Do i have to attend a cdl sponsored school in order to find a job?

All truck driving schools are a scam.... They don't teach you anything of any value in that class.. and just show you enough to get you a CDL.. You leave with no real knowledge...... If your old man will teach you and help you..........and you can find a job.. that is the best route... I know 18 years ago everyone wanted a school..... Which was stupid back then..... and would still be stupid today.

 

I would disagree with this broad statement. Other than driving 4 wheelers and a few automatic straight trucks in my life I went to RDTC and got the CDL. I then went out with a trainer and got lesson number 2, not easy. I would tend to say that one needs to be motivated, try hard, ask questions, etc.. The trainers at Roehl were experienced and also came to work every day and put in a full day with us, we didn't mess around.

As for the business side of it I don't know all the ins and outs of the dollars. Roehl Corp, and I'm sure all the other company schools, have a lot of money tied up into all the equipment, real estate, employees, etc.... Just like any business, they would not last long if they did not charge a fee for their product. I would also like to think that Roehl is actually making some profit now that I'm driving some miles. I do know this, I haven't spent a penny out of pocket for any business expense, they pick all that up. The loads I run, I have no idea where and or how they set all this up, I'm sure they are paying someone to make those calls and arrangements. When somethings messed up in the timeline...i don't fix it but someone else does, I'm sure they are paid for that work.

A benefit to a company school, at least it was for me, was when I went out with the trainer I already had 3 weeks to get acquainted with Roehls operations and equipment. I'm sure that can be said for England, Swift, etc...

Wow, six months later and I still learn stuff everyday. Was just in a short discussion a bit ago about hauling reefers. I haul van and a few weeks ago I moved an mt reefer. I guess the days coming when I will end up pulling a full one somewhere and be responsible for making sure the load is cold. More to learn.

In conclusion, I agree that if you're dad can teach you or you are lucky enough to get into a one on one situation with someone that is probably the best. I think for the average person going into driving, those opportunities are just not easy to find. However, I think there is a place for the company schools. I also think that like any other school, success is made by the student. Some people are top in class, a lot in the middle, and then there are those that just don't make it. Don't blame the school.

 

There are no DOT standards or requirements for the training of CDL drivers only testing. You can walk into the DMV in your hometown and pick up the study manual, study the manual, pay the fees, and take the test. You will however need a truck to do the road test in and that's it.

Most companies that hire student drivers have a standard which is normally 150 hours from an accredited school. Every company is different so call around to a few companies you are interested in and see how many hours they require.

Why the short course vs. the long course:

Some students already have their class B and have been driving for sometime.
Some students are laid off or unemployed and need to receive min. required hours to find a job and return to the work force.
Some students have jobs and take the longer course to work it into their schedule
Some students want the full training and practice to have more jobs available to them and feel comfortable with the skills

Company sponsored training vs. non-company sponsored training

Their are far to many reasons to explain here why company sponsored/paid training is a very bad idea, if you really want to know there are a lot threads on this web site alone explaining the down falls and horror stories driver have been thru fulfilling those contracts.

So I will explain some of the benefits of attending a non-company sponsored schooling path.

1. Most accredited schools have FASFA and other financing options. Some state labor agencies even have free money.
2. Most schools offer lifetime job placement and normally know who is hiring locally before it is even advertised.
3. Most schools will have you pre-hired before you even finish schooling
4. If you attend a non-company sponsored training you receive all of the tax credits and deductions and NOT the company. Like tuition, books, maps, clothes, pens & pencils, notebooks, cost of a laptop/computer, cost of a printer, ink, paper, cost of the medical exam, permitting fees, meals, travel expenses, etc..
5. Normally you will start with a higher CPM rate than drivers coming out of their own school.
6. Most companies have tuition reimbursement up to $10,000 which is paid directly to you weekly or monthly with no contract.
7. You can leave the company anytime you want because you owe them ZERO!
8. When you are in school you may find you like hauling something different than what you thought or you may receive better job offers. You are not locked into one company for the next 12-15 months so you can do whatever you want.

 

No you don't

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