Baker College Driving school

You would be better off with a longer class if you have the time, the short 4 week schools in the area teach you to pass the test, and not much more. Whatever you do, be careful with the smaller local schools like CDI! It seems like a bargan, the class is short, they never have more than 4 students at a time, recruiters from the big trucking companies that take on most of the new drivers love them, and everyone on staff is very friendly; but that doesn't make up for some of their practices. I disclosed that I was diabetic, but only on pills not insulin, and that I had been on prescription pain medication but was now off. On my first day, we were sent off for physicals and testing at the DMV, and I failed mine because of glucose in my urine. No problem, they said, follow up with your doctor, it happens a lot, stay in class while you wait. Well, little did I know, there was a plan behind that "stay in class while you wait". While I was dealing with doctors, I passed my classroom portion and was set to drive. I still didn't have a card, but the instructor told me to drive anyway, and being all excited, I did what I know I shouldn't have done. I was allowed to drive for over a week. Durring this week, we all did the standard things, like truck inspections were an instructor made a joke about another school's trailor, while there was no tread on our front driver's tire; and we got the standard warning that trafic tickets were our responsability, and I said I would happily take any violations I got as long as it didn't involve that tire. (there was a nervious laugh from the other 3 drivers, but it got replaced a few days later, even a small squeek gets grease when there is a mechanic on staff) I also got to know one of my fellow students who was dyslexic like me, only to find out he couldn't (and hadn't) fill out a log book. The instructors knew this, and when I ask why they allowed him into the school if he couldn't be hired anywhere, I got an earfull of stories that changed my mind about everyone at the school. The worst was the one about the student they took that was on Thorizine. I then read the tiny print on the back of my contract that said if you get through at least half of the class time, you owe all the fees. Turns out, they didn't care about keeping me in class because they thought I would be a good driver, or because they were sure I would get a good lab result and pass my physical; they were keeping me in class so that I would owe all of the tuition and not get a refund of any of my deposit.

Basicly, even though all I have heard about how long the Baker course is, and that it is harder, I would go with them over the small schools. They aren't going to be so motivated by money that they overlook things that shouldn't be ignored. I am not telling anyone not to go to the school I attended, it is a nice place (with old, but maintained vehicles) with a very likeable and courtious staff. I am just saying to be carefull when making the choice of schools. You will still most likely have to take a job with one of the companies that everyone complains about until you get time in behind the wheel, but you will be starting that company's training with more knowledge then just how to pass your test. And about that complaining, you will hear a lot of it. Just find a company that fits best with what you want, and don't be pressured into anything you don't want to take on. They are all going to have good and bad practices, but they also take a chance on the new guys. You will have to put your time in as a rookie, and then if you don't want to stay with them, you will have enough experience to try someone else.

I'm sure if this is seen by the school's staff, there will be a huge rebuttal about me being an angry former student; but I am not. I am heartbroken that I came very close to having a job that I have dreamed about since I was a child and my father drove OTR, I am upset that I have a huge debt that I can't pay because I was kept in class when I shouldn't have been (and the driving without a physical card is NOT the worst thing that instructor suggested) and more upset that my calls were ignored until I got one from an attorney's assistant who was rude when I dared to suggest a lower payment; but I am not just angry because I didn't pass the course. I passed the written part of the course just shy of 100% (twice), and would have easily passed the road test if I had taken one instructor's bad advice and gone trough with the last days of class and taken it; only to end up like my fellow student- a CDL holder who is inelligible to acctually drive a commercial vehicle. My motivation for writing this is my own, and nothing in it is false. I left out a lot I could have said.

 

I'm sorry about your experience at the CDI school but there are some things I would like to mention. Yes, you can drive truck if you are diabetic and on pills but not if you are insulin shots. I am not a doctor but I am under the impression that if you were on pills for your diabetes there shouldn't have been glucose in your urine - glucose would mean that your pills were not functioning properly at the time of your DOT. This would not totally rule you out for a DOT card, this would mean you would have to get it under control before you could receive a DOT card. If you could NOT get your diabetes under control that would rule you out.

As far as the driving while not having a DOT card, you are permitted to drive a truck without a DOT intrastate. You can not drive a semi-truck without a DOT interstate. The school wasn't not breaking any rules or regulations as long as you were not leaving the state and they had a negative drug screen on you before you drove on the public roads.

So, it may be possible that you could still drive but you would have to have a clean urine screen. I think it's an unfortunate ending and I believe the school had a responsibility to clearly explain things to you so that you would have remained in the program and gotten a job driving truck.

Drive safe,
Tanya