be on my own and support a family. Sucks that the place couldn't be better but oh well. When you say class you mean like the group who joined the same time as you, not the entire classroom. I think that there were like 4 or 5 in my actual "class" who joined the same time as me. What was it like the first time you hopped into a rig? I'm anxious

hey opi sad to hear that, but ill tell you, as you make your way through the school and talk to some of the students that have already grad. and are back to visit in there work trucks, listen to what they have to say, they will tell you that everything we learnd down there will the tossed out of our brains when we get out into the real world. and listen to some of the other instructors on what they have to say. knowing that i have an oppertunity to make somewhere around 50K my first year gave me some courege to bite my toung and just take the dang course....
the 1st i got in the rig was pretty scary out on the rd for the first time, i didnt know how to shift, i didnt no a dam thing, but we went around the block a few times, it was awesome!!! the 2nd trip, even better! its not worth it to explain what it was like, you just have to experience it yourself haha, ill private mess you if you can get them.

I don't think I can, I tried to send you one it said I'm not allowed haha. Are you taking the weekend class or the m-th class? How does it work, is it 10 weeks in the class and 14 in the truck? They pay for our permit too don't they?

haha come on, these are questions you should have known before signing the contrats haha, yeah im on the m-th class, i was in the class for like 10 weeks, and then on the range for like 14 weeks or somthing like that
if you live in pa the school pays for you to get your permin, you have the chance to go and take the test 3 times, when you go youll get 2 test, gen knowledge and air brakes. just study. there is a website, but the forum wont allow it.

Yeah I know..

I live in PA so thats good. What is your grad. date? Have you talked to any companies yet?

March 6th, cant wait!!!!! cant get here soon enough!!! now that im this close to the end, it seems like time flew by! i have been in touch with a few companies, not to many tho, im being too picky, i want to flatbed, and im only 21, and most companies require you to be at least 23, but im starting to look at some other companies such as Smith Transport, which is a van division, and they are based out of Roaring Springs Pa, and they start the pay out at .35cpm.
Hunt Transport
and Arrow Trucking both of which are flatbed, they are the 3 that im looking at for right now. im in no rush right now, i usualy like to put things off till the last min.
i sent you a private mes. did you get it?

Yeah I did, awesome I have gmail too, Im sendin you an email now