Ready for school..narrowed to 3 ..ONE WEEK COURSE ?
 

im a little confused about what to do here. first there is western pacific school in longview..The guy made it sound oh so good..that no problem at all to get a local job. And that even had one right now for $ 22.50 a hour..They have lots of poeple waiting for drivers and good placment...
All for like $4200...
http://www.wptruckschooloforegon.com/

and then there was elite trucking school with the big $2995 promo going on right now and only 4 per class,,Problem is here that it is in oregon and rush hour driving involved over the i/5 bridge to hillsboro..also he seemed to preach also lots of jobs..but seemed to have a little more connections in his local area..(not good for me) but claimed some up in washington where I lived...Preached he was union guy and has union connections and they get some jobs down at the docks he might be able to hook me up..

http://www.elitetruckschool.com/

Then there is the company with the one week. two week, and 4 week courses that claim you can do it in a week cause its one on one training.
They are the closest to my house. and the cheapest option..

http://www.testyoucdl.com/

HELP PLEASE !!!

Please do all of us out here a big favor...don't go to a one week wonder school. Even 2 weeks is asking a lot. There is a lot more to this job that you will ever learn in just one week. Go at it the right way and get good training.

Do yourself a bigger favor and understand that local jobs right out of school is highly unlikely. Remember that these guys are in it for just one thing...to make a fast buck off of you.

If you are worried about rush hour traffic in your personal vehicle going over the I-5 bridge, what are you going to do when you are driving a truck?

Soladad

Gas money
 

ya but i dont get paid for driving over the i5 bridge during rush hour now. I have noticed very little truck traffic at peak rush..I think maybe they must be scheduling around a bit...cuase right after rush the freeway. Is all trucks. You want a tough job you should try doing what im doing now. Driving 50,000 miles a year with no mileage, no gas money...straight commission...only to have half your deals cancelled do to credit declines. & sometimes getting a $125 check for a week and spending it all in gas..

to solidad
 

I also noticed your not from the part of the country...so how do you know our local market conditions ? I got post from poeple around here and they seem to allude you can get local jobs...From what I understand the economy is alot better around here...poeple are sick of poeples attitudes from the east and california...and tons of poeple are moving here. Sorry to be so blunt but its just better here...

I am in my 4th and last week of CDL school and I can tell you this....there is now way you can learn to drive a truck in a week...ive learned alot since the first day, but ive got alot more to learn.....I would suggest a school not less than 4 weeks....and find out how much driving you will be doing in school.....good luck to ya

One week!?? Impossible!

It took more than a week just to get seven people through the testing - and that was after four previous weeks of training at my school.

I found two employers near my home town that hire local drivers right out of school, but they both pay at or just above the federal poverty level and have ancient, junky, nasty trucks that can barely pass even the most casual pre-trip inspection.

Expect to "pay your dues" at an over-the-road job in order to become eligible for the better paying local and dedicated jobs. Most of the decent ones require at least two years OTR experience. If you're lucky (like me), you'll find a decent paying regional job that offers a good balance of pay and home time.

This one-week wizard school is a crock. Don't allow this jerk to pick your pocket with promises too good to be true. He's no friend to you or to the industry.

-Robin

again is see regional differences...everybody that says you cant go local are from the long flat part of the country... not a major urban center. but I went and visited the 2995 school..and the guy said hes got no reason to lye to me all his classes are always full with only 4 students. and a 98% placement rate..With 65% going local and the rest otr. I start monday. The part he said which im not shure is true is that your 2 years starts from the day you get your license..so you can work a few months and hammer a nail the rest.

I agree, 1 week is about impossible to learn how to drive a truck. If you grew up around a farm or a business where you pull trailers everyday, maybe?

Even if local work is your goal, spend a little time driving OTR to get some experience driving in different conditions and learning how to bump different docks. When your local you are driving in heavy traffic 75% of the time and you are bumping docks all day long. All it takes is a couple simple mistakes to ruin a driving career, then all that money you spent to get a CDL is wasted.

oh and buy the way the 2995 is the 4 week course..I never was really serius about the 1 week thing...just curious on how and what that is all about. I can back up my wave runner trailer does that count !!

I may be living in Wisconsin but I was born and raised in the PNW. I have family still out there so I stay in touch with what is happening. Within the past 6 months, I have been considering returning to the Portland area. I checked into driving jobs. Local jobs were very limited and most wanted 2 years of experience OTR. Two years means 2 years of verifiable employment. I also don't think it is better out there (PNW) or I would be moving back out there. I am heading south where my present OTR driving job will support me until I can find something local. I wish you luck.

Soladad

Well if thats true ive been sold out by the school..But Im doing the acid drop anyways...start school monday...god help me...im writing a credit card check for school

These schools will tell you anything to get you in a class seat. Remember, they make their living off seats filled.

The flip side to this is going to a Community College. You're already in school by the time I write this, so this more for info-seekers that may be reading. If you can hook up with a Community College that will be your best bet. They don't care about turning a profit to cover overhead and a student will be just that...a student. The courses are longer and the students have more time to digest the information. These private truck driving schools are profit making CDL mills. Just do a quick Google search and you'll find public legal complaints against schools for making false claims of placement percentages and other other inappropriate marketing schemes. One that operates in CT and MA comes to mind. Regardless of whether they have a good rep or not, these companies exist to make money. Community Colleges exist to teach. I'm sure there are some good CDL schools out there, so I'm not trying to dispute that or slam ALL private schools. But, why pay $4 - 5000 for a 4 week course when you can attend a 10 - 12 week course for half the cost AND receive more thorough training. $4K for 4 weeks....$1-2K for 10 weeks....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the better way to get trained.

