Diesel Driving Academy, Shreveport,LA-Baton Rouge,LA-Little Rock,AR-Dallas,TX

Thought I would start a post for Diesel Driving Academy. I am a current week 17 student in their 20 week day class program and attend the Shreveport, LA campus. Diesel Driving Academy also has campuses in Baton Rouge, LA, Little Rock, AR and Dallas, TX. They have a 20 week day time program that runs Mon.-Thur. 8:30-4:30 and a 30 week night time program that runs Mon.-Fri. 5:30-9:30. They do have financial people there that help you apply for student loans and grants. I can tell you that at this time (6/21/13), the 20 week program runs $10,404. On average, there isn't much of a problem getting loans that cover $10,000. Most will have to pay the $404 out of their pocket monthly starting one month after your start date. Most will get a $6,000 student loan and a $4,000 student loan that you won't have to make payments on until 6 months after you graduate. Most trucking companies do offer tuition reimbursement of usually $6,000 and they average payments of $125 a month on those so you will end up working for that company for 6 years to get the biggest loan paid off.

The 20 week program breaks down like this:

First week is basically an orientation week.

Weeks 2-5 is all classroom, watching boring videos and taking tests to prepare you to take and pass the CDL permit tests. The tests are General Knowledge, Combinations, and Air Brakes. You can also take endorsement tests if you want at no extra charge until you get your license (not permit) then its like $5 (in Louisiana) per endorsement plus the cost of the CDL itself.
You should use those weeks to go to DMV on a Friday to take the tests and get your permit. I got my permit as well as my doubles/triples trailers and tanker endorsements after only the first week of class. Easy to pass if you read the book they give you.

Weeks 6-10 you are out on the backing pad practicing straight line backing, offset backing and alley docking. Gotta know how to back up before you can go forward.

Week 11, you better have your CDL permit because you go to the "square" and practice shifting. Upshifting and downshifting.

Week 12, interstate route.

Week 13, rural route.

Week 14, city route.

Week 15, interstate route.

Week 16, rural route.

Week 17, city route.

Weeks 18 & 19, backing practice again.

Week 20, test out.

If anyone has any questions about this school, feel free to ask and I will answer your question as best I can. Thanks for reading.

 

I can completely understand why someone wouldn't want to pay that much for a CDL school. But, I chose this route because with all of the driving time I have behind the wheel thus far, I will be a lot more comfortable driving starting out than someone coming out of a 4 week program. I've got 7 weeks driving exeprience where as a shorter program you're probably only going to have 3 weeks driving. The Roehl recruiter has said that the success rate of their orientation for new drivers that come out of DDA is 96%. He said they send home a lot more people that come out of a 4 or 5 week school because they just aren't as comfortable driving. Its all a matter of opinion and what fits best for you.