Choosing the Right CDL Training: 12-Hour Course vs. 160-Hour Requirement

Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by Pedro0101, Dec 17, 2024.

  1. Pedro0101

    Pedro0101 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 17, 2024
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    I live in Texas and I'm almost ready to take the written CLP exam. I'm deciding between two options: attending a CDL school or going to a company that pays for the training. I'm leaning more towards attending a school.

    Here's the situation: the school is offering a promotion for $1,400, which includes only 12 hours of training. They claim that students pass the test, but I’m skeptical about that. Additionally, I've seen on multiple forums that you need 160 hours of training to get hired.

    What do you advise? Should I go for the 12-hour course or the 160-hour program? My common sense tells me to opt for the 160 hours, but it is more expensive. Still, I wonder if 12 hours would be enough for me.
     

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  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    You're right; take the 160 hr. course.
    I'm surprised there's even a 12 hr. course offered these days.
     
  4. Pedro0101

    Pedro0101 Bobtail Member

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    Yeah, I am like, what I'm gonna learn in 12 hours? Lol. Thanks for your reply this just confirmed my thoughts.
     
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  5. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    Sage truck driving school in Dallas. You won’t find anything better and it’s about $5,200.

    Looking at what you posted..my opinion is that it’s a Clown school. 12hr course,Lol!

    12 hours won’t even prepare you to do a proper pre trip inspection.

    Sage is all one on one driving with an instructor. Start to finish about a month.
     
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  6. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    My advice is DO NOT DECIDE ABOUT CDL SCHOOL UNTIL YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT TO WORK.

    You wouldn't start driving now and then hope during that trip to decide where you wanted to go. You would decide first what is the goal of the exercise (good job) and then decide how to attain that goal.

    In general, no reputable company can hire you with only 12 hours of CDL training. The CLP is nothing you should pay to pass anyway. EVERY question is available online for free. This web site has free practice tests. I prefer TruckerCountry.com. But the state also has a free CDL manual with all the info in it. If you have no intention to drive CDL but having the CDL is just a formality you need to do your current job, pay for the 12 hour class. If you want to work for a living, and work for people that aren't shady and paying cash make sure you attend a 160 hour CDL course. Either way a CDL course is JUST TO PASS THE STATE EXAM. I'm sure you will ignore this advice, forgot to tell us you have 3 DUIs, 6 fatal accidents, and have been convicted of 1-8 felonies and 9 20 mph+ speeding tickets.

    THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE
     
  7. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    You need the 160 course from an accredited school. Get it through some shady place and you may find out later on that your CDL is no good, cancelled.
     
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  8. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    Most insurance companies tell the trucking company if they will accept a driver and actually insure the driver. The big mega fleets that do their own training have a little trick for that. They are self insured for like the first $1,000,000. So if driver rolls a truck the trucking company pays for that themselves. My first job was with mega fleet. They could take a rolled truck or trailer down to the frame and rebuild it back to new themselves. That’s part of the reason that pay so low. They are taking all the risk. They would average 1 rollover a week back when I was working for them. All them repairs add up. Ha ha but they did not have get insurance company involved unless it was something over $1,000,000
     
  9. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    How many hours actually get spent driving in the 160 hour class? I bet most people would get more out of two days of one on one than 4 weeks of standing around hacking darts and waiting for your 15 minutes of driving time.
     
  10. Knightcrawler

    Knightcrawler Road Train Member

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    I would think the "12 hour course" is just a refresher for those that let their CDL lapse and want to get it back. Of course a complete rookie isnt going to be able to pass a CDL road test after 12 hours...
     
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  11. Knightcrawler

    Knightcrawler Road Train Member

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    In some states the minimum requirement is 160 hours. 120 classroom and 40 behind the wheel. And it needs to be documented. When I went to school back in 1984, it was a 6 month course and I had over 200 hours backing up alone.
     
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