Special Alert!!! Truck Driving Schools

As we all can see by the evidence on the road and in the parking lots of our great truck stops (HA) across America. Not all schools are created equal is an understatement.

I started driving during farm harvest in the mid 70s. CW McCall was being played on AM. My 1st OTR was in a customized straight hauling anything from steel and chemical to parts for Harley. There was real pride and professionalism back then and the public (4wheelers) respected us. I didn't need a CDL back then or a CDL school but when I decided to reenter the driving field I did.

After weeks of research checking out companies, schools including area vo-techs and community collages with all the cost differentials I choose MCT (Midwest Coast Transportation) in Sioux Falls SD. They had just shortened the length from 4 wks to 3. It was quality class room, not quantity and well worth the time and $2500.00. The cost covered everything in class plus rent on an apartment for the three weeks. Others stayed at the Days Inn with the basic extras. The required OTR training was 25,000 miles to qualify for 1st seat. I compiled [FONT=&quot]26,591 miles. Even [/FONT]though I didn't complete the required 1 year with them to forgive the cost (I payed it off) I would highly recomend the school and just the school. The teachers/instructors are all long timie drivers and teach more then the basics. You can find higher paying postions then what was and maybe still the basic offer. I did. Good luck to newbies n watch your back.

 

Ok, maybe I can get some good info here on this thread. I am in contact with Conway/CFI in Joplin Mo. about starting training and driving for them. The school is in Drumright OK. it will cost me $1,900.00 my part for 4 1/2 weeks of training and they pay the tuition. My part is permit,housing,food, DOT physical and drug screen, and CDL which I will have to move to Texas after. I think that cost about 20 or so dollars. Then with a finisher for 7500 miles and in my truck on mileage after that. While with a finisher it is .26cents a mile .30 censt a mile when in truck solo. SOOO finally my question is, Good deal or should I keep looking?I am really wanting to get with a good company and drive.

 

Read the Conway threads . Conway is a good company BUT expect to wait 3 to 5 weeks for a tractor . Latest post said 140 people were waiting . Ask the recruiter .

 

Con Way is a good company. However don't putt all your eggs in one basket. I took my time and weight out all the pros and cons. I went for the best dollar value, training period, and placement. Then I changes companies later after I had some solo miles and time under my belt. Check out the listed and voted companies.
[FONT=Tahoma, trebuchet ms, Arial, Helvetica]A Listing Of GOOD Trucking Companies:
In The View Of The Trucker's Report™. The link is [/FONT]http://www.thetruckersreport.com/good.trucking.companies.shtml[FONT=Tahoma, trebuchet ms, Arial, Helvetica]



[/FONT]

 

This may be a late reply but for what it's worth, the Better Business Bureau is funded by its members. (Member Companies). It's basically useless to file a complaint against any BBB registered company.

It might make you feel better and you may gain some insight into the number and types of complaints but these "member companies" know it's not a legal recourse of any kind for the consumer and you are better off just doing research online with forums like this. There is no resolution via the BBB process. It's really a very outdated marketing concept and wouldn't be missed if it closed up and went away.

Vote with your dollars instead, what few we have anyway.

All that said, most non-company related driving schools simply assist you in getting your CDL. If you take the training serious (wherever you attend) you will improve your skills but it's ONLY a start. Road time really drives things home but complacency is the darker side of experience.

 

i went to sage at fort pierce i it was a good school the teachers were great and the driving instructors were great all of them had the experiance of being over the road i mean 20 years plus , they tell you how it is , the training is good and would recomend them every time , i went to a very bad school before and it was bad , trucking companys can now pick and choise were they hire from which schools and the best , before they almost took any one ,

 

Don't know why I didn't see this thread earlier. I presume the school mentioned in the original post is the same one that's doing business now as "Volunteer Training Center, Inc."

I called them up a few weeks ago, and they want almost $5,500 for their three-week school. I've heard from a friend of my girlfriend that some of the trainers there are the same people who worked the school I did back in '96. I think it was only $1800 back then.

Many of the people getting into trucking these days are like me: Got laid off, need money. Singing up for another $5,500 in debt is a tough pill to swallow. The only thing that has changed since I last drove is the hours. I could read that in a few minutes. I would much rather take a test at the DMV and get my CDL back, or even use the $5,500 to buy an old K100 or Pete 362 and drive that to my job interviews. "See? I remember how to drive a truck."

 

I was thinking of going to Sage in Ft. Pierce. How much was it and what were the class sizes like?

 

my class was 3 people and the next class after me was 6 so its up and down , you can go to there seminar on wenesday afternoon which i would advise as there talk about the job and what to expect, this is not a sales pitch the price is writen on the board and it goes on for 2 hours , at the end he says theres the price , if you are intrested fill the form out , but go to this seminar first be for you sign up for anything, but i will say this , at this time jobs are hard to find at this time so be prepard to move to anther state if you cannot get a job in florida , but the course takes approx 5 weeks and the price is around $4800 this courses is the 160hours which most companys want for there insurance but check there web page for other courses, i hope this may help you ,

 

Thanks for the information. I will check out the seminar first and go from there.