St. Louis Area CDL Driving School Recommendations..

The following link would probably be a good Forum thread for you to read & think about....it's partly why I made an above post.

Also: it's rare to see posts/threads like this one here on the Forum -- about ANYBODY :

Back at Werner

-- L

 

Some more food for thought....

Given just how bad the state of general freight is right now.....I would recommend that you start off in a CDL school....like the ones mentioned in post #2 above, because:

• Generally speaking -- the quality of the instruction there is generally better.
• Those CDL school curriculums are spread out over a much broader period of time (an example: mine was 4 months) -- so you don't have to "cram" a lot of info and learning into a short period of time.
• When you finally graduate -- you exit to what is truly a CDL level playing field. Since you got those CDLs on your own at a separate driving school apart from any particular carrier -- your are thus beholden to NO ONE -- FOR ANYTHING. You are truly "free agents"....and can "shop"....until you're later ready to "drop".
• Suggestion: verify that any potential CDL school in question will teach you how to drive -- and final exam you out on -- a manual transmission tractor. Thus -- when you graduate -- you won't have an "automatic transmission restriction" on your CDLs.

Also: after you graduate -- go ahead, and study for/get ALL of the relevant CDL endorsements: tanker, hazmat....and doubles/triples.

Those endorsements will then make you more attractive to potential employers.
Those endorsements are door-openers....and money makers!

-- L

 

Truck Driving School in Troy, MO | Witte Bros.

This company is in Troy, MO and they have a pretty good reputation in the area. They kind of fall under the radar some but this a better than average company to start with from what I hear. They are a reefer company and that's a good route to go if you want to team. That's about an hour from STL. Give them a call and see what they have to say.

 

@TeamBoone --

If I'm reading in between the lines correctly -- you may be fretting too much about which CDL school you should choose.

Suggestion: take a chill pill for that! The CDL school's job is to merely get you a CDL. Their objective is not to fully teach you how to drive (no CDL school out there really has that kind of time, or resources).

That job really & truly falls to the first carrier you sign up with, as your "starter" carrier. When you sign up with a true "starter" carrier -- you will (after an initial orientation/classroom period) go out with a trainer, on that trainer's truck. THAT'S where your true driving lessons begin!!!

With all that said -- you want to start out with a carrier that makes training new drivers a top priority.

The above posts that were suggestions for carriers were all made with just that in mind. They all train rookies how to be truly professional drivers.

You really couldn't go wrong with any of the above choices.

-- L

 

Just to clarify -- not ALL school curriculums are 4 months. Some are shorter.
How does 2 months sound to you?

Suggestion: call around to those CDL schools suggested above. See what their curriculum options are.

In my case: I had a choice between day classes, or evening classes. As I recall, the evening classes produced a much more spread-out curriculum -- which I actually liked.

You may well find shorter curriculum time periods offered in those schools.

Check 'em out.

-- L

 

My name is Eugene and I'm actually gonna be going to a school in Springfield, Mo. at Truck Dynasty.

 

Check out Truck Dynasty in Springfield. I start their on the 11th.