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For Anyone Interested in Going to Truck Driving School...

can't really tell you the best, but here it goes.

training is done by the book, to give you a basic foundation to learn from, once you get out on your own. you WILL NOT LEARN or be taught everything...just THE BASICS.....

length of time (in weeks) is determined by costs. the more money, the more time, simple.

is there any benefit to longer time training compared to a shorter time.>??

DEPENDS on the student's learning capabilities, frankly.

one school i worked at, they were at 16 weeks, and they had a short class of 4 weeks.

if you are going to be paying for this yourself, or getting a student loan, look for credentials for the school, like a national accrediting academy.
now there is MORE than one accrediting company, check out each one any school claims to have.

now class size is usually subjected to enrollment that week, heck one school i worked at, classes would start on Monday and on Thursday, we were still getting in new people in the class, highly disruptive to me, but that is after all, the sales people getting thier commissions.

what type of equipment do they have for ROAD tractors.....??they WILL NOT HAVE brand new, but WELL maintained ROAD units.

yard practice rigs are NOT road worthy most times, but all you're doing is practicing your maneuvers.

now, if you want to go to a trucking company and learn from them, here, you ARE UNDER CONTRACT as well, and YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT BACK, usually by working for THAT company for x number of months or YEARS......(usually 1 to 2 years) and they automatically take out that money from your weekly paychecks.

that's about as basic an idea i can give you.
 
If your local Tech school has a program that would be your best bet. Other than that you could also look into which carriers offer free training if you sell them your soul for a year, there are quite a few of them anymore, just be careful on which one you pick.
 
Price out the costs of different schools, they are very different in range. I'm talking from about $1000 to 5000.. get your permits done on your own dime, they will cost a fraction of what the school will charge you. If you know how to drive stick your already ahead of the game. Get your combo, air brake, doubles, Tanker and HazMat tests done on your own even if you never use them they will be endorsements on your license. Next find a local school not a mega school. I had a 1 on 1 for an hour each session for 10 hours and it was thorough. I've seen other schools where your in a group of 10 or more and take turns, total b.s. Find out if u fail do u get extra training, how many times u get to use their combo for the road test before it costs extra ect... don't be afraid to compare costs or ask what u get for your money. Again find a local smaller school that's more personal, your learning to drive a truck not trigonometry don't over think it.
 
jrz13 said:
Price out the costs of different schools, they are very different in range. I'm talking from about $1000 to 5000.. get your permits done on your own dime, they will cost a fraction of what the school will charge you. If you know how to drive stick your already ahead of the game. Get your combo, air brake, doubles, Tanker and HazMat tests done on your own even if you never use them they will be endorsements on your license. Next find a local school not a mega school. I had a 1 on 1 for an hour each session for 10 hours and it was thorough. I've seen other schools where your in a group of 10 or more and take turns, total b.s. Find out if u fail do u get extra training, how many times u get to use their combo for the road test before it costs extra ect... don't be afraid to compare costs or ask what u get for your money. Again find a local smaller school that's more personal, your learning to drive a truck not trigonometry don't over think it.
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$1,00 to $5,000..??

out here at a school i once worked at, let's try....$11,000
 
jrz13 said:
:suspicion: THAT'S INSANE! I paid $1,023 in 2010. Wow and I'm in Jersey... that's the highest I have ever heard.
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that very same school i worked at, charged me about $3,500 back in the early 80's for the full time course, i think that was about 8 weeks.
 
MAKE SURE the school is P.T.D.I. CERTIFIED or you'll have (probably) wasted your money and time.
Certified Schools.
It's BEST to go the School route then go Company Shopping.
This way you owe for your Loan and aren't tied to a company until Loan paid back/off PLUS NO PAYMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS.

KEEP US UPDATED!!
CHEERS!!
 
pro1driver said:
that very same school i worked at, charged me about $3,500 back in the early 80's for the full time course, i think that was about 8 weeks.
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8 weeks... I got my license in 10 hours of training for $1,023 and a job pulling containers out of port Newark 2 days later, no b.s.
 
jrz13 said:
8 weeks... I got my license in 10 hours of training for $1,023 and a job pulling containers out of port Newark 2 days later, no b.s.
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i believe you. there are plenty of fly by night schools that do that, and since it was container hauling, they could care less if one had any training at all.

the MINIMUM for training is 160 hours, at most if not all Accredited schools.

even an ACCEPTABLE refresher course is at a MINIMUM of 40 hours. (again, at an ACCREDITED school.


"fly by night" schools, can't really stand up to the requirements.

in your future, you may have to PROVE you were trained by such an accredited school.

unless you have more than 1 year of driving now?
 
I've been driving for 7 years and 3 companies now. Maybe because I already had a class B but the school was actually part of the NJ workforce training and they paid for my buddy to go through, that's how I found out about them. It's IDEAL Driving school in Union City, NJ definitely not a fly by night if the state puts people on unemployment through there. I dont think he did 160 hours either tho but that was in 2010
 
jrz13 said:
I've been driving for 7 years and 3 companies now. Maybe because I already had a class B but the school was actually part of the NJ workforce training and they paid for my buddy to go through, that's how I found out about them. It's IDEAL Driving school in Union City, NJ definitely not a fly by night if the state puts people on unemployment through there. I dont think he did 160 hours either tho but that was in 2010
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the school i worked at, in fact BOTH schools i worked at, the absolute minimum was 160 hours for a license. 40 hours was the usual "requirement" for a refresher. now this 160 hours was also if someone went from an B to A license, as it involved more of a pre-trip and drop and hook and road time.

so from my readings, NJ just doesn't have high standards.

glad to hear you went onto other jobs, with apparently no blips in your short training time.
 
Hell, my current employer provides CDL school in house. Think one has to work the dock for at least 6 months as a TDA candidate (Truck Driving Academy.) Class is I think is 10 weeks. After you successfully graduate, you have a p&d job. Commitment to the job is 1 year. I know several guys going on, if not surpassed, the 10 year mark
 
xeastend said:
Hell, my current employer provides CDL school in house. Think one has to work the dock for at least 6 months as a TDA candidate (Truck Driving Academy.) Class is I think is 10 weeks. After you successfully graduate, you have a p&d job. Commitment to the job is 1 year. I know several guys going on, if not surpassed, the 10 year mark
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This is correct and I believe that as an employee you are also PAID the entire time you are in school. It's probably one of if not the best way to get your class a.
 
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