Had I done the proper planning, I would be going the CC route rather than the company sponsored training route. This is just something to consider if you're in the planning stages and have the time to spend in a Comm College.

Re: Ready for school..narrowed to 3 ..ONE WEEK COURSE ?
 

MAY I SUGGEST??????

Please call 3 of the companies you would like to work for if you are not going to be O/O. Ask each of their recruiting officers which schools they will hire from. Also ask if they offer any sort of incentive to sign up with them......i.e., pay a portion or all of your tuition. They will have an idea which schools are best in their areas or in your of choice.

I did just this.......got great feedback from the recruiting officer. They may also share info on their company and the finishing/training.

Good luck to you.

Re: Ready for school..narrowed to 3 ..ONE WEEK COURSE ?
 

Good advice. Anyone that enrolls in and gives money to a school without having first done some pre-qualifying with a company or two is making a foolish and expensive decision. Schools don't hire...companies hire. Schools can make all the promises in the world but they are NOT the hiring authority for a company.

elite truck school
 

got lucky 2 weeks in now I am finding out this school has a great reputation and there are alot of jobs..I have a interview tommorrow..local bark and recycle company..only starts at $13 for first month and then moves to $14 but hey its a start.. after doing my first on road test today after driving in the yard for 2... and passing all my endorsments last week..I am a little concerned about driving a 53 ft trailer around town 60 hours a week.in traffic.hope I dont clip anybody

Re: elite truck school
 

If your afraid of hitting someone, stay out of the truck! Then ask for a refund of your money for all the time you spent learning to drive, yea right!

I don't see anything wrong with be a little concerned about clipping someone. If you're concerned you'll probably pay more attention to what's going on around you. As long as "concern" doesn't turn into "panick" you'll be fine. Driving around without a concern in the world is probably a sure way to hit something.

It sounds like a confidence problem to me, you either believe you can, or you wont!
This isn’t a hard job; just don’t make excuses for these guys! Besides he is concerned about the fact of a 53' trailer in town in traffic and 60 hrs a week, and worried about hitting something! It really sounds like a double negative to me!

Heres a little concern for you, All these guys worried about something that hasent happend yet, now they have a confidence problem, they screw up and invade my space and scratch my truck, now I am mad and I am concerned that I will KILL them, is this what you mean by a little concern is what this industry needs....lol

I'm not making excuses for anyone. But, if everyone followed your logic it would seem that every driver, experienced or rookie, that rolled a truck, backed into something, or whatever, did it because they lacked confidence. The reality is, and I'm sure you know this, is that people get complacent, and just don't do the little things they did when they were a rookie and had these concerns. I read an article somewhere that most trucking accidents are NOT from rookies, but experienced drivers. I'm sure all those drivers "believed they could" too. I'd be more concerned with some over-confidence chucklehead trying to park next me rather than a rookie who is at least concerned about whats going on around him. But yea you're right to an extent. Nobody should be behind the wheel if they're always shitting their pants and second guessing their own abilities. On the other extreme is the over-confident, cocky driver that thinks he's safe from any/all mishaps. You know the type, "It'll never happen to me". Somewhere in the middle is a happy medium.

confidence
 

You guys that are saying im negative are sounding negative yourself..I dont lack confidence. I am a surfer that paddels out into 20 foot waves in the pacific northwest...has been bumped by a great white shark and still goes out. While yes I am a little concerned about my ADD.. They are right because I am concerned means I will take more care..One of the teachers at the school was a trainer for CF before they went under...He says they did a study..and the average amount of expierce on a reportable accident out on the road was 11-14 years..drivers..he says they reach a point of complancy..and over confidence and forget they are driving a deadly weapon. So those who judged me to be some sissy ash pansy are just middle aged has been's that drive big trucks to make up for what you lack to try to make your self fill like a man.. Im not what you think 250 lbs of solid muscle thats just concernered about tight turns and property damage. And those who made the positive comments thanks..You right thats exactly what consolidated freight found out average ex..accident 11-14 years. 40-50 years old...divorced..financal problems..head somewhere else.. like up your ..

Re: confidence
 

Nobody called you a sissy ass pansy, you came up with that one yourself...lol I just don’t think you should tell everyone you’re scared. I will say it again, its not a hard JOB.....
Oh, and by the way, the shark thing doesn’t impress me. You have a higher chance of DIEING in a truck, than from being attacked by a shark, get my drift....lol
While you come up with some statistics from a company, which is no more, remember one thing, that doesn’t mean the whole industry is like this!
But the "young and dumb" thing still comes into play when I read your post!! Most young men cannot take constructive criticism. One thing I hope for you is you have the same accident free driving record I have had for the last 30 years!! Calm down, or you will blow a cork before you even get out on the road. All will be made clear to you the first year you are on the road...lol I believe the stats on drivers actually staying with driving for a career is somewhere around 37%, at least that’s what I have heard. So what does this tell us about some people coming into this business, they really do not have a CLUE!!!!!
Have a wonderful life in your new adventure…lol