Commercial Driver Institute, CDI, Instructors need to learn how to talk to people. Ripoff South Bend Indiana
Hello,
I have wanted to get into the trucking industry (OTR) for a few years and recently decided to pursue it. I looked into several options for getting my education. I settled on the Commercial Driver institue (CDI) located in Southbend, IN. When I talked to my recruiter from there he told me it was one of the top 3 schools in the country. They offer a three week program (1 week in class, 2 driving). The cost for their program is 5,000. They offer financing through a lender, but almost everyone is required to get a cosigner. I had lined everything up and went through the first week without a hitch. I was ready to learn how to drive the big truck the 2nd week. As were the 21 other students in my class. The class started with 36 but we were dwindled down to 21 the first week for various reasons (financing, physical, Drug test). On Monday morning the range instructor drew on the board how to drive a truck backward into a dock and then we went on the range to do it. We were told to take turns in the truck and do it. No one showed us physically how to do it. One by one we got into the trucks and went. We were screamed at, threatened to be sent home, and called #@$ing Idiots! Because we didn't know how to follow directions. Now personally if I had known how to drive a truck, I would have no need for the school. The instructors would constantly call us names and use profanity that would make Howard Stern blush. If you couldn't do it right, they pulled you out of the truck. If you hit a cone on the range you were done for the day. Fortunately I didn't hit any, but not everyone was so fortunante. It didn't get any better when we got on the road. The yelling and name calling continued as if we weren't nervous enough about driving an 18 wheeler on the highway for the first time. The second day continued the same with a few people leaving due to the abuse. The third day rolled around with more of the same. The instructors called us in as a group midway through our range time and asked, "Does anybody here not understand English!" They then told us that if we didn't like the way they were teaching us then we could @#$ing Leave! They said that if we needed more time in the truck then we shouldn't be there because they were only going to spend so much time on each of us and if we couldn't get it we would be gone. This was the straw that broke me after one more yelling. I decided to go complain about the treatment and leave. My recruiter agreed with me and made a few phone calls. He said that he had several complaints and that something needed to be done to break up the "Gestapo" they had there. Another guy left with me for the same reasons, and when we left it brought the class size down to 12 people. If you are looking for an education in the trucking industry, I recommend that you don't go here.
Joe
Cadillac, Michigan
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
josh
United States of Americacdi
#6General Comment
Wed, July 27, 2011
Hello,
I have recently graduated from cdi in may. The instructor u are referring to has since been fired and replaced by the laziest p.o.s. in the world. Dont get me wrong the road instructors were great. However the range instructor was worthless. Lucky for me, our class stuck together and taught ourselves and helped each other learn how to back a truck.
My advice to any new driver to the industry is do not make the mistake of learning through a private institute. You will learn little to nothing. There job is to teach u the absolute minimum in order to obtain a cdl, which is not good enough.
For new drivers you are much better off finding a company whom you will stay with for a min of 1 yr. Some of the bigger companies prime, schneider, and swift have there own cdl training at no cost as long as you work for them for 1 yr. I wish i would of done that i am now 8 grand in debt (with interest) to cdi where i learned nothing.
I now work for prime and i can tell you that there you are actually otr 11 hrs a day with a cdl instructor actually learning something for two weeks or 20k miles. There is no one yr committment to prime for gaining a cdl through them however if you dont stay for a yr you owe them 2500 bucks which is a helluva lot better then 8k and learning nothing.
I hope this post was helpful and trust me cdi is truly a rip off.
Amy
mishawaka,Indiana,
U.S.A.
CDI -Commercial driving Institute South Bend, IN
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, May 02, 2011
Hi ,
I just wanted to say that sorry you had a bad experience with CDI but I just had to let you know that things weren't always that way at the school. Back in 2001 my husband got his Class A CDL from the same school and it was during the winter months. He learned on the snow and ice also and I am so glad he did! back then the instructors were very friendly and not pushy at all and the course was 6 weeks long 2 weeks classroom and paperwork(logs and such) and 4 weeks actual road driving. There was only one incident of yelling at the drivers that I am personally aware of and that was because of the student drivers fault (he got cocky with the instructor and almost caused an accident! ) but otherwise the instructors were very patient and understanding with all the students.
Now you may wonder how I know all this? Well, I personally went there everyday with my husband and three small children to bring him lunch and encourage him and saw ad actually rode in the cab with him on his first day of driving the "Road Trip". So I know times have changed and i AM SORRY FOR YOURb AD EXPERIENCE AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE A WORD IN . :)
Steve
Bradenton,Florida,
U.S.A.
Advice for JOE on getting your CDL
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 06, 2006
Joe,
First I want to say that the treatment you got was totally wrong and un-professional. I am a truck driver and I have been a trainer for the DOD. I trained militart and government civilians on driving trucks and equipment, and signed off on their license. Some people would pass on the first try, while others had to come back literally dozens of times over the course of 6 months to pass.
