Trucking school?

If you can't afford the out of pocket expenses, what's wrong with sucking it up for 11 weeks, and doing to community college class? That's what I'm planning to do, after reading stories on this very board about going through truck company schools. With the CC, I'm more confident that if I get a pre-hire, that it's legit, and it seems that 11 weeks will teach me more than I would learn in 3 weeks. Not to mention, it's cheaper in the long run.

 

Maybe, maybe not. However, you would have a better chance of avoiding the ditch. You might even avoid the lease/purchase scam (one of the oldest ones in the industry, by the way).

Are they really paying 12 cents a mile? Is that a serious "wage"? Sure it was great in the 1950's but Ramen looks expensive by that standard today.

 

Hello and Welcome to the Site

This is a common problem that new drivers run into. In their haste to start a career and earn money, they settle for a CDL Mill school that offers to train them, then work them under contract for a year or more.
Avoid being a victim of trucking.
You are in charge of your own success.

Yes, the community/technical colleges are, in my humble opinion, the best bet for getting good training and sincere job placement assistance.

The colleges cannot and will not be partial to any particular trucking companies. Some private schools will only refer their students to the trucking companies that they have a deal with, which means they can receive money for each student that they refer, for hire, to a trucking company. Because of this extra incentive that they receive from these favorite trucking companies, many of these private schools are not aimed towards the new graduate's success.

Sometimes, it is not only the recruiter that one would have to worry about, but, the intentions of the school staff that either lead or limit a new graduate.

This is just my humble opinion

 

11 weeks vs. 3-4 weeks.

How much time of that 11 weeks will be actually driving the truck?

Class room time IS important, but the real bread and butter comes from the driving skills learned during your training period.

Longer doesn't automatically equate to better.

But chances are the CC route might be better in the long run.

 

It's lucky you have choice,i am going to a local community college.
And from my understanding you will be much better prepared than the company's programs.
3 weeks isnt enough time imop.
So like the others say go with the community college,cause you can get assistance.
I called a school in WV(i live 10 min from KY and 20 Min from WV) and after the 3 week program it was $4,045.00 and that was if i payed upfront

 

Go to the cc, you'll be better trained & usually more one on one. I went to NECC in Norfolk, NE. TO grad. we had to have 50 hrs range time, 290+ hrs. classroom time & 1500 miles driving time. We got that by going on a road trip to Rome Ga. & back.

 

I'm looking into a technical school here in Ohio. I'll be away from home, but the money I'll save over going to a cdl mill will more than pay for my expenses for the extra time. At the same time, I can sort of get used to being away from home for long periods of time. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but there's always the chance that it's not as great as I think it will be, and I'd rather figure that out when I'm 2 hours from home, with my own car in the parking lot, than being 9 states away from home.