Company Sponsored Training or Independent Schools?

What do you guys think about Prime training?

 

The same thing I think about all company training schools - you have no options. You're stuck with Prime. And if you don't stay a minimum amount of time (you quit or they fire you), they'll send you a big fat bill for the cost of the training.

You should find and read the tread from the guy who went to Swift's school and then they didn't offer him a job. He's screwed because he now owes Swift a chunk of cash for the school and no one else will hire him because the company that trained him didn't even want him!

That's what happens when you go to a company school and have only one place to go to work.

Go to an independent school, preferably a community college and you'll have dozens of options. And they'll even help you find a job!

I almost screwed up and went the company school route. So, glad I found this site and people here set me straight!

 

My suggestion is to look for a community college in your area that has their program set up to qualify for FAFSA (federally funded financial aid). Depending on your circumstances you may be able to get a grant for it. Or at least a very low interest low payment loan. Community college programs are usually spread out over a longer period of time and cover a lot more driving and menuevering than a CDL mill, gives a person more time to get used to driving and more experience. The certificate you get from one also seems to carry more weight. I'm just finishing up at a college and feel really comfortable with the drive time and training.

With getting the training outside of a company school I'm not a slave to that company till their funds are paid back. Plus, if you hire on with a large carrier a lot of them will repay at least a part of your loan.

 

OpenRoadDreamer is pretty happy with his Prime experience...: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/prime/143178-going-prime-time.html
I've spoke to many Truck Drivers about Prime at Truck Stops, and they all said good things about this company.

Going to independent school gives you more options, sure. Would that get me the option to choose for local or regional jobs even if I'm new? (I'd like to stay out West if possible)

 

Great! Then disregard all of the other advice that anyone here gives you and just go with the decision that you seem to have already made and go to Prime.

Just FYI, you can almost always find someone to agree with you. That's why you find the same company on this very board listed in both the "Good" and "Bad" areas -- because people have different opinions.

But if I were looking at a company or school, I wouldn't just focus on the positive input about the company/school I was looking at. Instead I would weigh the good with the bad and make a decision from there.

Rather than only listening to those that agree with you, perhaps you should listen to those who don't.

As the philosopher Dudley Moore (no, not the actor) once said, "I've never learned a thing from any man that has agreed with me."

Opinions aside, there is one fact that is pretty indisputable, when you choose to go to a company school, you have ONE CHOICE of where to work after you graduate. When you go to an independent school (preferably a community college) you have DOZENS OF CHOICES. I don't know about you, but I like to have as many options as possible.

As for local or regional jobs, going to a Prime school is probably not going to help you there either. As I said, you'll have one option with a company school. Going to an independent school provides options. But honestly, most of the local jobs that I see in my area require EXPERIENCE not just graduation from a driving school. I don't know about your area.

But you seem to have already made up your mind, so just go with your decision. Keep us updated and let us know how your time with Prime goes.

 

Thanks for that info almostthere, much appreciated! I've been looking for my best option and that seems like it could be it.

 

Frankly so far I haven`t heard anything bad about Prime, except the ones who went leasing their Tracktor which is a very bad way to start trucking.

I haven`t made up my mind yet, otherwise I would not be here asking questions.

I do know you have more choices going the independent school, but are you really sure 100% you`ll get a job at the end?

What`s the difference between an Independent School from a community college or a private school?? I`ve been looking at Western Pacific Truck School, any thoughts on that one?

 

I remember Western's commercials way back when I was a kid.

Have you called and asked about price? Would you be going to the Sacramento location? Unfortunately the Sac yard is not too impressive in my opinion. But that doesn't mean they don't have an off site location somewhere...

 

Well, I'm not going to pass judgment on Prime. I haven't driven for them and thus have no opinion of my own about them.

HOWEVER, if you "haven't heard anything bad about Prime", I would encourage you to do more research.

It certainly seems that you have made up your mind as every time someone tries to caution you about Prime, you jump to their defense citing a handful of people that you've communicated with who think that Prime is fine.

So, perhaps rather than defending Prime at every opportunity, you should actually consider the opinions of those willing to take the time to respond to your questions. Otherwise, it's a waste of yours and our time.

As I said, if you feel so confident in Prime, then go to their school and don't look back.

There is very little in this life that I'm "sure 100%" about.

Both the CDL mills and community colleges will help you find opportunities, but it's up to you to actually GET the job.

BTW, you do know that going to a company school does not mean that you'll actually get a job with that company, right?

I've read a number of stories of people who went to a company school and then either didn't get a job with the company at all, or got a job with the company and then were dismissed shortly afterwards. And after they were dismissed received a bill from the company for the cost of the driving school.

So, going to a company driving school doesn't seem to have any advantages over an independent school and many more disadvantages.


BTW, I started applying at companies as soon as I had an estimated graduation date and I've received "approval for hires" at all but a couple.

So, now it's just a matter of deciding which companies' orientations that I want to attend. While you'll have one choice coming out of the Prime school, I have 5 and counting.

There are a number of threads on this site on that topic.

Here's one: Community College or CDL Mill

As for Western Pacific Truck School, I don't know anything about them and thus am in no position to offer an opinion about that specific school.

I personally feel that community colleges are better than the CDL mills, for a number of reasons discussed in the thread I cited above.

But, like everything else, you'll find opinions on both sides of the argument. I mean there are plenty of people who actually think they received their money's worth by "attending" the University of Phoenix online. And then there are companies that won't hire anyone with a degree from University of Phoenix online.

 

They ask for about $4.500, and I would probably go to Modesto or Stockton if I choose them.

I`m sure that you will find in any company or any schools some folks that were unhappy with them, I doubt there are any of these that have only but good comments. When the bad comments come by to often, like for CR England, then yes there are no doubts.
I don`t claim to have read all there is about Prime, just haven`t heard much bad about them so far, but I`m still searching.

I find this part of your post a bit arrogant, if you don`t like my questions/responses, just ignore me, and please don`t assume anything for me; I repeat it again, I haven`t made up my mind to anything yet, and that`s why I am still here.
Saying that I "jump on Prime`s defense" is ridiculous, I just report what I`ve heard. For your information, I went also directly to some Truck Stops like the TA Truck Stop of Barstow, CA, to speak with some truckers; no one told me bad things about Prime; all said it was a good way to go...
Now, again, I don`t work for Prime, don`t have anything to do with them yet, this is just what I`ve read and heard. There is another place on the internet with great informations: Trucking Truth.com, and there again; good stuff about Prime. Again, it`s what I`ve read and heard.

Again, if anyone have an experience with Prime (good or bad), I`m ready to hear it.

Yeah I`ve read that too, but none of these stories happened at Prime. Again, I`m not trying to defend them, just what I`ve heard. And to me it seems like you tend of getting every company training in the same basket. Sure there are some bad ones, but I`m sure there are also some good ones, just like schools where their motivation could possibly be getting your cash. I`ve heard also stories on this side, where the guys were left without jobs opportunities once the training was done and that the school couldn`t care less.

So again, this is why we are all here, to get as many information as possible and to not get screwed. I don`t care if it`s Prime or a school or another company that I will go to, the point here is not who`s right or wrong, the point is trying to get the most informations I can to avoid making the wrong decision.

Thanks for the link, I will check it out. I do agree that you have more choices going the independent route, just have to find the good company to go to afterwards and hopping that school is really gonna get you somewhere. Doesn`t mean you can`t end up in a sh!tty one either...