Does Roehl Charge Tuition If You Fail Your CDL Exam?

A private school is still going to charge you if you fail so it’s pretty much the same thing don’t you think. At my private school it was pretty easy to pass. I couldn’t drive a truck to save my life but I passed. All I knew was turn the wheel this way until this point and then the other way until this point and so on. Stop in 4th gear and pull out in 4th gear. Don’t go past this gear on this street and so on and so on. A monkey could almost pass the test. When I got my first job I was pretty embarrassed when my trainer had to teach me how to drive a truck.

If you're intent on being a driver and willing to work hard for at least a year then there is no need to worry about the 7000. This site has already beat to death the reasons to go to a company sponsored school so read that info g town posted.

As for Roehl, I'm starting my third month solo and even with the slow freight at this time of year i am still averaging good miles. I went solo the last week of February and am almost at 33000 miles as i type this. My paychecks have been between 700-1100 throughout that time and I've had 14 or 15 days of home time. I took off 7 days two weeks ago, 5 the previous month and 2 or 3 the week after first getting my truck. I should add my paycheck for the full week of home time was only 200 and some dollars because i had a day and a half of running at the beginning of that week.

I run for a month or more, but a friend of mine who runs regional (5 days on, 2 days off) is making the same or more miles and pay. He had a 3100 mile week last month and is new like me.

Go with a company program like everyone on here recommends and just worry about working your butt off safely the first year... Not money you won't have to pay back as long as you stay committed.

I have no regrets going with Roehl and don't worry about the 7000.

Wow thats 700 a week? So home time is like days off then, but lets say you want to take an actual vacation how does that work for you getting paid?

If you are able to I would get your training from the community college( I did). One reason is your not in a contract to stay with a company you may not like working for after a few months. I have a friend working for Roehl and he wishes he would went to a school like I did. He likes working for Roehl don’t get me wrong but he has come across better offers at other companies and he is stuck cause he hasn’t finished his contract and doesn’t want to pay the 7k. Even if you go to community college for your CDL there are a ton of companies whom will train you and you are not stuck under contract.

So I was reading a post from Avvatar that he went to roehl and didn't pass the driving portion and never received his CDL. From what I've been reading he will still have to pay the 7k, If that is true that is ridiculous! And have me second guessing going with roehl. I will have to call them and ask, and if that's the case I mind as well either go with another company or pay for my own schooling instead.

If you are able to I would get your training from the community college( I did). One reason is your not in a contract to stay with a company you may not like working for after a few months. I have a friend working for Roehl and he wishes he would went to a school like I did. He likes working for Roehl don’t get me wrong but he has come across better offers at other companies and he is stuck cause he hasn’t finished his contract and doesn’t want to pay the 7k. Even if you go to community college for your CDL there are a ton of companies whom will train you and you are not stuck under contract.

So I was reading a post from Avvatar that he went to roehl and didn't pass the driving portion and never received his CDL. From what I've been reading he will still have to pay the 7k, If that is true that is ridiculous! And have me second guessing going with roehl. I will have to call them and ask, and if that's the case I mind as well either go with another company or pay for my own schooling instead.

Heck of a first post, Kevin G., and goes contrary to what is recommended here.

How did you arrive at your conclusion to offer this advice? Any experience you can share here with the rest of us?

Kevin,

There are a few legitimate reasons to go to private CDL schools. I went to one because I wanted to work for Schneider and to get into their Academy, I had to come in with a CDL, which I obtained from a very good school with Schneider connections. I've been very happy with the process.

However, the better choice for 99% of those wanting to drive is to go to company paid programs.

And the bigger issue is the one year obligation. It's universally beneficial for all new drivers to stay with their first company for at least a year, so why is that even an issue? Starting out in this profession with the thought of changing companies within the first year is a recipe for failure.

I have a friend working for Roehl and he wishes he would went to a school like I did. He likes working for Roehl don’t get me wrong but he has come across better offers at other companies and he is stuck cause he hasn’t finished his contract and doesn’t want to pay the 7k.

Kevin, just so you know... we all recognize this as bogus. Rookie drivers with zero experience don't get great offers from other companies. Your "friend" doesn't know a good thing when it's staring him in the face.

If you are able to I would get your training from the community college( I did).

So I guess you're a "free agent" now. I'm guessing all the highest paying trucking jobs are courting and wooing you in now that you have a CDL and no experience. It must be great! They're probably lighting your cigars, offering you fancy cars and beautiful women.

Man, it must be great being in your shoes! You are in demand and calling the shots aren't ya?

Busting The Free Agent Myth

So I was reading a post from Avvatar that he went to roehl and didn't pass the driving portion and never received his CDL. From what I've been reading he will still have to pay the 7k, If that is true that is ridiculous! And have me second guessing going with roehl. I will have to call them and ask, and if that's the case I mind as well either go with another company or pay for my own schooling instead.

Chris, everything about this career is performance based. From the approach to the schooling to the amount of money you earn, you will always be competing to be at the top. You are focused on Roehl now, just because you saw where one guy failed. You have got to focus on yourself and your commitment to make this happen.

Schooling is fast paced. If a person shows progress they will not fail. Unfortunately Avatar was spinning his wheels and even though they gave him extra effort he wasn't progressing. That's a tough break, but there were things he could have done, and efforts he could have put in to make it happen. He didn't make it happen. That's on him. It's not on Roehl.

I don't have any advice on where you should start, but I sure wouldn't waste the time and effort you're going to on this decision. Roehl is a perfectly great option, and we've seen a lot of people go through there who loved the training they got, and went on to have very successful careers.

Everybody who focuses on which company they should start with, based on ideas like you are stressing over, will usually never get very far in this career. You've got to get yourself to a point where you realize you have got to make this happen. Nobody else can do that for you. The name on your truck doors means nothing as far as your rookie success goes. What's going on between your two ears has everything to do with how you do at the training and during your rookie year.

This whole entrance into the trucking career takes some serious Commitment. Yours just took a blow. Get yourself straightened up before you get any deeper into the black hole that always blames these companies for people's failures at trucking.

You can do this!

Please read this article the whole way through...

The First Year Trap

Thanks for all your opinions. It's not a contract thing I'm worried about I plan on doing at least 2 years with roehl with flatbed otr (gotta put in my time). It's just the overthinking that's killing me about what if I fail (I mean I'm not scared to fail, we all fail and that's what makes us succeed) would I rather be 3.5k in debt or 7k? That is my only concern. But I can't think like that and just going to go for it and give it my all.

I just researched my options, I was able to financially go to a technical school over company paid. The school I went to had 320hrs and a 1000 miles of driving training. Not saying that makes me a professional driver or anything. I’m a rookie making comments on a forum on how I chose to get my cdl is all.

Heck of a first post, Kevin G., and goes contrary to what is recommended here.

How did you arrive at your conclusion to offer this advice? Any experience you can share here with the rest of us?