I start a community college course in a few weeks, and it seems to me like it is going to be the better way to go as well. I will have more opportunities out the gate and not have to settle on a training company if I don't want to. They have several different local or semi-local companies come through and recruit out of there as well and a few of them run nearly as many miles a week as some of the larger companies and still get you home 2 to 3 times more often. The school itself gave me a nice tour and they even have a simulator they put you in for several weeks before you ever get behind the wheel of a real truck. I think that is a wonderful idea and believe more schools should implement that. I know I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that they ease you into rather than throwing joe blow with no experience behind the wheel of an 80k lb vehicle and say go.

Trucking schools
 

Community college/ tech/vocational school will take longer ca. 10 wks in my case, classes do not start as frequently ad cdl mills but training is better and like others said cheaper. you can usually work evenings while doing the training versus a whole day affair in the mills.

About a half an hour from me is Johnston County Community College. They charge just under $1000 for everything. Some of the local private schools can get up to $3000 in total.