Stevens CDL Training:
Stevens Driver Academy

After speaking with a recruiter from Stevens Transport and reviewing their website, Stevens Driver Academy seems like a good option to consider. As I always say about the information we present, they are not the only one, so be sure to do your research! Here are some of the details.

I'll start by giving you some information straight from their website, then I'll follow that with some of my own notes.

Directly From The
Stevens Driver Academy Website:

"Stevens Driving Academy of Texas is recognized as one of the nation's top training centers. We've been preparing men and women for life-long careers in trucking since 1992 in locations across the nation. We're fully accredited and licensed by the State of Texas. Upon completion of your training and attainment of your Commercial Drivers License, you have a job and a career waiting for you at Stevens Transport.

At Stevens Driving Academy, you'll receive the highest caliber of training in the industry from instructors who have a minimum of 5 years of experience.

• We train you to the high standards of Stevens Transport - one of the most successful and highly respected carriers in the industry.
• We use the most up-to-date audio-visual training methods.
• You train on top-notch factory-built training vehicles - not old, converted trucks.
• Get the benefit of training on the exact same equipment you'll be driving when you hit the road.

When you train at Stevens Driving Academy, you'll get real hands-on quality training on equipment that has been custom-built to Stevens' superior training specifications. All of our training trucks feature dual dashboards and controls for both student and trainer, and gauges in back seat area so that other students can easily observe and learn. Stevens Driving Academy operates on a 62-acre site with complete training courses and facilities.

Get the Best Training Our Money Can Buy

We make it easy for you to start your new career at Stevens Driving Academy. Stevens will finance the cost of your training. All you have to do is remain employable and stay on the road as a Stevens driver for one full year. No questions asked. There are no credit checks, no down payments, no requirements. No up front costs. When you attend other schools, you'll have to come up with the cost of your tuition and expenses. When you attend Stevens Driving Academy, we cover the costs - right up front. Very little out of pocket expenses. Housing is available to out of town students. We'll finance the total cost of the hotel lodging, plus meal assistance is available.

Be Prepared to Hit the Road with Confidence

Stevens Driving Academy is a highly respected program provides you with thorough classroom and hands-on driving experience to prepare you to receive your Commercial Drivers License (CDL).

While in the classroom, you will learn from the best instructors in the industry about:

• Safety procedures
• Department of Transportation rules and regulations
• Logging
• Map reading
• Trip planning
• Safe mechanical operation of the tractor and trailer

Once you leave the classroom and begin your in-truck training, you will learn and practice:

• Inspecting the tractor and trailer (pre-trip inspection)
• Conducting brake tests
• Coupling and uncoupling the tractor from the trailer
• Backing safely
• Low speed maneuvers
• Making safe and controlled turns with a 53 foot trailer
• Driving both on the interstate and city streets
• Driving safely in heavy rush hour traffic

TruckingTruth's Notes:

After speaking with one of Stevens' recruiters for a while there are a few things I'd like to explain.

Overall Impression

First of all, my overall impression of the program is positive. The process was explained thoroughly to me and if I was considering becoming a truck driver today, I would consider Stevens a good possibility for sure. Again, you must do your own research. I know a little bit about Stevens' program, but I don't know anything about you. You have to find the program that's right for you.

No Hire Zones

Stevens generally does not hire drivers out of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Currently they do hire a few drivers out of Florida, but the number is very limited.

Out Of Pocket Expenses and Up-Front Costs

The only out of pocket expense that you will have with Stevens is the cost of getting your CDL permit and the licensing fees - which comes to about $150. Stevens will pay for your bus transportation to the school, and pay for your hotel while you are there. They are even one of the few companies that will offer you $10 per day to help with food.

Your Obligation After Completing the Schooling

Ok, as with most companies, this is a bit complicated, so bear with me.

The total cost of the schooling is considered $5995 if you were to pay for it in full. However, the way it works is this:

You will pay $25 per week ($100 per month) through payroll deduction for between 2 1/2 and 3 years. Stevens will pay $150 per month toward your schooling during the time you are employed there. The exact amount you will pay back will depend on the financing charges. Now if you are accepted at Stevens' Driver Academy, you are guaranteed to be financed, regardless of your credit rating. So don't worry about that. However, depending upon your your credit rating, your financing rate will vary. The lower your credit rating, the higher your financing charges, so the longer it will take to pay back your portion of the schooling and the more you will pay in the end. So overall, after all is said and done, you will be paying back approximately $3250 -$3900 depending on your credit rating. You will not receive any reimbursements from these payments, so this schooling has almost no up-front costs, but will cost you $3250-$3900 in the end.

