Truck Driving School

[03 VENOM]

I was thinking of going to this truck driving school. Progressive. Truck Driving School CDL License - CDL Truck Driving School - Commercial Driver License - Progressive. Truck Driving School CDL License - CDL Truck Driving School - Commercial Driver License

Are there any truck drivers here? What are your thoughts?

 

[Fast Willy]

They are def hurting for drivers right now. I'm in the logistics industry just not a driver.

 

[chrisheltra]

I have a CDL and its not really that hard. In SC you dont really need a truck until you go to get your license when you have to do your pre-drive checks and road test. Most of the work was studying the book and knowing what they want you to say.

 

[97samssnake]

I have a CDL and its not really that hard. In SC you dont really need a truck until you go to get your license when you have to do your pre-drive checks and road test. Most of the work was studying the book and knowing what they want you to say.

I've got mine as well. The thing that messed me up time and again was the pre-trip inspection. Failed the damn thing twice. Got the skills portion first try though.

 

[chrisheltra]

I've got mine as well. The thing that messed me up time and again was the pre-trip inspection. Failed the damn thing twice. Got the skills portion first try though.

Yeah that was tough to memorize. There are IIRC 100+ points to check which you will make you have to get dirty, greasy and crawl around on the ground under the truck. Also OP you will have to be able to pass a physical.

 

[03 VENOM]

Thanks guys. Did any of you go to a truck driving school?

 

[truefiveo]

I've got mine as well. The thing that messed me up time and again was the pre-trip inspection. Failed the damn thing twice. Got the skills portion first try though.

Wow had no idea that was required

 

[savant]

I just got my CDL yesterday and Went through a School to get it. It was nice they laid everything out for you. Help you get your permit then have you drive on the road adn do backing maneuvers.

 

[haz-matt]

I got mine when I was 18 in 2008. Went through a local community college. I found it fairly easy but im a 3rd generation driver so I grew up around trucks. I couldnt find a job driving but got a job with a LTL trucking company working on the dock and driving the yard truck. I did that for 3 years before I started driving on the road. I made 43k my first year, 52k my second, 51k my 3rd (all on the dock and in the yard).. Now this is my first full year of driving and Im on par to make 60k. Its not a glamorous life, I often time work 11-12 hours a day and all time is paid the same. Hustle hustle hustle. The trucking industry is exempt from paying overtime unless you are with a union carrier like Yrc, Ups, Abf. Its given me a good life financially and I am off every weekend, making more money than any of my friends wether they went to college or not (thus far). But they arent doing any physical labor I am and get off at decent times in the afternoon while im trucking until dark every evening.

 

[evil04svtcobra]

op... you have to ask your self if you want to be an over the road driver?

 

[Riddla]

I suggest you go on a trip with someone to see if it is for you. I went on a ride along last summer andwas on the road for a month. It was fun but got old quick. No excercising ftl.

Sent with my Massive Johnson

 

[99cobrablack]

As a 3rd generation trucker/owner operator these truck driving schools are the worst thing to ever happen to the industry. How old are you? You would be better off trying to work with someone local to get your cdl and some experience. What kind of driving job do you want to ultimately end up with? Those schools are bogus and are extremely costly. I have been around a lot of driving school grads an wouldn't give a nickel for any of them. When dad had several trucks I could walk guys through driving and pre-trip in a good afternoon (in high school mind you) and they could pass the driving test. Ad I felt safer with them than any of these new graduates I meet on the road, weather it be the 14 day course or 6 months.

There are certain things that only experience can teach you, running in the mountains, running in the snow, managing Chicago traffic, or driving around in the NE with 70 feet of equipment. And all of these schools and mega fleets "teach" you how to handle this, and it's obvious when you see trucks upside down or people Hurt or equipment and property damage from a false sense of confidence instilled by a school.

 

[03 VENOM]

I don't know anyone in the trucking industry. So that's why I want to go to school. I want to drive locally but I know I need OTR experience.

 

[CobraBob]

SDriving a big rig (inter-state) is not bad if you're single and have no local commitments as you'll be on the road for stretches of days at a time. If you're married or have a relationship, it's tough. A friend of mine tried it for a couple of years. It was exciting at first, and different from the sheetrocking job he had. But after a few months it got old because he was away from his family for days at a time. Money was decent for being away was not. He ended up going back to sheetrocking.

 

[SID297]

There are certain things that only experience can teach you, running in the mountains, running in the snow, managing Chicago traffic, or driving around in the NE with 70 feet of equipment. And all of these schools and mega fleets "teach" you how to handle this, and it's obvious when you see trucks upside down or people Hurt or equipment and property damage from a false sense of confidence instilled by a school.

Funny you mention driving in the mountains. Growing up in Southern WV you could always spot the out-of-state drivers (flat-landers). They'd often end up jack knifed or with a set of trailer wheels dropped off the side of the mountain or in the ditch.

 

[99cobrablack]

Just looked at the site and about crapped my pants... If you walked off the street to any local trucking outfit and offered to pay them 2k (half of the course) to help you get your cdl with the promise of a job afterwards I doubt you would have a problem knowing anybody or not. The part about being eligible for endorsements makes me laugh... Get the cdl and go get the endorsements themselves... Save your money and dignity... What part of Indiana ??

 

[03 VENOM]

N/W Indiana

 

[prostkr]

Most local trucking jobs will not or can not hire a fresh graduate. You almost have to take a class like the op was asking about and you will need 2 years clean over the road experience to qualify for anything decent local.

The whole name of the game is the insurance. Even if you had your own truck with a fresh cdl, I bet you could not get any liability insurance and be able to be bonded. My friend Nick used a school like that to get started. With out doing it your options are very limited. The money vs. hours out on the road suck in the beginning, but like any other job the longer you are there the better it gets.

 

[mach1033]

I went to Jersey Tractor Trailer back in 02 to get a class A CDL license. All of the instructors did this as a part time gig at night and worked full time for another trucking company. They helped me get my permit along with driving there trucks learning how to back up, take wide turns on local streets, RR crossings etc etc. I scored 100 on the written test at DMV and the day of my driving test passed my first time. The school is def worth it in my opinion. Once I recieved my license I was offered a job delivering fuel do to a reference from one of the instructors.