Anyone Know Anything About All State Career Truck Driving School?

Hey everybody! I'm going to take this chance to introduce myself. My name is William OBrien I'm a 28 year old male from the Philadelphia area. I just enrolled in the advanced tractor trailer CDL A course @ All State Career truck driving school. I start on the 23rd of December and it is a six month course. My question to anyone that can answer it is if anyone heard of All State Career and if so what did you hear and/or know about the school? I'm just curious because I'm making a six month/ $10,000.00 investment and want to make sure it is a good choice. Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated! On a lighter note I must say this site is very informative and you guys on the forum seem very knowledgable and experienced. I am looking very forward to making a home here and getting to know each of you throughout my schooling and then my trucking career. Everyone have a great and safe holiday season.

Wow.

Sir, coming from a neutral perspective with nothing but the best in mind for you and your family. I think you're paying overkill for the schooling. I mean, a very good schooling can go up to 6k. But the average cost is roughly 3-4K. I've never even heard of paying 10k for a trucking school. And the length is 6 months. That's good or bad depending on how you see it.

It doesn't take 6 months to learn how to drive a tractor trailer. I think the length is far too long. It only helps you, but the longer the schooling - the more time you spend not making the big bucks. Sure, it will make the process less stressful. But honestly, in school you won't learn the fundamentals - you'll simply learn the basics.

When you go on the road delivering loads with your trainer is when you truly start to learn how to do this job.

Now, let me clarify myself. I don't aim to bash you or your decisions. Everyone knows I'm not a negative poster.

But with a concern for your well being and your pocket book. I think you're overpaying by 100% and the course seems to be too long.

Think about this.

I went to school with Central Refrigerated on November 15th. On Decemember 15th I went on the road with my trainer. On January 15th I graduated to a solo driver. I spent two months with the entire process. From a poster learning all he can from Trucking Truth to a solo driver in two months.

After that two months is when I started making the real money.

So with that in mind, you'll be spending an additional 4 months not making money and still learning to drive. So while I was making 100-200 per day, you will be spending.

Again, I am not trying to bash your decision. I'm sure its a great school. It better be for that kind of price. The trick is to ask your school what companies hire from them. Then call the company and verify that they do indeed hire from your school. So if your school says XYZ hires our graduates, then call XYZ and verify that they do hire from the school. You need to cover your back and make sure your school is credited and you will land a job afterwards.

Also, make sure that the school gives you a diploma or certificate that says you accomplished 140 or above hours of behind the wheel training. The companies need this certificate in order to hire you.

I hope I'm not misunderstood.

I actually know one of the instructors at the school Sterling Wallace its a great school. I went to All state in Allentown and Daniels right the 4 week course is all you need!

Thank you so much guys for confirming my suspicions. I had a feeling I was being charged too much and the course was longer than needed. On the flip side I'm already locked in. I'm just going to go through the motions with the school, absorb everything I can. As for the price the government is paying a little more than 60% of the tuition, as for the remainder of the cost i will be on a monthly payment plan starting 6 months after I graduate to the tune of $60.00 a month. I wish I had the luxury of being hired by a otr trucking company and being put through school by them, two things are preventing that; one, my job history is virtually non existent because I've been on disability for the past 8 years; two I was convicted of felonies about ten years ago. Thank you guys again for your advice!

Thank you so much guys for confirming my suspicions. I had a feeling I was being charged too much and the course was longer than needed. On the flip side I'm already locked in. I'm just going to go through the motions with the school, absorb everything I can. As for the price the government is paying a little more than 60% of the tuition, as for the remainder of the cost i will be on a monthly payment plan starting 6 months after I graduate to the tune of $60.00 a month. I wish I had the luxury of being hired by a otr trucking company and being put through school by them, two things are preventing that; one, my job history is virtually non existent because I've been on disability for the past 8 years; two I was convicted of felonies about ten years ago. Thank you guys again for your advice!

William, you say your job history is nonexistant and you've been convicted of felonies about ten years ago.

Which brings me to ask you, have you personally called up any companies and tried to see if they would be interested in you?

