[grandpatim]

Yeppers it is for the tuition. The recruiter said it totaled to around 3 grand I would be paying back.

[NevadaJim]

It doesn't sound like you have the whole story. If you're getting paid weekly and they take out $100, that's pretty steep, and expensive training for a company. Other than that, it's normal. Example: Swift charges $3900 to get your CDL. Student pays $150 a month and Swift pays/reimburses you $150 a month. After 13 months the total $3900 is paid off and you owe them nothing. Student paid half, Swift paid half. If you continue with them for another 13 months they continue to pay you $150 a month. What this boils down to is if you stay 26 months the total $3900 is paid for by Swift.

As far as the contract is concerned. Not even sure why they make anyone sign a contract because you can bail out any time you want. You're not an indentured servant, or locked into working for them, like some say. However, understand that if you bail, you owe the remaining balance. Either way, company or on your own, you still owe someone for getting your CDL. Some read the contract as saying you MUST stay with them for so many months. In reality, all the contract means is if you leave before a certain time that you owe the remaining balance. They aren't double billing you. No company can force you to stay.

Either way, if you default, whether on a company or a local school, your credit will take a hit.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by NevadaJim

It doesn't sound like you have the whole story. If you're getting paid weekly and they take out $100, that's pretty steep, and expensive training for a company. Other than that, it's normal. Example: Swift charges $3900 to get your CDL. Student pays $150 a month and Swift pays/reimburses you $150 a month. After 13 months the total $3900 is paid off and you owe them nothing. Student paid half, Swift paid half. If you continue with them for another 13 months they continue to pay you $150 a month. What this boils down to is if you stay 26 months the total $3900 is paid for by Swift.

As far as the contract is concerned. Not even sure why they make anyone sign a contract because you can bail out any time you want. You're not an indentured servant, or locked into working for them, like some say. However, understand that if you bail, you owe the remaining balance. Either way, company or on your own, you still owe someone for getting your CDL. Some read the contract as saying you MUST stay with them for so many months. In reality, all the contract means is if you leave before a certain time that you owe the remaining balance. They aren't double billing you. No company can force you to stay.

Either way, if you default, whether on a company or a local school, your credit will take a hit.

Well said NevadaJim.

kc0iv

[classicxl]

find a some way to pay for your own training so you are not subjugated to any company

[grandpatim]

Thanks guys for the input. I have been researching truck driving for about 2 years now. I've just been waiting for my last kid to graduate high school which will be this summer. I know how most of the training companies work but this was the first one to say that I have to work for a year and also pay back the tuition. They either say work for a year and you owe nothing but you leave in that year and you owe everything. Or you just pay us back out of your pay or leave and pay us what you owe. I have talked to a lot of companies. Me and my wife are planning on teaming so we both need to go to school. And it will be easier and cheaper for us to go the training company route.

And as far as what flyinphoenix had to say, well not everyone that starts out is an idiot. So don't assume that I will be one too. You know what happens when you assume. :twisted: You cannot intimidate me into doing something else. I am a paramedic now and we eat our young too. Only difference is we eat 'em again after we crap em out. So I can handle it.