Considering CDL schoolin Columus Ohio

I'd go to 160.
Roadmaster jacks up the price, then offers a discount if you go with Werner, since Werner owns the school.

 

You won't see many trucks on routes like that; there's better, safer routes.
I was making some deliveries in Arizona one time and the road atlas showed a short route to my last stop. Had an erie feeling about it an sat there awhile contemplating what to do. Finally, asked someone about it and was told there's a switchback about halfway and a sleeper truck with a 53' trailer can't make it. He said you'll have to disconnect the trailer and get a wrecker to get you out of there. Better to ask and also look for truck warning signs which may or may not be there.

 

I went to that school back in 2009, that school sucks because the instructors are not nice. If you don't catch what there teaching they seem to be rude, cause it's me work for them, stay away from that school. They try to teach 6 students at once. There not worth the money for that school.

 

There has to be more to the story; no one fails or is fired for hitting a cone. If that story were true, every truck in America would be parked because there wouldn't be any drivers.
New cdl grads are fired for rolling a truck and have a new job within days. Something isn't right about that story; hitting a cone.
Now, don't be tardy or you'll have to stay after school and clean the chalk board!

 

I went to RM Columbus several years ago. Here's my take on CDL schools and my opinion on RMC.

Most large companies that hire new drivers require you to go through some sort of CDL School. Whether it be their own, or a private school. The vast majority of those schools are geared toward two things.

The first is taking your money. RMC is very adept at that. And the second is helping you pass your state's CDL exam.

They're not teaching you to drive a truck beyond what's needed to pass the driving test. In Ohio, they will teach you to back the truck in 3 different scenarios. Those scenarios will help a little in the real world. They will help with learning to double clutch and shift gears (big trucks don't shift like your Ford). And so on.

All these schools have the goal of getting you to pass the test. So, why would one pay $7k vs $4k? I did because I didn't know any better at the time (it was less that $5k then). And there were much fewer schools then.

Knowing what I know now, I would opt for the cheapest place I could find taking into consideration travel, food, lodging and tuition. But also, consider one that has some sort of guarantee. Like additional training if you don't pass the exam on the first try.

RMC has (or had) that guarantee. They also had at one time job placement assistance. But that was some time ago and things may have changed since Werner bought them. They had really good instructors that seemed to care. And would work with students one on one if someone needed extra help.

Really, other than the cost, the only thing I can remember not liking about RMC was the trucks they had. Pushing 30+ students through per week and the trucks they had then we're the biggest pile of crap on the road. None of the 3 would pass a full DOT inspection if for no other reason than they leaked oil from every seal.

Like I said, it was years ago and things have probably changed some. And last time I was by there they had newer trucks. (hopefully not automatics).

Good luck in your decision. Whichever school you choose, do your homework on the companies you're interested in driving for. And for God's sake, don't believe a single word a recruiter tells you.