how much does a school have to do with driving skills

Ok, I am not no advanced intellect person, but I am intuitive when it comes to learning how to do things.

I am faced with a school wanting to charge like 4000 bucks vs a school that will charge like 2500 bucks.

There are advantages with the more expensive school, they seem to be professional and have established more locations.

I figured that most of what a trucker will know is hands on; no doubt. So my question is, should I just get my cdl with the cheaper one and read a lot online of tid bits? Of course knowing if a company hires me it will be more training.

I kinda already have a job lined up with o/o, and I am sure they will use me as a team driver first. But like anything else you can't just count on that.

thanks

 

If the job with the O/O was locked down, I'd take the cheaper, if there's any doubt I would call around to a few companies and see if they will accept the cheaper one and/or call the cheaper one and see if they are affiliated with any companies...I'm going to a school(starts Monday!!!) that isn't approved by a company I want to work for, the company is working on getting them approved so I can work for them!!...I think spending a few minutes on the phone will get you the answers you seek but hopefully someone with more experience(and that could be almost anyone here) than me will chime in...I know the company was concerned with how much class and in-truck time we got so asking both schools that may be a start...GOOD LUCK!!

 

I went to an expensive school. The first thing they said was, "We are here to teach you how to pass the CDL test, you will learn to drive a truck when you get a job". Find out exactly what your tuition covers; materials, testing, etc. Find out how many students per vehicle so you can know how much time you can get in the truck as opposed to standing in line watching someone else. However, when you are standing in line, watch what the driver is doing and how it makes the truck react, you can get a great perspective by paying attention outside of the truck as well. Only your first employer will care where you went to school. After that, your experience will be much more inportant.

Good luck.

 

I went to a $4K school, 5 if you financed it through them. Yes they were concerned with the state test and CDL requirements, but they also wanted to make sure you were safe and could drive a TT without it becoming a 80,000 pound battering ram.

The OO job? A good question to ask is "Is your insurance company going to allow you to hire me if I didn't graduate from a certified school with 150 hours of training? Most small OO's that I talked with can't hire new grads at all. Their insurance wont let them. Just a thought.
Max

 

All they teach you is how to pass the CDL road test. Doesn't matter if it cost 1K or 5K, all it gets you is a CDL.

Mark

 

Depends on the School actually. I went thru A.I.T. in Las Vegas, NV. The price was out the door with degree for around 4500.00. They also have job placement, retraining, and even though it was a pretty decent sized class, the instructors knew who you were.
Included in your tuition is your passport card, and they WANT you to get as many endorsements as you can, even though you only need the combination and the air-brake. You can go back and get other endorsements later on, and if I am not mistaken, the school still issues you a check for the DMV.
Now, here's the kicker. If you go with one of the starter companies they push for; Swift, Werner, Stevens, Covenant, etc. Your tuition will be reimbursed to you. It is still your job to make sure the loans get repaid, but the companies put an extra 100 to 150 (depending on the company you go with) on your check monthly so you can pay it. Also, with A.I.T. you don't sign a contract with the company you are placed at.
Going with a lower priced company, you might ask if they offer you retraining, job placement, and if there is a contract and tuition reimbursement.
Don't go into ANY SCHOOL thinking they are teaching you everything you need to know. Their MAIN goal is to get you to pass your state CDL. Instructors that are SEASONED DRIVERS are a really good thing to have. I don't have many complaints about the Las Vegas A.I.T. school. I would recommend them to anyone in that area that is looking to learn to drive.