Career Tech

Has anyone ever heard or has gone through this school? they are out of Florida which is where i live.I`ve been reseaching schools for 8 months now just need some more info..training,how many students per truck,financing..etc.

Welcome aboard Ron!

I'm not familiar with Career Tech myself. But we have a series of articles on How To Choose A Truck Driving School that will give you a ton of information about what to look for and how to go about getting the information you'll need. Also have a look at our Truck Driver's Career Guide. Chapter 4 of our career guide covers choosing a truck driving school.

Read through our articles so you know what questions to ask and what to look for. Then, after you've narrowed your choices down to a few contenders go for a visit to each of them. Have a look at the facilities and the equipment, meet some of the staff, and most importantly speak in private with some of their current students to get their opinion on the schooling.

Also, make sure that several major carriers are willing to hire their students. Get a list of companies from the school and call some of them yourself from home to verify it. If indeed major companies do hire from the school then you know they're a legitimate candidate.

thank you brett..this site is awsome,so much info on here..talked to the school,2 students per truck,160hrs,excluding permit,have to get one before school.they verify employment,small desposit like 1500, the rest you pay after 3 months when your on your own,which majority or companies will remburse,If I`m have trouble they will spend more time with me with no extra charges.I talked to some drivers down here and they told me that is where they went

Well that sounds like a good school !!! I'd like to see their contract...just for curiosity...Anytime they offer to spend all the time it takes to get you your cdl...they are either lieing, or are a very good company. So if you go there, keep us updated !!!

Looks like I'm necro'ing this post a little, but in case anyone searches this school and wants some insight; I have just finished an 80 hr refresher course at Career Tech in Lakeland FL. First off the recruitment guy (David Lamb) is a very nice gentleman and was very friendly to work with. He seems to favor veterans and goes the extra mile for them. (I'm a veteran) When I settled on 2 companies I wanted to go for after school, he contacted them and let them know he had a student interested and got the ball rolling. He always got back to me and overall I had a positive experience with him. I attended the school in Lakeland and they also have one in Tampa. I stayed at their "Farm House" in Plant City which is in-between both schools. Well now that was my only negative experience. They have 2 rooms both with two mattresses and the house is literally on a palm tree farm. The roaches were pretty bad and we sprayed every other day to keep them at bay. I was only there 2 weeks and lucked out and had a good roommate so it was tolerable. Now the staff at Lakeland consisted of 2 full time trainers (Ken and James) and two part time trainers that share time between the schools. (Kyle) helps with yard skills and (Michelle) handles your road time training. She is awesome!! She has the patience of Job and has excellent advice on shifting and handling of the truck if you need it. All of the trainers let you go at your own pace. If you want a little extra time you'll have to ask. Otherwise they'll let you go and check in on you from day to day. I came in as an experienced driver that hadn't driven a truck in 14 years, but it all came back to me very quickly so I required little time with the trainers. There were about 12-16 students there when I attended, all at different stages of training. I got to practice yard skills every day my first week and shared time with up to 4 other students at once. It was enough time for me. The only students that complained they weren't getting enough time didn't show up every day either. They were high maintenence individuals that would ***** if you hung them with an old rope. I got a few days on road training and went out with Ken twice and Michelle once. I thought they both were easy to work with. Lastly they have 3 examiners that will do your final tests. 1 of them (Jack) got some people nervous because he's very serious and has a total poker face so you can't tell what exactly he's thinking. I only met Kevin, the examiner that splits time with both schools, but most people wanted to have him as examiner on test day. I never saw the third and actually may be mistaken if there is in fact a third examiner. Either way realize it's a CDL school and are not in the business of failing students. Just hope that if you attend that on your test day the State examiner of CDL schools doesn't sit in on your examination. He's a P$%#& and will try his hardest to fail you. I saw him do it to a girl on her pre-trip test. He got her all flustered and out of her rhythm, asking stupid questions and made the examiner mark off points because when she said she would check the oil level, she didn't state she would pull the dipstick all the way out, wipe it off, re insert it and check it. Stupid crap like that this guy is famous for. A total ******. All in all I would definitely refer anyone who is interested in attending Career Tech to do so. Their equipment is a bit beat up (they have 3 trucks: 1 for road training and testing which has a sleeper in front of a 48' trailer, 1 two axle day cab in front of a 48' trailer (they claimed was a 53, but I don't think so) they use for yard skills and some road and a 2 axle in front of a 27' trailer that never leaves the yard. One of the 2 axles was down for 3 days with a blown out clutch but what do you expect of a truck that has hundreds of students that have never drove a truck (some that have never drove a manual transmission). I hope this helps with your decision in picking a CDL school.