Truck Driving Jobs

Miloh · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Springfield Tn

Hey all:

I just talked to TN, Tech. A Local Technical school and they have a 7 week course that cost around $1400 total. This includes drug screen, Physical, tuition. the Works.
Any reason not to consider this school or questions I should ask them? they do job placement but I don't know who with yet.

I went to the employment security office today and they have access to federal money for asistance in education. I go back on the 2nd of next month for a group meeting to fill out the paperwork. Being that this is a federal program I'd think it's available in any state. they have taken plenty of my hard earned money over the years I may as well get some of it back.
Don't know any more about it than this so far but the lady I talked to said if I was unemployed or under employed I would qualify.

Miloh.

Xcis2 · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 39

Sounds like you are looking at Tennessee Technology Center at _____.
If you go to www.Ptdi.org, you will find that only 2 schools are Ptdi certified for truck driving. Memphis at www.Memphis.Tec.Tn.Us and Nashville at www.Nashville.Tec.Tn.Us

You can find limited information at www.CareerOneStop.Org/WiaProviderSearch.Asp or a multi-state school directory at www.RefrigeratedTrans.com

I have not attended any of the Tennessee Technology Center sites. Probably not what you were hoping to hear but I hope this is helpful to you or at least someone else who is lurking.

Miloh · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Springfield Tn

Xcis2 wrote: Sounds like you are looking at Tennessee Technology Center at _____.
If you go to www.Ptdi.org, you will find that only 2 schools are Ptdi certified for truck driving. Memphis at www.Memphis.Tec.Tn.Us and Nashville at www.Nashville.Tec.Tn.Us

You can find limited information at www.CareerOneStop.Org/WiaProviderSearch.Asp or a multi-state school directory at www.RefrigeratedTrans.com

I have not attended any of the Tennessee Technology Center sites. Probably not what you were hoping to hear but I hope this is helpful to you or at least someone else who is lurking.

I went to the site for Nashville Tec you sited above and it's the same people I talked to yesterday that answered to Tennessee Tech. I guess they are one and the same. The lady I talked to said it was around $1400 total cost and the site listed all cost as $1250. Sounds reasonable to me and a lot better than $5000 for a 3 week course, they have the usual spill about job placement and such and the school it's self has been around for a long time.
I didn't see anything on the site about them being PDTI but will send an e-mail inquiry to see what they say about it.
What is the deal with PTDI? I don't remember this from when I drove in the mid 90's Don't even remember if the school I went to then had that or not. Is it a must?? and what is it about what you said that I did not want to hear?? I didn't see anything that was bad news for me.

Thanks, Miloh.

Miloh · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Springfield Tn

Ok, Other than the tech school I already found are there any schools in the middle Tenn area?? I can't seem to come up with any in the phone book or internet so far.

Thanks.

flood · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 545 Location: tennesse

Miloh ttc @ nashville is PTDI http://www.nashville.tec.tn.us/programs/truck-driving.htm
it is a good school--- well it was when we went anyway ( i hadn't driven in a few years so i had to do the school thing again) classes are small (12) out of my class of 12, 11 passed ( 1 quit ) 10 had jobs starting right after school.

Miloh · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Springfield Tn

flood wrote: Miloh ttc @ nashville is PTDI http://www.nashville.tec.tn.us/programs/truck-driving.htm
it is a good school--- well it was when we went anyway ( i hadn't driven in a few years so i had to do the school thing again) classes are small (12) out of my class of 12, 11 passed ( 1 quit ) 10 had jobs starting right after school.

This sounds like what they told me when I called except they say 8 to a class. I'm really thing about class B and trying to get into a local dump truck. there are a lot of em in my little town here.
Having a bit of trouble gathering the info I need but I going to the DL station today for more research.
Thanks all.

Miloh.

Fredog · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2131 Location: North Georgia

Miloh wrote: Xcis2 wrote: Sounds like you are looking at Tennessee Technology Center at _____.
If you go to www.Ptdi.org, you will find that only 2 schools are Ptdi certified for truck driving. Memphis at www.Memphis.Tec.Tn.Us and Nashville at www.Nashville.Tec.Tn.Us

You can find limited information at www.CareerOneStop.Org/WiaProviderSearch.Asp or a multi-state school directory at www.RefrigeratedTrans.com

I have not attended any of the Tennessee Technology Center sites. Probably not what you were hoping to hear but I hope this is helpful to you or at least someone else who is lurking.

I went to the site for Nashville Tec you sited above and it's the same people I talked to yesterday that answered to Tennessee Tech. I guess they are one and the same. The lady I talked to said it was around $1400 total cost and the site listed all cost as $1250. Sounds reasonable to me and a lot better than $5000 for a 3 week course, they have the usual spill about job placement and such and the school it's self has been around for a long time.
I didn't see anything on the site about them being PDTI but will send an e-mail inquiry to see what they say about it.
What is the deal with PTDI? I don't remember this from when I drove in the mid 90's Don't even remember if the school I went to then had that or not. Is it a must?? and what is it about what you said that I did not want to hear?? I didn't see anything that was bad news for me.

