issue with school I attended

Werner has that policy because it is in the agreement they entered into with schools. They get kickbacks from the school and priority recruiting from the schools by agreeing to not hire from other schools.
Every school they do accept is just the same as what you got. They teach you how to pass the test. I do not think their are any left that use the old way of training. Since early schools would be 8 weeks, 8 hours per day. And would really get you in pretty good shape to be on the road. Now the norm is 2 weeks 8 hours per day.
I went to school back in 1992, since I did not know anyone that could train me. I paid 3500 bucks (out of GI bill) and paid for an apartment for the 8 weeks of training. Since housing was not offered.
Back then you could get normal college loans from the government for school, and pell grants. Since they are all short now none of that is available anymore. Accept maybe at community colleges.

You will find someone that will take you. But most of the larger company's will ask you to do a refresher. Since local driving is not counted as experience, and they want school to start of OTR to be within 3 months in most cases.

 

it baffles me that local driving is not considered "valid" experience. doing local work in a large city all day long does not count but driving on the interstate across the country does. plenty more obstacles in a city then there are on I-80 in the middle of nowhere usa..

 

$2500 ain't that much, keep trying, you'll find something

 

Yup, lot of OTR companies don't recognize local driving, a friend of mine wanted to go OTR, drove local for 30 years, said he'd have to go out with a trainer for two weeks, baffles me as well

 

This is a very valid point, the thought process being almost to the point of being "rear end" backwards.

 

Not so baffling if the OP has only been driving a flatbed straight truck, as he seems to be saying.
The sad thing is... once you first get your Class A CDL, if you don't get a job driving a tractor trailer within about 3 months, the companies consider it "stale".

I'm not saying the OP has no hope, just that it's much harder to find companies that will take you on, with a stale CDL.

abodyjohn88,, was that a flatbed straight truck you've been driving?, just to confirm.

 

Yep, that's what I thought. You're not the first one stuck in that situation, but the reality is...
it puts you basically with a stale A license, with zero T/T experience.

That eliminates a lot of companies, even most training companies. Most will require a "refresher course" in your situ before they will consider you,
but you may luck upon a few that will give you a shot and be trained by them.

All you can do at this point is to call & 'knock on as many doors' as you can, to see who will give you a chance without a refresher course.
No matter what, and I know you're in a tight spot, but check out any prospective company as best you can, as some may be 'undesirable', even in your shoes.

EDIT/ADD: I see you're in the NY area. Another "round about' option...
Not sure if this option interests you, but have you considered driving a ready mix concrete truck?
Sometimes you can be a mixer driver, then more easily get in to driving a bulk cement tanker for the same company. Just a thought.