NTI Scarborough Maine

I originally got my CDL in 2000 but I moved to Alaska for several years and my CDL expired so I had to go through all of the pomp and circumstance to get it again. The school I originally went to was bought out by NTI and they're about the only game in town up here. So, it was either go to NTI or do it on my own. I chose NTI when it turns out I probably would have been better off doing it on my own.
I borrowed $6,500 from my 401K to pay for the school. The first school I went to years ago was about the same cost but a far better quality.
It started with the classroom. Here they only go over what will be on your written test. Skip the rest, or go over it on your own time. Even the stuff they did go over and have us highlight was pretty basic and elementary. And some of the important stuff that they missed such as legal weight limits and coupling and uncoupling trailers would have been much nicer to know for the beginners as opposed to watching YouTube clips on accidents on Donner Pass.
When it comes to the yard and your straight backing, forward offset, blind side parallel park and alley dock, you might have 2 trucks that are run it and or available. Then, you have 4 or 5 instructors telling you 4 or 5 different ways of doing things and that's if they're even around and not in their break room which is off limits to students. I understand everyone has a different way of doing things and some work for others and some don't but have an SOP and stick to it! Tell the students how the state examiners want you to do it and what their looking for, not what you do while on the road in the real world, that just confuses them. Oh, and measure the space between cones, don't just do the heel-to-toe, eyeball good enough method.
As far as the road goes, again it comes down to trucks being available and running. Most of the time you just go out with one instructor, when this would be the time to have another instructor go with the students so they stay sharp and don't become complacent.
The testing dates are another joke. Most students aren't even going for their road test until 3 weeks or so after the class has ended. That's a pretty big gap for someone that just learned all of that information and needs to retain that knowledge and those skills so they can pass the test. Sure, they can come practice... If there is a truck running and available. See a theme with the lack of equipment here yet? Plus a lot of them have jobs they're waiting on or waiting to get done.
There were many times there would be 5 or 6 of us waiting on 1 truck to take turns and practice with. Students would be having a tough time with something and the instructor(s) would be MIA. We would try to help the other students but that is a big no no. Only allowed to encourage them.
So, in closing of my rant, my honest opinion is to stay away from NTI. The $6,500 you must pay up front is criminal at best. You would probably be better off going out of state, through a company sponsored CDL program or doing it on your own. Again, this is just my opinion and I wanted to share in case someone is considering this school.