I have approximately 1.5 million miles in a commercial vehicle. I have seen it all. I can tell you that you are better off going to a large company that will train you. I can name a few and hope the moderator will let them through, as I have no personal interest in one over the other and gain nothing by the referral.
In my opinion Stevens Transport has the absolute best school in the country, and I believe it is a total of 8 weeks with your OTR training.
Another good one is CR England. They train you with simulators and extensive classroom before you ever see a truck, just like Stevens. However they will rush you a little, and one testing facility was busted a while back for pushing people through to get the CDL.
Swift is the largest truck driver trainer in the world. They are in Phoenix. Swift will place you in a truck after training with another driver for a long time before giving you your own truck. The initial training is not as extensive as the other 2 companies listed. Swift has a bad rap with other drivers on the road, and you will be harassed at truck stops and out on the road. If you have thick skin, Swift is OK.
Most of the paid schools are way overpriced for what you get. There is a good one in Phoenix just off the I-10 that is very good. They will train and road test you and they are right next door to the DMV to get your CDL. They charge about $2k all together. They are very nice and patient. I went there when I let my CDL expire and had to retest. It is simply called CDL Truck School. Very nice people, and very thorough. A good deal.
And if all that fails come on down here to sunny Florida this winter and I'll train you!
Good luck
Steve
Bradenton,Florida,
U.S.A.
Advice for JOE on getting your CDL
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 06, 2006
Joe,
First I want to say that the treatment you got was totally wrong and un-professional. I am a truck driver and I have been a trainer for the DOD. I trained militart and government civilians on driving trucks and equipment, and signed off on their license. Some people would pass on the first try, while others had to come back literally dozens of times over the course of 6 months to pass.
I have approximately 1.5 million miles in a commercial vehicle. I have seen it all. I can tell you that you are better off going to a large company that will train you. I can name a few and hope the moderator will let them through, as I have no personal interest in one over the other and gain nothing by the referral.
In my opinion Stevens Transport has the absolute best school in the country, and I believe it is a total of 8 weeks with your OTR training.
Another good one is CR England. They train you with simulators and extensive classroom before you ever see a truck, just like Stevens. However they will rush you a little, and one testing facility was busted a while back for pushing people through to get the CDL.
Swift is the largest truck driver trainer in the world. They are in Phoenix. Swift will place you in a truck after training with another driver for a long time before giving you your own truck. The initial training is not as extensive as the other 2 companies listed. Swift has a bad rap with other drivers on the road, and you will be harassed at truck stops and out on the road. If you have thick skin, Swift is OK.
Most of the paid schools are way overpriced for what you get. There is a good one in Phoenix just off the I-10 that is very good. They will train and road test you and they are right next door to the DMV to get your CDL. They charge about $2k all together. They are very nice and patient. I went there when I let my CDL expire and had to retest. It is simply called CDL Truck School. Very nice people, and very thorough. A good deal.
And if all that fails come on down here to sunny Florida this winter and I'll train you!
Good luck
Steve
Bradenton,Florida,
U.S.A.
Advice for JOE on getting your CDL
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 06, 2006
Joe,
First I want to say that the treatment you got was totally wrong and un-professional. I am a truck driver and I have been a trainer for the DOD. I trained militart and government civilians on driving trucks and equipment, and signed off on their license. Some people would pass on the first try, while others had to come back literally dozens of times over the course of 6 months to pass.
I have approximately 1.5 million miles in a commercial vehicle. I have seen it all. I can tell you that you are better off going to a large company that will train you. I can name a few and hope the moderator will let them through, as I have no personal interest in one over the other and gain nothing by the referral.
In my opinion Stevens Transport has the absolute best school in the country, and I believe it is a total of 8 weeks with your OTR training.
Another good one is CR England. They train you with simulators and extensive classroom before you ever see a truck, just like Stevens. However they will rush you a little, and one testing facility was busted a while back for pushing people through to get the CDL.
Swift is the largest truck driver trainer in the world. They are in Phoenix. Swift will place you in a truck after training with another driver for a long time before giving you your own truck. The initial training is not as extensive as the other 2 companies listed. Swift has a bad rap with other drivers on the road, and you will be harassed at truck stops and out on the road. If you have thick skin, Swift is OK.
Most of the paid schools are way overpriced for what you get. There is a good one in Phoenix just off the I-10 that is very good. They will train and road test you and they are right next door to the DMV to get your CDL. They charge about $2k all together. They are very nice and patient. I went there when I let my CDL expire and had to retest. It is simply called CDL Truck School. Very nice people, and very thorough. A good deal.
And if all that fails come on down here to sunny Florida this winter and I'll train you!
Good luck