Where ya going or did go? how you pay for it

[woundwort]

Wondering where people got their CDL and how much did they pay?

If it was a community college or private cdl school were you assisted in obtaining funding? As in " here's the forms " not the school giving you general ideas on where to come up with the $$$. And please don't give general ideas on how one may obtain funding, 1st hand experience only.

If you got it in the military or earned it on your own let us know that too.

Did you finance and with whom?

I want this thread to become more informational for others looking around for solid leads to answers.

[Iron_Weasel]

There were two choices to me as to where to get my CDL training. One was a local CDL school and the other was the local community college. Community college program was slightly less money overall than the CDL school, but the course was 12 weeks long. I chose to attend the CDL school which was a non-PTDI certified course, though it was 160 hours long and at a cost of $2890 of which roughly $2450 was the actual "tuition". That $2890 also included the $125 hazmat fee, the $150 state CDL testing fee, $90 for drug/alcohol testing & physical, and also miscellaneous DMV fees which were reimbursed back to us at the appropriate time.

I got a loan from the First National Bank of Mom (yeah, I asked my mother for a check) so that I wouldn't be enslaved by a company who paid for my training.

I had a cashiers check in hand when I signed up with the CDL school, so I have no idea how their financial assistance works although it was offered to other students.

[classicxl]

Went to AIT in Phoenix AZ. They set up the financing and got me hired before i even started school. the company I went to paid my loan back each month while I was driving for them

[woundwort]

Exactly on topic guys. Thanks Much.

I myself am about to pay 3450 for a local community college, pricey if you ask me. Financed a personal loan myself. This school just gives you tips on how to get it not much help at all. Pretty crappy if you ask me. A serious school would have someone that " KNOWS " where a person can get the financing.



I'll do fine.
I am motivated.

[Bigmon]

I got mine in Fontana,CA for $1495.00 cash. Went on weekends.

[syl77dar]

good luck!

[ssoutlaw]

I got my class 1, that's what California called it in 1977. knew a guy at orange unified school dist. in orange Ca He ran their truck school. My friend let me use the equipment to take the drive test , it was a old GMC Astro 2 axle tractor with a 27ft flat. and now almost 30 yrs later walla hear I am now, also paid nothing for the use of the equipment. Took a 16 question test and by the grace of god, I are a truck driver...lol...lol...lol
And when the CDL's came around the government grandfathered my license in. what a TRIP...lol...lol Well they did it to all the other outlaws too...lol...lol

PS: by the way I didn't even have to take a drug test...lol
those were the good old days...lol.

[Jawila]

It's almost impossible to qualify for WIA, but it's worth a shot. They pay for the whole amount. Check your states employment service for info.
I just qualified, and am very glad I checked into it.

Now all I have to do is make a final decision on the school I go to. (I'll be heading out on Monday to see the schools up close.)

[AFretired]

Hi,

I just finished CCS in Fall Branch, TN (18 days). Tuititon about $3000 (physical, school, drug test). They have apartments for rent for $50 per week, great school, highly recommended. I initially was approved through TMC trucking for a company sponsored training but decided to go through the school for financing, the school recommended that I go through their local credit union and I ended up getting an 8% student loan. Go to http://www.ccssemi.com/ for more info.

Greg

[WildK9]

back in 89 i went to Builders Transport's "school". i had a contract to work for a year to "repay" them, then along came Schneider. they bought out BT and let go of alot of their drivers, including me. i went to work pulling flatbeds for Deaton and never heard from anyone regarding my "contract obligations". all in all, i was happy to have only worked 2 weeks at that "slave" rate for my license. (.24cpm i think it was) 8)

and like someone previously said, i was grandfathered in.

[Soladad]

I went with the community college course of 8 weeks vs. Roehl's 3 week school. The community college was an hour drive from my house and Roehl only 30 minutes. I wanted the longer time frame. As of last week, Roehl has reimbursed me for all my tuition (none on books, activity fees, etc.) after 1 year of work. Every 3,000 miles I got tuition back. Not too bad. Look carefully at options. Taking company training isn't always that bad. I know 3 Roehl drivers that went through company training and feel they got a good deal.