If you were to quit before your obligation was paid, basically you would owe the balance of whatever was left of the $5995, plus finance charges. Here's how it works out:

Basically, for every month you quit before your obligation was through, you will owe approximately $250. So if your obligation was going to be for 30 months, and you quit after 20 months, you will owe approximately 10 months worth of payments at $250 per month, or $2500 total.

If during the schooling you choose to accept the up-front payments from Stevens for room and board, food, DOT physical, and transportation to the school, you will be required to pay them back at a rate of $25 per week beginning 90 days after you head out on the road with your trainer. The total costs will be about $750 and are as follows:

The schooling is 21 days, so you will pay:

• $10 per day for food
• $15 per day for hotel
• $64 for your DOT physical
• Bus fee from your home, which averages about $100-$125

The bottom line is this - no matter what company you go to work for, you must plan on fulfilling your obligation or it is going to be very expense, and rather difficult for you to find another job. Plain and simple. These companies are offering to pay for your schooling up front. You have to agree to work for them long enough for them to get their investment back. They do you a favor, you do them a favor in return.

How The Schooling Is Structured

The main school is located in Dallas, TX. If you live in Houston, TX, there is a community college there that you may be able to attend instead. There is no lodging availabe at this particular school so you will have to commute to school.

There is also a school located in Colorado that you may have the option of attending. You will have to contact Stevens directly to find out exactly what your schooling options will be.

The schooling takes about 21 days. You will spend the first couple days in the classroom. Then, the rest of the first week you will be out on the yard learning to shift and backup. Beginning the second week you will spend some time in the yard, some in the classroom, and some on the smaller side-roads in the area. The third week will be the same as the second week, except you will start hitting the interstates in the area. After the third week you will take your CDL exam and head out on the highway with a trainer.

You will spend a minimum of 8 weeks out with your trainer, and it could be as many as ten. It depends upon how quickly you learn, and how long it takes you to meet the minimum requirements for your training period, which include running in different areas of the country, hours behind the wheel, and other factors.

After you make it through your training, you will be given your own truck and sent out as a solo driver. You will start out at $.26 per mile. After 6 months you will make $.28 per mile, after 9 months you will make $.29 per mile, and after one year you will make $.30 per mile.

More Notes About The Program

• The minimum hiring age at Stevens is 22 years old.
  


• They do not want you to get your CDL permit before attending school because the state of Texas does not allow a permit to be transferred into the state from other states. So wait until you attend the school before getting your permit.
  


• Stevens does indeed have regional fleets based in different parts of the country that get their drivers home either every weekend, or every other weekend. However, you must be at the company for a minimum of 6 months before you will be eligible to drive for one of these fleets. The first 6 months of employement you will run over the road throughout the lower 48 states and Canada, and will get home on the average of once every 3-4 weeks.
  


• I was told that even with the slow economy and the slow season of the year in trucking now upon us, Stevens is still bringing in as many students as they can find that are qualified.
  

Some Final Notes on Stevens CDL Training Program

Overall, I feel this is a pretty good program to consider. I don't feel like their financing package is quite as good as some of the companies that offer their own schooling, and the obligation of paying back the loan over 2 1/2 - 3 years is a bit lengthy. If you were paying close attention, you noticed that their website states:

"Stevens will finance the cost of your training. All you have to do is remain employable and stay on the road as a Stevens driver for one full year. No questions asked."

But the loan payback lasts 2 1/2 to 3 years. So what's that mean? Well, I'd have to say I'm not entirely thrilled about the way they're wording this.

Stevens has you sign an agreement to work for the company for one year. That agreement is what gets you the guaranteed financing for the schooling. But it actually takes you 2 1/2 - 3 years to pay back your portion of the schooling, and if you quit before that time is up, you owe the balance of the $5995 plus financing charges that remains unpaid. So financially you are obligated for 2 1/2-3 years, but to get the guaranteed financing in the first place, you agree to work for them for at least one year. I think they could have simplified this a bit, but it certainly in itself is not a deal breaker. Don't let it scare you away. It was just a rather confusing way to word it.

Well, as always, please do your research and consider all of the companies out there. But I do feel this company has a program that is worth considering.

Now you can return to the index page and view more companies with free truck driver training