Accredited or does it really matter?

Not necessarily. Although, accredited schools do seem to get a lot of recruiters banging on their door.

A friend of mine got his CDL from a beer company, can't log or trip plan for crap, didn't know how to shift (even after passing his exam), I don't even think he knows what an atlas is and he just called me today to help him find an intersection on his GPS and I don't even have the same brand that he does, and he recently landed a local UNION job.

He's a pretty fantastic BS'er and does well in interviews. However, all of my truck interviews went like this, "I see you have a clean record, can you start on Monday?" End of interview.

So I would recommend the cheapest way that you feel comfortable with. Then ask lots of questions from experienced drivers so you're not a road hazard. Remember "always be learning" and of course, the number one rule of trucking, "don't hit anything".

 

Ask them which recruiters they work with, and call potential employers and ask if they accept the school you are planning to go to.

 

In many cases no, but larger carriers may have an issue with it. Unless your paying out of pocket you may not be able to finance a class if their not accredited. Carriers that offer tuition reimbursement also probably wouldn't pay back an un-accredited school. If the others are accredited, why take the chance?

 

A few companies want an accredited school such as hazmat tankers, but not all of them really care as long as it's 160 hr. course.Try these and submit applications during the first week of school.

Lynden
May Trucking
Leavitt's Freight Service
Abilene Motor Express
Magnum Ltd.
System Transport
Watkins-Shepard

All these hire new cdl grads with no experience. Some websites may have "experience required" so ignore that and apply anyway because some websites may not be up to date.Apply to all of them and take the best offer.

 

I would look @ cost first, accredited second. I see CDL schools charging $7K or more and accredited Community Colleges for as low as $1500. Most will teach you nothing more than basic operation of the vehicle. But if you have a good instructor, pick his/her brain about life on the road and real life trucking.

Also see if they follow you thought to road test and what costs are if you do not pass first time.

 

Getting your CDL in WA you need to go to one of these schools:http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/cdlapprovedschools.html

WA has specific CDL school requirements to issue a CDL. http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/cdltraining.html

PTDI "Accredited"? PTDI doesn't mean a thing. PTDI accrediting is the self-certification by the mega-crap puppy mills lobbing group. This is a lobbing group that self-certifies its self. Kind of like a trucking company that give it's self awards. Most of the PTDI do not even qualify to meet the standards of the WA CDL and cannot be used to get a CDL in WA.

 

i dont think the smaller-ish companies care if its accredited or not. the school i attended was not accredited and i had absolutley no problem finding a suitable job. (not with a mega)