Unique Situation (?): CDL School Or No CDL School

Hello everyone! I've just recently joined TT, but I've been visiting this site for information for years. So let me just start by saying that I appreciate this site and everyone involved; it's been a light in the darkness, so to speak.

I've found myself in what I believe to be a unique situation and was hoping to get some feedback/advice from some veteran drivers as to the best course of action.

In February-March 2014, I attended Prime Inc's CDL apprenticeship program for about 4 weeks before dropping out short of testing for my CDL. It's a long story, but in a nutshell: About 3 days into my road training, I got gut-punched with homesickness (I was 22, and it was the first time I'd been away from home more than a couple weeks); the program took much longer than expected (they were short on trainers), I spent 3 weeks in Springfield, and about 5 days on the road (at that time, they didn't require payment if you dropped out before 7 days on the road, so in my homesickness I took advantage of it, and regretted it ever since); my trainer and I weren't "compatible," I guess you could say; but most importantly, I have nothing bad to say about Prime or their program even though it didn't go as planned for me. I learned A LOT in Springfield. I could do my full PTI blindfolded, backward, and in pig-Latin. I could parallel park, 90°, 45°, straight back, blindside, you name it. I felt very comfortable driving a tractor-trailer by the time I left.

Here's where it get interesting: after 2 years of trying to talk myself out of it, I've decided I just have to suck it up and go for it. I've been accepted to Central Tech truck driver training in Drumright, Oklahoma and the funding ($3900) is no problem; I should be set to go up there in early September. But a friend of mine brought my attention to a service in Tulsa that he used to get a CDL called A+ CDL Truck Rental, where you can rent a class A tractor-trailer for $380 and go test out and get your CDL in one day. I already have my DOT physical card and my Oklahoma CDL permit, so I am eligible to do it. I'm sure that I can brush up on the PTI and they say that they'll allow you time to get familiar with the equipment before testing (they also make sure you know what you're doing before they let you take the equipment).

So, CDL school or no CDL school? The advantages for getting my CDL in one day are: I won't have to put my life on hold for a month long program without income and I won't have to repeat the same education I've already received. The advantages to CDL school are: in depth education, even if I've already learned a lot of it; job-placement assistance; and a certificate of completion that (correct me if wrong) would make me more attractive to potential employers.

Like I said, I was hoping some veteran drivers might give me some advice. Could I go through a "refresher course" with someone like FFE if I got my CDL the quick way? Or would it be better to go through CDL school?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Sean, you need to have that training certificate from a reputable school - that is what your future employer needs.

Here's a realistic scenario for you to illustrate why the refresher may not be the best choice. Let's say you went to work for FFE and they put you through a refresher course. Two weeks later, boom - you are in your own truck and making money - sounds good huh? Now a month and a half later after driving ten and a half hours through the night you make your destination at a cold storage facility only to find that you are weary and the dock you are assigned to is incredibly tight. Try as you will you still managed to catch your front left fender on a fire hydrant that was there next to the curb as you were bringing your truck back around to get it under your trailer so that you could straighten it all up and make it into the dock. On your tractor the entire hood will have to be replaced since it is all one unit with the fenders. Hmmm, management and safety have a meeting and decide, "Well, we're not too sure about this Sean guy - that was sort of a careless mistake. I don't think we should keep him any longer, let's cut our losses while we still haven't got a major problem on our hands." This type of thing happens often out here.

Now, where will you go for a job? You have no experience. You have no training certificate. You have nothing but a freshly printed CDL.

What will you do then? Try to go for another refresher? I don't see that working out to well if FFE puts down what happened on your DAC.

Are you aware that Prime is paying a minimum of 700 per week for students with a CDL while they are training? Can you go back to Prime? You've already got so much of the preliminary stuff out of the way, it seems to me they could fast track you into a truck with a trainer and you could get your CDL very quickly. After that you would be making 700 dollars minimum per week while training.

Whatever you do, it is always best to avoid the shortcuts and get that certificate. I can't tell you how many folks have come in here, like you, thinking that their situation was unique, and then blowing their chances of getting a job because of the way they went about it.

It is always good solid advice to attend some professional training, get your training certificate, and stick with your first company for one year of safe driving. You can't go wrong that way. There are a thousand opportunities to fail at this - increase your odds of success and take a good solid prudent approach to it - after all this is your living, your career, take it seriously and honor the tried and true methods of making it happen.

Thanks Old School. That's actually exactly what I expected to hear. I just thought I'd come find out from guys who know.

As for going back to Prime, I'm sure I could. The reason I decided on going to a school instead, is that I don't want to be tied to a specific company. Though, Prime really did impress me.