Are there standards when it comes to CDL schools?

One CDL school I visited (it was basically a mobile home turned into an office, with a huge gravel parking lot) told me that after I get the permit I could go through his 10 hour driving program to get the license, all for $3500. Another school was a 220 hour program lasting for 6 weeks from an actual trade school for $6500. I see a lot of entry level jobs require at least 120 hours of schooling or I would have to go through their company training program and live with the trainer for 6 weeks which I DEFINITELY do not want to do. The whole reason I want to go into this industry is because I don't like working with people and have an introverted personality with average intelligence. I definitely do not want to go to summer camp in some guys truck where I have to smell his farts for 6 painfull weeks.

My goal is to get done with schooling and get hired and start trucking for real and not have to have training wheels or go through a probation period. Should I just do the latter option?

 

Clearly -- the following Forum thread was written with people like you in mind :

Werner Trainer Craps Himself

-- L

 

It doesn't make a difference whether you do company sponsored training or go to an accredited CDL school. The schooling itself is all about fundamentals and passing the test. You're inexperienced so yes, you will smell a trainer's farts for a few weeks. You gotta learn life on the road, which is a whole different lesson. With the trainer, you'll learn about trucking, the job/lifestyle. After schooling, there is way more to learn.

 

I thought if you go to an accredited school you are good to go right off the bat. If what you are telling me is true I would be better off going to the cheap school then if I have to go through company training either way

 

160 hours. Don't go the cheap way. See if there are some state sponsored tuition assistance. Take your time.
But, yeah, it's 160 hours.

 

To me, I see nothing wrong with either route. I went to a private CDL school, then went to a company. Went out with a trainer for a month. Others go to the school a company provides, then has a job with the company for year to pay it off. Still goes out with a trainer. CDL school is one thing, yhe first step. Going out with a trainer is another thing. The next step. The only advantage of going to a private CDL school is that you're going to have a few more options (not a high number) of companies to choose from, I'm not so sure that's necessarily an advantage. There are drivers that have been successful with either method. It's just about what sounds better to you

 

Western Express if the only company I know of that will hire from that 10 hr. cdl school.
Schneider has the shortest training period that averages 11 days with a trainer after graduation from CDL school.
Contact Schneider about cdl school.
Here's two of Schneider cdl programs:
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Paid CDL training | Schneider
This is a paid five to seven-and-a-half week CDL apprenticeship program that is held at one of Schneider’s facilities. Students in the CAT program work with our expert instructors to get the …
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Find a truck driving school near me | CDL school
Schneider offers a variety of company-paid Class A CDL training options

 

Yep, right here says it. The more training the better, period.

 

Not always. I'm not sure if there is a rating system, but a mobile home in a gravel parking lot would send me running. If you can't tell the difference between an accredited school and a fly by night outfit, best stay away altogether. What I always recommend, is find a company that will put you through THEIR school, have a job waiting, and maybe even work off the schooling cost while getting valuable experience. They want you to succeed. A "gravel parking lot" outfit doesn't care if you succeed, they want your money, plain and simple. Please, don't waste anymore time looking into schools, when a company is the way to go. Good luck.

 

Yes, there is an accreditation system for CDL schools. I think it was called PTDI or something similar. I haven't seen it mentioned recently.That does not mean every CDL school is useful. Almost no CDL jobs are going to hire a newbie and put him to work without a "riding with a trainer period" no matter which CDL school you complete. That "riding with a trainer" period is where you learn 95% of the info & techniques to do CDL driving. We already have too many "I don't need to know anything to drive a truck" drivers on the roads.