I ask this important question for many reasons. Firstly, just because you get a CDL won't always guarantee a job. And secondly, you need to establish prehires. Find companies interested in you and who will give you a shot upon graduation.

Welcome aboard William!

Indeed I agree with Daniel and RedGator that the shorter course would have been the way to go. I'm familiar with that school and their options and the shorter course is all that's needed. I think the main reason they offer the longer course is to get the financing for it. I think the government requires the schooling to be of a certain length before they'll consider federally-backed student loans.

You say you're "locked in". Make sure you are. If not, switch to the shorter course. But either way you'll wind up just fine.

Daniel makes a good point. Normally before you attend a private Truck Driving Schools you'll apply for pre-hires to mitigate the risk of getting a CDL and not being able to find work. We have an excellent article on Understanding Pre-Hires if you're not familiar with the process. Because the schooling is so long, some companies may not even issue pre-hires that far in advance. I'm not sure. But you should certainly begin applying anyhow to make sure companies are going to be willing to give you a shot once you graduate from school.

As for the price the government is paying a little more than 60% of the tuition, as for the remainder of the cost i will be on a monthly payment plan starting 6 months after I graduate to the tune of $60.00 a month.

The school I went to actually lowered their cost to the amount my GI Bill was going to pay (which was 60%) when the paperwork came through. I know you said you're "locked in" but do you have any wiggle room to check with and maybe negotiate a better deal with another school?

Hey everybody! I'm going to take this chance to introduce myself. My name is William OBrien I'm a 28 year old male from the Philadelphia area. I just enrolled in the advanced tractor trailer CDL A course @ All State Career truck driving school. I start on the 23rd of December and it is a six month course. My question to anyone that can answer it is if anyone heard of All State Career and if so what did you hear and/or know about the school? I'm just curious because I'm making a six month/ $10,000.00 investment and want to make sure it is a good choice. Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated! On a lighter note I must say this site is very informative and you guys on the forum seem very knowledgable and experienced. I am looking very forward to making a home here and getting to know each of you throughout my schooling and then my trucking career. Everyone have a great and safe holiday season.

You are not being charged too much. I know that sounds stupid. But it's true. I was just there (phila pa school) about a week ago and got the same sales pitch. 6 mons for $9,500.00 and that doesn't even cover half of the extra fees. The 6 months is based on the Feds (financial aid- FAFSA requirements) The Feds need you to be in school for a certain amount of time so they know their money is going towards something. At the same time the school needs your butt in a seat long enough so they can collect their money from the feds. I would imagine this school has a high drop out rate. Of which those drop outs are still required to pay that money back! All-state also has a fast track program of 5 weeks for $5,200.00. Again, I was just there last week so these prices are current as of 2015. And for the $5,200.00 it covers NOTHING. You still need to pay for your books and other associated fees. Hope this helps someone make a wiser decision when considering CDL schools.

You are not being charged too much. I know that sounds stupid. But it's true. I was just there (phila pa school) about a week ago and got the same sales pitch. 6 mons for $9,500.00 and that doesn't even cover half of the extra fees. The 6 months is based on the Feds (financial aid- FAFSA requirements) The Feds need you to be in school for a certain amount of time so they know their money is going towards something. At the same time the school needs your butt in a seat long enough so they can collect their money from the feds. I would imagine this school has a high drop out rate. Of which those drop outs are still required to pay that money back! All-state also has a fast track program of 5 weeks for $5,200.00. Again, I was just there last week so these prices are current as of 2015. And for the $5,200.00 it covers NOTHING. You still need to pay for your books and other associated fees. Hope this helps someone make a wiser decision when considering CDL schools

Broomshaker E, thanks for posting this. The school rep I spoke with wouldn't give me these details unless I visited the school....this made we a little weary about the school right off the bat.

Broomshaker E, thanks for posting this. The school rep I spoke with wouldn't give me these details unless I visited the school....this made we a little weary about the school right off the bat.

That's understandable. The sales reps get paid so much for getting folks in there, and get paid so much for every sign up.