Work Source And Grants And Schools

Hi all.

I have been doing a ton of research and learning lots. I really appreciate everyone's input. ideas and suggestions that I have read on this board. i have some questions and concerns and maybe someone has some input to help here.

We have a new truck school in town and have done some research about and in them. They have only been in business one to two months.and just graduated there first class. They are $4500 but they do not do or teach endorsements, with the exception of the air brakes. The owner and instructor both have 20 to 30 years on the road. The school is 4 weeks long and they have a simulator. They have one main company that they send students to and that is May Trucking, just up the freeway from me. May has a policy that they only send females out with females and males with males. there training program is 6 to 8 weeks. I understand why they do this but could end up waiting a while to get a female trainer. i guess that would open up the possibility of becoming a trainer myself down the road a reality as I am sure female trainers could be in fairly high demand. Class size is 2 to 4 students.

There is also another trucking school here in town, one that is accredited but it is $5225.50, they also are 4 weeks long. the majority of training after school varies from 6 to 8 weeks. They do teach and want you to get all endorsements and do your background check, extra for your hazemats. So i guess that takes into consideration for the extra $700+. (Seems like a lot for that). They have referrals for companies such as May, Conway, Fed Ex, Food Services of America,Golden State, Gordon, Gresham, Knight, Roadway Express, Schneider, ( I know the but of many jokes), Sherman Brothers, Swift, (right why not go to there school ?) Sygma Network, Sysco, USF Reddaway, Werner, Yellow and a whole lot more. Some of these I am familiar some I have never heard of. The instructor has over 20 years in the field and ORT and since 1999 as as instructor. The class size is 4 to 6 students.

I know that I could go to Swift Trucking for company training, unforunately they are the only company training school that takes Oregon students but i am concerned about the short time training time and class size and if i have issues or problems and might need more help.

My other problems and concerns are for financing. The company schools are basically payback or pay as you go system. I have fo und one scholarship that would pay for more then half of my training but still leave a bit less then half. I have checked with work source and i do qualify but then i have heard that they are not giving out funds or at best very little. I do know that what funding they have available will be this month in July, so yes I am applying for what ever funds might be available to and for me. Does anyone know of any other funds or scholarships for schools or any pointers to help me to get some or any funds for school.

thanks for any and all help and hopefully soon I can start being on here to help others with my experience and ideas.

Thanks Ladydi/Diana

Hey Diana!

Good to see another lady from Oregon interested in trucking. I am researching these same questions myself. The only other scholarship that I know of so far is the one offered by Women In Trucking. The deadline for that one has passed but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it in just in case something changes.

Women In Trucking Foundation Scholarship

Dianna,

I dont have much to say on the funding for private schools as I went through Swifts program. I can say this though, Swifts program is fast.

Break down of swift:

1St Week Mon - Wed paper work and class work Thurs Straight line backing (you have to pass this to continue on, if you fail you are out) This was at the phoenix academy, not sure of others Fri-Sun Straight line plus Pre-trip

2nd week Mon - More Pre trip Tues - Pre-trip test (after lunch those who failed the first time will be given another shot, those that passed will start skills/shifting) Wed - Skills (Straight Line, Off Set backing and Parallel parking) you will also be learning to shift mid after noon or on thurs/fri + pre trip Thur - More skills and pre trip Fri - Skills test + more pre trip Sat - Repeat skills test + pre trip + practice more skills Sun - (this may be differerent now) my group got the day off for a "34hr reset"... off at 4pm thurs tell 5am Mon

3rd week Mon-Wed Driving and shifting. (they start you out slow. hwy with little traffic and then by mid day take you into town and what not) Thurs Pre exam for driving. Tell you what you need to work on. Fri Final exam. Combines everthing, Pre-trip to start, skills and then driving. Upon completion you will get your CDL. you will also be going home that night or next morning depending on bus sched.

that is what I went through. You being in OR you may have the option to go to Lewiston, ID. I've been there a few times as a driver, they have a scalle house on top of a large hill that they let you guys practice going through. you also learn hills there too. unlike Phoenix which was flat.

as I said, I cant say anything on private schooling, but If the classes are smaller, and slow then perhaps that will be a good route to go.

Good luck, hope this info helps you,

David

Hey Diana!

Good to see another lady from Oregon interested in trucking. I am researching these same questions myself. The only other scholarship that I know of so far is the one offered by Women In Trucking. The deadline for that one has passed but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it in just in case something changes.

Women In Trucking Foundation Scholarship

Hi and gosh thanks for the information about the scholarship that you know. i am excited and ready to get started, as I assume you are to. Oh and I am only down the road a little from you. I live in Albany. Ladydi/Diana

Hi and gosh thanks for the information about the scholarship that you know. i am excited and ready to get started, as I assume you are to. Oh and I am only down the road a little from you. I live in Albany. Ladydi/Diana

Hey, almost neighbor! I am excited to get started, although my situation is slightly different than yours. I used to drive OTR a long time ago but it has been so long (15 years) that even though I still have my Class A CDL , I will need to be re-trained. I am currently debating if I should go through truck driving school again (if that is even an option for me) or if a refresher course will be enough. I certainly can't afford to fail a driving test and I wanna make sure I get it all locked back in before I have to pass a company road test.

We should definitely keep each other in the loop since we live in the same area. I will let you know what I find out. Feel free to PM me anytime.

