Watkins/Shepard, Stevens, Werner or US Xpress

Ok, I have been looking on this for the past 2 weeks or so read through 1000's of posts. I was looking at Roadmasters in SLC, then found through state of AZ I can take school in AZ free to looking at Southwest Truck Driving School. Anyone have advise there?

Also any positive and negative feedback about these 4 companies would be good, I have spoken with the companies directly and they said wait 30 days and I could decide to attend their own in-house training.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

I look forward to your responses. This is an awesome forum and will be very useful now and into the future.

 

Rioman, where in Arizona? Do you have your tax forms from either 2009 or 2008? if you didn't make much you could get a grant and go to the community college, Then you could apply around wherever you want to, I can help you with this if you want me too, I am signed up for the CC starting May 17th in the evening classes. Let me know. Thanks TD.

 

TD, I am in the SE Valley close to Chandler-Gilbert C.C.. I just got off the phone with Roxy on of the recruiters from W/S, I am really leaning toward them right now. Next Class for them is May 3. They are just restarting their own classes. I want to drive ASAP so doing the CC thing really is not much of an option. W/S is only $4000 includes everything but food, I need to lose some weight anyway.

I am going to get in contact with some of their drivers to see how things are.

fell free to send me an email disneydadof4@gmail.com

Rio

 

Hello and Welcome to the Site It seems that you have already made up your mind. TD had an excellent suggestion for you. JMHO Keep us posted Best of Luck!

 

Rio, sounds like a good choice with W/S. Reading Warpdrvr posts, sounds like he is getting miles after he got his truck worked on. But thats trucking.

Thought for a while I might have to make a career change but my job is picking back up. For some reason I am hooked on this forum! LOL. Probably because there is a lot of activity here. Good luck.

 

Not 100% made up yet, but W/S is the only company that has returned my calls. I am going to look at the CC as well. I just would like as much feed back about these companies and schools. I just need to get driving been unemployed since September and things are getting a little tight.

 

This is a great forum. I am currently ready the 30 day W/S experience from Lynchmob since they attended W/S school and I am thinking of doing the same thing.

 

I looked online and the closest CC that offers a course is about 60 miles away in Glendale, AZ

 

It's going to cost you about the same to go to a private school as what these trucking companies charge. If the state pays for yours (and some states do) you might be able to attend a private school with no cost to you. (California does that)
That being said, let me reiterate what has been said many times: You are better off attending a private school than one run by a trucking company.
First of all, if for ANY reason you do not finish school at the trucking companies, you are still liable for the costs.
If you choose the trucking schools, you are an indentured servant to that company for a long time (usually around three years)
The Trucking schools will train you for what they need and it's up to you to get additional endorsements. Most private schools will get you most if not all endorsements. This may not sound like much, but if you end up leaving the original employer, having endorsements like Hazmat, tankers, doubles/triples, passenger...make you more employable and more attractive to prospective employers.
As for prospective empoyers...Watkins and Stevens are good (IMO). I think you can do better than the other two.
I have a personal preference, but that's because I work for Stevens.

 

After reading more and calling around I have decided my choices are Watkins and Shepard or Stevens. I have spoken to people from both companies Roxy is awesome and so is Josie. Also reading on the boards for hours both companies have more positive then negative. I Now to see what private schools in Arizona WS approves. I am going crazy with all this.