TDI Florida, legit?

I did not have $2300. But I qualified for the program for tuition reimbursement. I know people don't like recruiters but I do want help to get that 1st and extremely important job. I have been reading on the site everyday. I learn something all the time. I love LOVE2SWIFT journey. I'm prestudying. I'm worried about that air brake test. But I know I will get it down. I have a APP program for CDL to help me prepare for class also. I'm so happy for Chompi comment. It was a hard couple of days after I read the commentary from Crazy Horse. Thank you everyone.

 

So what are your thoughts on TDI now Shimimama? I'm trying to decide between them and Roadmaster. I spoke with a recruiter from TDI this morning and he tried to fill my head with promises of immediate employment making over $50K per year. I realize that a recruiter's inflated promises may have nothing to do with the quality of the education received.

Are you happy with your decision? How's it going with your new career? I'm considering making a drastic career change and any information you can share would be very appreciated.

 

I'm also interested. I plan to start TDI in Oxford, AL in the next week or two. Cost is a bit high, but if they can get me my CDL like they say, and have decent job placement, it will be worth it in the long run I think.

 

I went to TDI Sanford in 2000. Yes I had a job before I graduated. 40 cpm split team, and I teamed up with a guy I met at TDI that didn't smoke, lived in Orlando like me, etc. I can't lie, I made really good money as a rookie working for Covenant. Never got home though. I ended up buying a Honda to leave at Chatt, as I could always get in there and drive home to ORL. Of course, being the greedy SOB, I found a niche there hauling in their reefer division which made a huge difference in miles and layover.

Oh yeah, going the route of grabbing your CDL without going to school is not a good idea, and can actually hurt you if you don't have a real job offer FIRST!!! Insuring a rookie is all but impossible for a small carrier.

 

Some of the negative posts on here about TDI sort of had me worried, but honestly, any company is going to have people on both sides of the fence. Even if it's not the best in the world, as long as they can get me my CDL, and at least get some prospective jobs lined up, I will be happy. The cost is a bit on the high side, but so long as I get hired, almost every company offers to pay back what you spent at school.

 

I agree, as long as they teach you what's needed and companies will hire from that school then it should be fine. I can handle recruiters spouting bs, as long as I know it's bs. Down here, their price is a little cheaper than Roadmaster. If you're paying up front, it's $5K (same as Roadmaster). If you take out one of their loans the price jumps to $6K (Roadmaster jumps to $6.5K).

I read somewhere (probably here) that companies won't hire newbies if you've been out of class longer than 30 days. Is that pretty much true?

 

pretty much

 

Going to school without a real job offer is a smarter option ? (A pre-hire is NOT a job offer ) . Who told you that BS about insuring a rookie , the school recruiter ? I have personally trained guys from the warehouse to be drivers and the company had no problem insuring them . Going with the training mega carriers is the worst way to go . Will you guys never accept the fact they are not hiring because they have more freight ? Freight isn't increasing . The number of drivers quitting is increasing .

 

I have never disputed that the schools meet training requirements . But those requirements are only to pass the DMV test to get a CDL . Companies that hire from the school chew newbies up and spit them out . Run a trainee as a cheap team driver for $300 a week then replace him with another . CRE trainers have posted here documenting they are getting sleeper time while the trainee drives .

 

Well in my opinion, so long as the first company I work with keeps me long enough to get some verifiable experience, I don't really mind the low pay and overworking. Once I get enough experience to be somewhat desirable I can move on if I am not treated well. Though I have seen quite a few people on here who have graduated from 3rd party schools, gotten a job right out of school, hired while in school, and enjoy the job 6 months or more later. I'd like to think not every "mega carrier" screws every new driver they come into contact with.

Right now I am shooting for either Roehl or Prime, if either will have me. I'm just going to go with the flow and see what happens. Hopefully it will all work out eventually, even if there are some bumps along the way.