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Molson
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 34
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:10 am Post subject: Looking for the best school. |
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I live in NJ and want to be a OTR trucker. I want to know, what would be the absolute best school to go to? I don't care where I have to go or how much I have to spend to do it. Is there such a thing as a private trainer to hire?
Again, I just want the best possible schooling to get my CDL. |
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reiner
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Central Tech, Oklahoma |
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eastern ontario
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 979
Location: Eastern Ontario, CANADA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: Looking for the best school. |
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Molson wrote: I live in NJ and want to be a OTR trucker. I want to know, what would be the absolute best school to go to? I don't care where I have to go or how much I have to spend to do it. Is there such a thing as a private trainer to hire?
Again, I just want the best possible schooling to get my CDL.
Molson, you will invariably receive many recommendations about different schools. I suggest that you investigate each of them and then make your short list of possible top 5 or 3. Once you have, visit each of them and select one from that list.
BOL to you. |
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greg3564
Joined: 30 Aug 2006
Posts: 1268
Location: Leander, TX
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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You shouldn't spend any more than $4-5000 for school. If you can find a school that is PTDI certified, that would be a plus and opens up some of the better companies to hire you.
http://www.ptdi.org/ |
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Ridge Runner
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 2432
Location: North Ga.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, I have to throw a little twist in here. :lol: I wouldn't worry as much about the school as I would the company ( trainer ) that I went with AFTER I had my CDL. Why you may ask? Well........ first off; they are NOT a truck driving school, they are a CDL school. They don't really teach you how to drive a truck, they teach you how to get your CDL. It is important to go to a quality school and learn all you can ( they are only going to teach you enough to pass the test ) I think it is MORE important how you are trained AFTER you get your CDL and hired on to a company. That is where you will learn to DRIVE A TRUCK.
Just my humble ( maybe ) opinion,
Ridge |
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Molson
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 34
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your opinions, much appreciated!
Are there some specific companies out there that you think produce good drivers in training? Just from reading, it seems there are some I should just stay the hell away from. |
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Colts Fan
Joined: 10 Aug 2007
Posts: 541
Location: Indianapolis, IN
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Okay. Now do you have a list of companies that offer great training after CDL school? Or, when we talk to prospective employers, what questions should we ask about their training? |
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Ridge Runner
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 2432
Location: North Ga.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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While I can't give you a list of companies I will say this: ALL training should be done with the trainer in the jump seat while you drive.( Nothing wrong tho with him giving you a couple hrs. break now and then with him driving and you watching and learning ). In other words, the truck should be dispatched as a "solo" operation, NOT a team operation. This ( teaming ) in VERY common in the industry. You can't learn much from a trainer with him in the sleeper.
[quote]Are there some specific companies out there that you think produce good drivers in training? Just from reading, it seems there are some I should just stay the hell away from.[/quote]
This would be a very good question for the " What about this company" forum. :wink: |
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wildbill
Joined: 20 Aug 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Lost in the swamps of Louisiana
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject: 4 week course vs 20 week course - same school |
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Obviously a 20 week school should be better than a 4 week school but is it worth the difference (about $3500) in price and time to attend the 20 weeker? School has been in operation for more than 30 years so I assume they are doing something right.
The 20 week course gives 3 1/2 weeks of classroom work and then 16 weeks of driving according to the recruiter/counselor. |
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Fozzy
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 2460
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Who can afford to go through 5 months of schooling for a job that will pay little to nothing for the first six months to a year?? |
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wildbill
Joined: 20 Aug 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Lost in the swamps of Louisiana
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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Someone whose retired, once, and has a pension? :)
By the way, a big thank you to your son for serving his country from this Marine of years gone by. I wish him the best! |
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