Soladad

[Akstu]

I'm attending Bates Tech Coll in Tacoma, WA.will cost me about $3600 after 20 weeks of School. Been attending for a month and will be getting behind the wheel by the New Year. I really don't mind the extra time in School, cause it just might save my Butt.

[Sgt_D]

A lady my father was working for trained me...Learned in a '87 Pete with a 425 Cat and 18-speed hauling fuel in Dallas/Ft Worth...After I had driven with her for a few weeks(had my permit), rented a single axle automatic daycab and 28 foot pup trailer to take the test in...

[NevadaJim]

I've recently been pondering this myself. After talking to quite a few drivers I'm led to believe that the school is only important if you have a certain company in mind. If you want to work for XYZ and they only accept rookies from certain schools then you have the answer. Some will say they won't go to a company school because they don't want to be "enslaved" to that company. I guess one could argue that you could bail on that company if you didn't like them. The flip side is now you're labeled a job hopper if you continue to roam around. I haven't heard many bad stories about company training itself. What I have heard is that your mentor or finisher is what makes someone a decent driver. Go to a fancy school and get a crappy finisher, and the end product will be crappy. Go to a company school and get a good finisher, and you're better off than the guy with the fancy certificate from XYZ school with a crappy finisher. I guess alot has to do with luck of the draw. Either way, if you bail from a company before the contract expires you pay anyway. So, why pay a school? If things don't work out you will be paying someone either way. If it mostly depends on how good your finisher is why even bother paying a school, other than being more selective for different companies?

[rcso]

Went to SNI, Dallas TX for their bulk school. There is no cost outright, but there is a contract (12 mo's for van 18 for bulk)

Went from not driving a stick ever to graduating, done with otr training, CDL testing, company testing, and now waiting for my own truck (while getting paid) OCT 14 to Dec 14.


I'd recommend it, but first anyone thinking of applying should contact me and I could get you set up with a small bonus.

[Jawila]

Three schools here in Salt Lake City:

Salt Lake Community College Skills Center - 280 hour course for ~$2000.
Sage Technical Services - 160 hour course for ~$4000.
Roadmaster Driving School - 160 hour course for ~$6000.

IMHO, SLCC is the best here in Utah.

I'm at Roadmaster, and I hope nobody from there is reading this, but it's a bit of a rip off. Like I said in a previous post, WIA is paying my way (and WIA is actually only being charged $3100 which includes my doubles/triples and hazmat endorsements.). This place is designed to get me my CDL, and get me into a job quickly.

This is what I wanted, so I'm okay with it, but I would hands down recommend SLCC.

[dyland]

Went to SNI, Dallas TX for their bulk school. There is no cost outright, but there is a contract (12 mo's for van 18 for bulk)

Went from not driving a stick ever to graduating, done with otr training, CDL testing, company testing, and now waiting for my own truck (while getting paid) OCT 14 to Dec 14.


I'd recommend it, but first anyone thinking of applying should contact me and I could get you set up with a small bonus.

hey i may take you up on that..looking for a company paid school. have alot of questions i'm sure your probably sick of answering..
is schneider the way to go?
do you have to drive as a team after graduation?
i have bad credit..will this affect my chance of financing?or employment?does schneider run credit check?
do they accept drivers with no experience?real newbies?
thanks for th info.

[danj_otr]

Swift Driving Academy. At the time the tuition was $3075. (Our class was the reason why the rates went up... We think)

I had my dad go through the same academy and the price went up to $3475.

[emerlin]

I went to STI in Sioux Falls. I couldn't get WIA so I put it on teh Visa.

Good class, too. Glen knows his stuff.

[mmiikkee]

Mostly likely I am going to start Mexico Truck Driving school in FEB. I checked out katlaw today, but even with the hot recruiter lady, mexico has a better student to teacher ration, and they also have one-on-one instruction.

Price: $2500