[jrscuba]

Hi, I have been lurking in here and I am finding tons of good info. My questions is this.. Sage is asking 4K to get the cdl it's only 45 minuets from where I live is Ft. Lauderdale FL. In reading some of these post 4k seems to be allot of money for the school, it is also associated with the community college. So am I going to get ripped off?
:?: Jeff

[Sealord]

"So am I going to get ripped off?" Depends. Compared to National (Palatka) paid over time and Roadmasters ($6K - Tampa/Jax) no. Compared to Washington-Holmes in the Panhandle, or the community college near Starke offering CDL traiining, yes. BOL

[dustyroads]

H$$$LLLLLLLL YEAH :shock:

[devildice]

be it $4 or $4,000 it is an investment in yourself and your career......is it a rip off??? only YOU can determine that.

just my .02

[jrscuba]

what I meant to say and ask is if anyone has been to sage or worked with their graduates and what do you think.
Jeff

[Snake_Ize]

I went to the SAGE at Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC. The cost was about $3500 and that was less expensive than many other schools. The best part about Sage is that it is PTDI certified and they guarantee one on one instruction. That means that when you go to the range for practice it is YOU and the instructor for a 4 hour period. NO other students will be sharing your truck and there is no standing around waiting while 4-8 other students take turns practicing backing procedures. When you go on the road it is YOU and the instructor for a 4 hour lesson. NO other students in the truck taking turns driving. Other schools may have 4 or 5 students in the truck and each student is lucky to get an hour of driving during that period. With Sage you get what you paid for. A good education, not just a CDL. PTDI has standards that have to be met for a school to be certified by them and they are recognized as being very good. Some carriers insist on PTDI certification.

Check with the schools you are interested in and ask questions of them. See how many will give you one on one instruction.

[trick_knee]

That's where I got my CDL, I was also living in Ft. Lauderdale at the time. I definitely felt it was worth it. I was happy with the program, and as Snake_Ize mentioned, the one on one driving time really makes it. I got all endorsements, and passed all tests on the first try (written and driving). It's certainly paid for itself since, although I chose to move back up north as the local jobs pay better here (I wasn't too crazy about going OTR). A few guys that were in my class got a BIG discount through "workforce" unemployment, but I don't know how that works. I also was a Florida resident less than a year at the time so I had to pay full price (thought it was around $4k, you've been in florida less than a year?). No regrets though.