Dianna,

I dont have much to say on the funding for private schools as I went through Swifts program. I can say this though, Swifts program is fast.

Break down of swift:

1St Week Mon - Wed paper work and class work Thurs Straight line backing (you have to pass this to continue on, if you fail you are out) This was at the phoenix academy, not sure of others Fri-Sun Straight line plus Pre-trip

2nd week Mon - More Pre trip Tues - Pre-trip test (after lunch those who failed the first time will be given another shot, those that passed will start skills/shifting) Wed - Skills (Straight Line, Off Set backing and Parallel parking) you will also be learning to shift mid after noon or on thurs/fri + pre trip Thur - More skills and pre trip Fri - Skills test + more pre trip Sat - Repeat skills test + pre trip + practice more skills Sun - (this may be differerent now) my group got the day off for a "34hr reset"... off at 4pm thurs tell 5am Mon

3rd week Mon-Wed Driving and shifting. (they start you out slow. hwy with little traffic and then by mid day take you into town and what not) Thurs Pre exam for driving. Tell you what you need to work on. Fri Final exam. Combines everthing, Pre-trip to start, skills and then driving. Upon completion you will get your CDL. you will also be going home that night or next morning depending on bus sched.

that is what I went through. You being in OR you may have the option to go to Lewiston, ID. I've been there a few times as a driver, they have a scalle house on top of a large hill that they let you guys practice going through. you also learn hills there too. unlike Phoenix which was flat.

as I said, I cant say anything on private schooling, but If the classes are smaller, and slow then perhaps that will be a good route to go.

Good luck, hope this info helps you,

David

Hey, David, thanks for breaking down Swift's driving school. I am thinking about attending in Lewiston, ID since it's the only company sponsored program in my area. That is if they allow folks who already have a CDL to go through it. How long do you get to practice before they test on the straight back? It looks like it's the first thing you do out of the classroom. Do they at least let you practice first??

Hi and gosh thanks for the information about the scholarship that you know. i am excited and ready to get started, as I assume you are to. Oh and I am only down the road a little from you. I live in Albany. Ladydi/Diana

Hey, almost neighbor! I am excited to get started, although my situation is slightly different than yours. I used to drive OTR a long time ago but it has been so long (15 years) that even though I still have my Class A CDL , I will need to be re-trained. I am currently debating if I should go through truck driving school again (if that is even an option for me) or if a refresher course will be enough. I certainly can't afford to fail a driving test and I wanna make sure I get it all locked back in before I have to pass a company road test.

We should definitely keep each other in the loop since we live in the same area. I will let you know what I find out. Feel free to PM me anytime.

No company will be giving you a refresher course after a 15 year absence from the road. You're going to start from the bottom with your training, the only difference is you'll already have a license so you'll be able to skip a few steps.

You should also keep in kind if you do apply for aid to pay for school but have to pay it back some companies do tution reimbursement of up to $10,000. So yes you may pay for it up front or finance but will ultimately get the money back. I went to a truck driving school at a community college and FASFA was an option there.

No company will be giving you a refresher course after a 15 year absence from the road. You're going to start from the bottom with your training, the only difference is you'll already have a license so you'll be able to skip a few steps.

Actually Daniel never say never. My company picked up a guy with 20 yrs out of trucking without having t9 go through a full blown course. Although many many things have changed and it might not be a bad idea to take the course. From eha5 I hear though its just like riding a bike:-)

Dianna,

I dont have much to say on the funding for private schools as I went through Swifts program. I can say this though, Swifts program is fast.

Break down of swift:

1St Week Mon - Wed paper work and class work Thurs Straight line backing (you have to pass this to continue on, if you fail you are out) This was at the phoenix academy, not sure of others Fri-Sun Straight line plus Pre-trip

2nd week Mon - More Pre trip Tues - Pre-trip test (after lunch those who failed the first time will be given another shot, those that passed will start skills/shifting) Wed - Skills (Straight Line, Off Set backing and Parallel parking) you will also be learning to shift mid after noon or on thurs/fri + pre trip Thur - More skills and pre trip Fri - Skills test + more pre trip Sat - Repeat skills test + pre trip + practice more skills Sun - (this may be differerent now) my group got the day off for a "34hr reset"... off at 4pm thurs tell 5am Mon

3rd week Mon-Wed Driving and shifting. (they start you out slow. hwy with little traffic and then by mid day take you into town and what not) Thurs Pre exam for driving. Tell you what you need to work on. Fri Final exam. Combines everthing, Pre-trip to start, skills and then driving. Upon completion you will get your CDL. you will also be going home that night or next morning depending on bus sched.

that is what I went through. You being in OR you may have the option to go to Lewiston, ID. I've been there a few times as a driver, they have a scalle house on top of a large hill that they let you guys practice going through. you also learn hills there too. unlike Phoenix which was flat.

as I said, I cant say anything on private schooling, but If the classes are smaller, and slow then perhaps that will be a good route to go.

Good luck, hope this info helps you,

David

Hi David,

Wow with your experience it sure does make a private school sound good. It would be good to have the experience of a weigh station though. I guess there used to be a school here in Oregon but it is gone. From talking to the recruiter,what little bit i did, ( he really put me off, guess I got him on a bad day), He said I would go to Lewiston, Idaho.

Wow that either your in or your out crap in the first week really sucks, dont make one feel to confident, does it. How many people failed? How big are your classes? Thanks Ladydi/Diana