opinion/personal experience at best.
to summarize, would i call driver solutions again, NO, i would call a company directly and cut out the middle man. did they deliver what they said they would, yes, although the 40K is debatable.[/quote]
thanks for the info ...patman...

anytime!!!!

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.
-ACT YOUR WAGE!!!- DAVE RAMSEY

I can understand where panhandelpat is coming from about the automatic issue but to be honest would rather start off buy doing the automatics at first and get use to the way the things are as far as trucking is concerned.

I went to C1 (the school teamed with Driver Solutions) in IN a little over a year ago and ended up walking off campus because I was so angry with their program. They enlisted me in a classroom that was way overpopulated. Our time behind the wheel was minimized so that they could attempt to make as much money as possible shuffling in and out students. They said in their materials that it was a "three weeks training program", when in actuality it was two weeks and you could only earn the third week if you met up with their standards. The instructors lied when they told us that other trucking companies that paid more (more than their carriers) wouldn't give us sufficient driving time. The other schools in neighboring states might not be as corrupt, but I would be inclined to be skeptical. Of their carriers I'd say Averitt and P.A.M. are the best, but stay clear of USA Truck. I've heard negative things about them.

I WENT TO THE SCHOOL (IT WASN'T C-1 BUT THE CONTRACT WAS) AT AR. STATE U IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 30 STUDENTS AND THEY HAD 28 TRUCKS. I HAVE ALSO HEARD BAD THINGS ABOUT THE C-1 IN INDY.
AS FAR AS USA GOES, BEEN HEAR GOING ON A YEAR AND A HALF. HAVE FEW COMPLAINTS. BUT THAT'S JUST MY FIRST HAND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

__________________
tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.
-ACT YOUR WAGE!!!- DAVE RAMSEY

That is weird. I know a couple people who have gone through Driver Solutions/C1 Truck Driver Training in Indianapolis and they loved it. One drove for PAM and one for USA.

Also, my cousin just went through the school as an independent student. He paid cash $3,995 and is going to go with Swift. Since he paid cash he won’t have a contract. Most of the students there are in the Sponsorship program for PAM or USA, but you can go with Werner or Swift if you pay cash.

Have you ever seen the school in Indy? It is right off I-65 on Raymond street. Next time you are there I suggest you stop by. They’ll let you walk around the school/range if you want. It is easily once of the nicest schools I have ever been to and again my cousin loved it.

You should have paid cash for school. Like I said before it costs $3,995 and you can go with Swift or Werner. They pay better than PAM/USA.

Not sure what you were expecting, but if you can't make it through Driver Solutions/C1 I'm not sure you would make it through any school. From what I've heard/seen it is one of the better schools out there.

Also, what is wrong with USA? My buddy who drove for them liked it, and averaged about 3,000 a week. He doesn't work for them anymore, but he made it through his year and never really had bad things to say about it except for the truck he had was always breaking down.

Well, I'll let you know! Unless something changes (again) I'll be starting at C1 in Indianapolis on July 7. PTSI (P.A.M.) is fronting the tuition, then I'll likely wind up with Allen Freight out of Jacksonville. As far as what you've "heard" about a school or company, it is hearsay evidence by definition, and is inadmisable as "fact".

Do your research and pick a solution that fits YOUR needs, not someone elses!

That's exactly what I did. Good, bad, or indifferent, it won't make much difference a year from now!

__________________

"Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one's who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it."
(From a short story by Michael Gartner)
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Free information: Sometimes it's worth what you pay for it!
(Anon)
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You will love the campus. It is easily one of the nicest schools I have been to. Looks brand new and they have a bunch of trucks. Where do they put you guys up? A hotel?

Anyway, have fun in Indianapolis. If you are a race fan you gotta check out the track.

Thanks! I found the school on Google maps which now has a street view option in many areas. If you folks haven't tried it yet, it's better than I expected. Google hired people all over the country to drive around the main streets of major cities and surrounding areas with a 360° camera mounted on top of their vehicle. You can pan around and zoom in to see actual photos from the street, or satelite views (from the satelite, you can see students standing on the school campus outside their trucks.) I found the Motel they'll put us in, too. It's two to a room at Budget Inn on 21st street. You can actually appear to "drive" from point A to point B on any covered route within a covered area and identify landmarks and read street signs, like from the motel to the school.

I even found a recent closeup of my house here in Florida (If I'd been outside, I'd have waved), and I live in the boonies!

I continue trying to gather information (some of it is obscure and hard to find), and I just read a long post about one student's experience at C-1 Indy that I would have trouble coping with. She got maybe 3 hours total and maybe 70 miles in a truck before graduating. Three weeks of "stand around and watch this student's mistakes" time due to what I percieve as a shortage of instructors when she went through. I have 5 years as a Navy instructor and know that's no way to teach anybody anything. Still, I'm just looking to get the CDL and get on the road ASAP at the least cost, and this is about my only option. Any RECENT graduates, I'd appreciate a "heads up" on the current situation!

__________________

"Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one's who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it."
(From a short story by Michael Gartner)
________________

Free information: Sometimes it's worth what you pay for it!
(Anon)
________________