Can anyone reccomend a good Arizona trucking school?

Make sure the place is a PTDI CERTIFIED SCHOOL

That will help your resume alot of places wont take you
if you ain't been to a ptdi cert. School

 

I went to HDS / Phoenix Truckdriving School and it was okay. No complaints.

They made sure I was prehired by several companies before I finished class - that was big help for me.

 

Spoke with SAGE in Kingman and was somewhat surprised by what they said. After explaining my situation as detailed in the thread http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...he-welcome-wagon/165370-returning-driver.html they informed me that to be considered by any company I would need the entire 150 hour course.

Seriously? I need to start from day one? I already have a valid CDL and medical card and have had one since 1989. I get it that trucks and trucking have changed a lot in the past 12 years but I'm confident that the basic mechanics of vehicle operation are pretty much the same. Before I left the biz in 2000 I had 11 years OTR under my belt. All I need to get up to speed is some range time and to be brought up current on things that either didn't exist when I last drove such as EOBRs or regulations that have changed or been added.

Is SAGE trying to snow me? Or is it as they said, no companies will consider me without taking the full course?

 

Hey Bashnya, you left trucking 12 years ago, that is a long time... even if you are out of trucking for only ONE year, it is highly likely they will request you go back to truckdriving school.
It is not so much the companies, it is more the insurances who have the say in this respect.... if they don't accept you, there's nothing any possible employer can do for you.

 

Do you live in Kingman? I might be able to help.

 

PM sent. thanks!

 

Understood. I didn't expect to walk into a company and start working after all this time. My issue is that SAGE offers a 40-hour refresher course which I thought was designed for people with previous experience who had been out of the industry so that they could meet the 'recent school graduate' requirement. It's way cheaper than the full 150-hour course SAGE is trying to sell me on.

Of course it's the insurance companies making the rules and how many of them are, or have been drivers?

 

thats very helpfull thank you.

 

I am currently going to AIT and am in their 4 week course. It is an excellent school. The instructors that I have dealt with are very knowledgeable and helpfull. I spoke to another school here in Phoenix and they just seemed to want my money. At least AIT made me feel like they wanted to teach me to be a good driver. Giving me all the tools I need to start the learning process once I get hired on. They do make sure you have a pre-hire in the system before allowing you to go onto the range portion. That way you are not wasting their time or yours.

 

Anyone live in Kingman and want to rent me a RV spot? I am going to Sage the 1st of the month.