I was on the other forum

Should you give up trying to get your CDL?

The short answer is "no".

But this answer first assumes:

• Your driving history is (at least) relatively clean;
• Your criminal history is (at least) relatively clean;
• You're healthy enough to pass a DOT physical exam;
• You have no recent bad history with drugs/alcohol.

Community colleges and/or tech schools are usually the preferred way to get a CDL, assuming each course in question has enough credit hours, and is also properly accredited.

Tell us the city/state that is closest to you--and the Forum here will offer some schooling suggestions for you.

Also: do you already have at least one trucking carrier in mind? Do you already have at least one type of freight in mind?

Those answers will help, too....

--Lual

 

Community college is better than any mega school. If you go to CC you’ll be recruited by many companies and get to pick the one that’s right for you. Go to mega school and sign the indentured servant contract and you’ll be tied to that one and only company and you’ll be driving a sweat shop on wheels.

 

You should go to the school that has a state testor on site. Aka the trucking school you are going to take your test.

Both company schools and community colleges stink.

Pay cash. Get your prehire letters prior to going. Any decent school will have a dozen company apps to fill out while you are there fax em over and give you a letter back saying so and so wants to hire you after you graduate from here.

I think I had like twenty options and ended up going with Conway just because they had drop yards in like every zip code that I could abuse and go be a tourist. They didn't offer reimbursement on tuition either and some of the other options did if you stayed for six months.

Just gotta do what's best for you and what you are wanting to do. Cc is fine but really I'd just goto a school that gets you in and out in three weeks and has a testing site right there.

 

Other Forum ? Theres ONLY TTR…….

 

I would suggest going with a mega. After CDL training (2-4 weeks depending on how you do and feel) and the subsequent 50K miles team training (3 - 4 months), you go solo. Now, the contract you'll sign is for 1 full year of service to that company. You get paid the same, no money out of your check. Each month takes a certain amount off that balance. After that first year, you owe nothing. If you leave the company during that first year, you owe whatever balance is left. That's really all that contract does. Free training provided you stay for a year, pay whatever is left if you leave sooner.

Even if you hate the company, 1 year is not hard to do. If you can tolerate the company, stay 2 years, and you can pretty much work anywhere your endorsements allow.

 

This is exactly how the process worked for me and I have no regrets. I did my one year with the mega and actually had a pretty good time, met a lot of good people and learned a lot. Never had any problems with pay, miles or home time.

 

There is not a CDL school of any type or make that will teach a person to be a truck driver. Their sole purpose is to teach you enough to pass the tests to get your CDL. Then you start the career-long process of learning. When the day comes that you know it all is the same day you become one of those Truck Stop jerks that have an opinion on everything and everybody. There is NOT one bit of difference between a trade school and a company school in that regard. If I took the time to list them I could list several bad trade schools and as many or more bad company schools. Same with good ones.

People really need to get this (school will make you a truck driver) junk out of their heads.

There is a VERY good trade school near my hometown back in Georgia. What sets them apart is they have two girls in the office (last I heard) that spend hours every day calling and speaking to carriers trying to find jobs for the people about to get their CDLs.

In the end, what makes me bristle is how people seem to want to sanctify the choice of school they made by running down other schools and types of schools. People really need to stop doing that. If you want to be critical of a school that is one thing. However, don't stop there. Articulate the reason for your criticism or for that matter the reason you like a school. To do otherwise is just childlike and irresponsible.

Oh, and for the record, I don't consider a person a trucker until they have spent at least a year on their own. Until then you are still in training. I don't give a dang where you went to school! Capiche?

 

I'd bet more than a few here never went to a "driving school" and still made it.

Do what it takes to get it, then the company yoy hire on with will finish

 

Reason most say that is

they’re sponsored by a big carrier.
When you go to their school you’re going to work for one of their companies that sponsor them.

You have to do your homework and finds good one or look at some of topics here about new drivers finding schools, @TacomaCatdaddy posted about a school not long ago, within last month.