Some new drivers base thier choice of company on who offers tuition re-imbursement, instead of choosing the best company to drive for.

Here's why I say that tuition re-imbursement is a scam, a gimmick designed to lure new driver students:

Tuition re-imbusement is paid to a new driver at $100 to $125.00 a month. The average school loan is at $5,000. It will take more than 3 years, not including interest, to pay off the loan if you stayed more than 3 years.

Only 13% of new drivers stay with the first company for 1 year. After you leave the company, you are no longer considered a student. You are now a driver with a few months experience. No further tuition re-imbursement will be given to you at any other company you hire on with.

Less than 1% of new student drivers are at the same company for longer than 2 years. I base that number on an industry turn-over rate of 100% each and every year.

CFI turn-over rate is at 17% for those who stay longer than 1 year. CFI is a great company and all you students should try to hire on.

its best to just save up and pay for the school upfront, but i know that can be hard now that schools are 4-5 thousand

I know you are right. My schooling cost $7,000 or so, after my GI discount.

So? What you are saying that a new student should be given a CDL? Why? Who should pay for it? Tuition reimbursement is something that can HELP a driver, its a benefit. It's not free nor should it be.

I didn't say that tuition reimbursement should be free, nor did I say that a student should be denied a CDL.

What I am pointing out is that tuition reimbursement is represented by recruiters as something that pays off the loan amount a new driver owes for the schooling they attended. The tution reimbursements falls dramatically short due to interest and the fact that most new drivers move to a different company before they can collect the benefit.

I hope you are not still confused by my point.

IMHO, tuition reimbusements are a type of bonus, and unless you feel your top 2 companies are equal in all respects, any type of bonus should not enter the equation of who to go to work for.

I totally agree with your opinion.

HI GUYS AM NEW TO TRUCKING BUT THIS IS HOW I WORK MINE OUT AM STILL IN SCHOOL, MY SECOND WEEK. THERE ARE TWO SCHOOL I WILL ADVICE INTERESTED NEW DRIVERS TO CONSIDER IF AND I USE THE WORD"IF" BECAUSE IT IS CLOSE TO MY PRIMARY RESIDENT.

AM PRESENTLY AT ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITRY, NEWPORT AR,THE SCHOOL TUITION IS A TOTAL OF $1,400 PLUS ACCOMMODATION OF $300 AND THE SCHOOL IS A THREE WEEK.

ANOTHER SCHOOL IS AT DRUMRIGHT, OK IT CALLED CENTRAL TECH DRIVERS TRAINING. THE TUITION IS $1,900 OR THERE ABOUT IT'S A FOUR AND HALF WEEK PROGRAM. THIS WILL CUT THE COST OF THE PROGRAM AND WILL KEEP YOU AWAY FROM ONE YEAR CONTRACT, THEN A NEW DRIVER CAN THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TUITION RE-EMBURSEMENT. FOR A NEW DRIVER YOU WILL NEED TO BE WITH A COMPANY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTH ATLEAST TO GET THE TRICK TO SOME EXTEND BEFORE JOB HOPING. THAT WOULD HAVE PUT ABOUT $600 - $720 IN YOUR POCKET AS TUITION REIMBURSEMENT. THAT'S NOT BAD. FOR A START IN THESE INDUSTRY OF UNCERTAINTY.

I drive for PGT (flatbed)

They offer tuition reimbursememnt. I viewed it as a "extra"...not a big point in who I went to work for.

My loan ($4800 w/interest) re-payment is $300 per month.

PGT gives me $200 per month towards that loan. I pay $100 per month.

The loan is payed off in November...PGT will CONTINUE to add that $200 per month to my paycheck up to the full amount of $4800. (even though it will already be payed off...)

It's a good deal for me, and a good deal for them....

What's wrong with that?

-Dave

I didn't say that you said that, I was asking and rhetorical question.

It does.. in most cases. If the student chooses a company that does not.. that's their problem.


The tution reimbursements falls dramatically short due to interest and the fact that most new drivers move to a different company before they can collect the benefit.

Not really, they pay the note off eventually on time and that money is something that the student does not have to come up with in total. It's not like other training schools for other trades will allow someone to not pay the full costs of the tuition. Most trucking companies that I have worked wit picked up the note for the school and then charged off the training costs if the student stayed with the school. The schools got their money when you signed the contract, the trucking companies simply buy the contracts and then charge the students if they quit. They charge the students a pro-rated amount. That's fair! as long as the student works there they make payments for the loan. If a student leaves, then they rightly get charged for the remaining amount.

I hope you are not still confused by my point.

I wasn't confused in the first place.