Thanks, Miloh.

I would be willing to bet that job placement will be with Covenant, US express, Swift, and JB Hunt

Xcis2 · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 39

First Ptdi at www.Ptdi.org is not a school but a certification. To me, the biggest thing is time at the controls of the vehicle. Time in the truck when you are not the one driving does not teach much. Ptdi certification requires a specific amount of time for a student to be at the controls of the vehicle. Driving a tractor trailer is a learned skill that, at least in my opinion, you have to experience first hand and learn by doing. Again, watching someone else do the driving while you sit in the rear of the cab don't teach you squat.

I suggest you check out www.Ptdi.org and find out more about Ptdi and their standards.

Get the best quality training you can get. Some day you are going to be solo in the truck and the only thing to keep you out of trouble is your skills from school and shear dumb luck. At that time, your training will be worth every cent you paid and then some.

myndsplyntur · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 25 Location: TN

I am going to be going to TN Technology Center @ Knoxville.

TN Tech @ Knoxville has the EXACT same curriculum as Nashville and Memphis - they are "sister schools". The reason it is not PTDI certified is because it's too damn expensive. TN Tech @ Knoxville USED to be PTDI certified but decided not to participate anymore because of the cost associated with being a member. That's why you will find a lot of three or four week courses that cost $5000 - they're PTDI certified, and that doesn't necessarily mean you are getting a quality education.

TN Tech offers an eight week course, and more than covers the required hours by any company hiring a newbie. You are not rushed, and generally the classes are relatively small so you get the attention you need to learn the skills.

The company my husband and I are going to be working for have already checked the curriculum information, verified it is the exact same as the other two TN Tech Centers, and we have been hired at the company pending completion of school. (And the company is NOT Covenant, US express, Swift, or JB Hunt - it is actually a very highly respected company)

It all depends on the company you are working for; if they will make the extra effort to verify the curriculum you may be completely fine. We were!

Saylor · Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

I am looking into truck driving schools. I have talked to Swift and also a school in Lebanon Tn. Their cost is around the $4000.00 which I can�t afford. What I have read about the Swift doesn�t sound too exciting. The Tennessee Tech sound good but I would like to know more about the jobs situation and how you get the on-hand driving experience.

myndsplyntur · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 25 Location: TN

Saylor wrote: I am looking into truck driving schools. I have talked to Swift and also a school in Lebanon Tn. Their cost is around the $4000.00 which I can�t afford. What I have read about the Swift doesn�t sound too exciting. The Tennessee Tech sound good but I would like to know more about the jobs situation and how you get the on-hand driving experience.

What about the jobs situation? I would suggest looking for a company on your own, and not relying on the head hunters that come to the schools. Search through this forum and others to get an overall feel for the companies.

And... you get the hands-on experience by DOING... spend a lot of time on log books, rules, regulations, driving, etc... not sure what exactly you are asking...

Call the school and the peeps there can answer your questions... they're really cool down there.

Saylor · Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

I am considering appling to CFI. Do you know how they are for new drivers?

Dirt92 · Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Nashville TN

I am a recent grad from Tennessee Technology Center Nashville. Great school. It is about 1200.00, there is 8 students per class. You will need to get your CDL learners permit before registering complete with physical. You cant get one with out the other. There is a waiting list to get in but if you get all the required paper work in you jump over people on the list who don't have there paper work done. This is a great school the instructors each have 25 + years over the road and they are great at teaching you everything you need to know. They are state licenced third party testers. This means at the end of the 7 weeks they will give you your driving tests for the state in the trucks you have spent 7 weeks in on the same course you have been driving on. To go to this school you have to be a resident of TN. One more thing as soon as you get in class ask for a Nafie wilder grant, every student is eligible and it is worth 665.00. As far as requiters, Star, Western, Stevens, US Express, Falcon, Colonial, Trans Am, Rosedale, Werner, Interstate. There was about 15 total. The school helps with faxing applications. These Instructors want you to have multiple job offers before you graduate.

Saylor · Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

Thanks Dirt for your information on Tennessee Tech. I have all my paper work in with my learner permit, DOT physical etc and hope to make the Jan 2, 08 classes. If I don�t make the Jan class then I should get into the next one. Classes last for 7 weeks so the next class is about 8 weeks later. In my research they seemed to be my best choice. I also had talked to Christine the CFI Recruiter and she said that they accept students from TT. I hope to get on at CFI after school. They are my first choice.

Thanks for the information on the Nafie Wilder Grant. I need all the help I can get. Also I have talked to Al Bentley one of the driving instructors at TT and he was real helpful with information. He said that Averit Express also hires from the school. I am only 10 minutes from them. Their web site information says that they require 3 month driving experience but Al said they hire new drivers from TT.

Dirt92 · Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Nashville TN

Averitt did send a recruiter in to talk to us. They do hire students. TTC@N trains you on the Eaton Fuller 10 Speed. Good luck you will be on the road before you know it.

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