Hands-on training options in PA?

Most schools have on average 40 to 50 hours. I have not gone through one yet, but from what I am reading online, the majority of the content studied is in preparation for the state given written test, all of which makes sense to me. It sounds like most people just walk in off the street with no permit, etc.

I agree on going in prepared. Since there is so much info on this site and others, I plan on studying and taking the CDL written test before I have even signed up for an actual school. I can't imagine doing it any other way, but from the sounds of things, I will be in the minority.

 

mjf, I am not looking to avoid school altogether and although I’ve read through some of Joe’s other threads, I think that is what he wants to do but I’m not going to put words in his mouth.

The scenarios you outlined are the norm in the trucking industry, but not a legal requirement. I could go to any state DMV and take the written examination and pass, then either buy or borrow a truck for the driving portion of the test, pass, and have my CDL just like you do. Legally, I do not have to set foot in a school at all to get my CDL. While that may not put me in a position to get hired, I would still legally hold a CDL. I get the impression companies are looking for experience behind a wheel, not necessarily a piece of paper from a diploma mill.

But back to my assertion; the first part of all these CDL schools is preparing students for the written portion of the state examination. If someone takes and passes the written examination in their state (and that’s where the school is) why not limit training to the driving portion and reduce the cost of the training program?

I am an outsider looking in, but what I see in this whole CDL school thing is a racket of incredible proportions. The mega carriers must love this because they get thousands of people every year paying them for the privilege of learning how to turn a steering wheel. If you look at the cost of an average CDL school, it works out to about $0.04 cents per mile. So they run you through their CDL mill and pay you about $0.08 cents per mile less than they do any other drivers. Don’t like being an indentured servant? Tough sh**, there is a line a mile long outside of the CDL school of people looking to pay for the privilege of taking your low paying job. With the turnover rate in this industry near 100%, the problem isn’t with drivers, it is with the carriers.

 

It is true that the whole cdl "school" thing is the very definition of a racket. But the part of the equation that you are not considering is the insurance underwriters for the trucking companies. They are just unwilling, and it is understandable, to insure an inexperienced driver behind the wheel of an 80k lbs missile worth over a hundred grand, and pulling the customer's freight worth up to a million, without a bare minimum of formal training. And the insurance companies have decided that the bare minimum is 160 hrs at an "accredited school".

It is true the state will issue a cdl without any sort of required training, but the state isn't footing the bill when a rookie rolls the truck on an interstate off-ramp or trying to mount a defense in Cival court against a wrongful death suit. Even if you went out and bought your own truck and trailer, you wouldn't be able to get it insured without some sort of proof of minimal training.

Better start saving for school cause as the saying goes, a wise man never pisses into the wind.

 

I have the money to pay upfront for a school and I am not denying behind the wheel training is important. There have been a few comments now that seem to imply I am.

 

I wasn't implying anything about you personally. I was just trying to explain why companies require that 160 hrs of school. And that no amount of application of common sense or rationalizing other possible avenues is going to change the reality that insurance is king in this litigious society which we all inhabit.

 

I am a recent graduate and I believe it was money well spent. Passing the pre-inspection is possible if you have a truck to practice on that is the same as your test platform. The skills portion is the one that would be pretty hard to practice/learn outside of a school's range. Its possible but having 20+ hours behind the wheel with an instructor helping you is so much better. I was in the top of my class, I give that to my instructor. He busted my balls the minute I lost focus.
If money is an issue go to the unemployment office and get the grant. Go to a state sponsored school like a Community College, that's where I went. My school had a refund schedule if things didn't work out plus most of the younger guys were on the grant. The grant included fuel money to get to class.
Good luck in your process!

 

What about a part time school?pay half the price.don't know of any off the bat but have seen ads.also there's a fly by night option you get your cdl in like after ten hrs of hands on training.but I don't know what their success rate is though.are you a fast learner?you think you can learn everything in a few hours and lessons?if so then find a part time school in your area.you will have to attend some kind of schooling,there's no way getting around it.once you do obtain your cdl what kind of driving job are you looking for?

 

I get that. It does take a lot of time to practice. Plus, the pretrip portion is so detailed and they want to hear specific language as you point out every item. The schools are good for getting that down to a science so you say everything the examiner wants to hear. Some online resources for that are good, others, not so much. And I know that despite my own experience, I probably wouldn't teach it to a friend systematically enough for him to pass, so your buddies may be of limited help there.

 

idk what everyone is telling you about school but mine we had 40 hours of class time and 120 hours of actually driving, doing pre trips, backing(even though not alley docking cause my state is retarded and thinks offsetting and parallel parking are more important...).

If its an issue of you cant afford it, you can apply for the WIOA program at your local unemployment office and get it paid in full.