My experience at TDI/CDI

My personal experience at TDI/CDI in Christiana, TN.
I paid in full, and got a $1k discount. They charge $5995. If you have to use a loan company, I recommend you get your funding before you go, as the loan services they use can charge up to 20%, and you get no discount. (Roughly, you will have to pay back $7200ish.)
The school, as with most trucking schools, are focused on getting you passed the TDoT CDL test. They have 3 instructors (and need extra, for those experienced drivers who might want to get off the road for a while.) All 3 are good. Ernie does the classroom work mostly, with Erich and Harry dealing with the course and on road instruction.
The first week is focused on getting you passed the multiple choice TDoT test to get your learner's permit. Listen, do the practice tests, and you will pass easily.
The next 2 weeks are focused on getting you past the pre-trip inspection, backing, and road test. Again, listen, watch, and learn. Erich is particularly good at explaining the what and how.
The trucks they use on the yard are not road worthy, and do not have to be. They only have to stop and idle forward and backwards. They are junk, but serve the purpose. You focus on straight backing, offset backing, and parallel parking. Expect to be in the elements, as the trucks have no a/c. Expect to get dirty, hot, sweaty, and wet. The yard is not paved. It is gravel.
When I was there, I got a good sunburn with the reflection off the gravel.
The instructors will help you, and will go the extra mile to get you through.
The road trucks are in ok condition. Road worthy, but not stellar. Think: Bought used, with around 500k miles. The road trucks have sleepers with the bed removed and replaced with 3 chairs. 4 students go out for each road trip.
They start you out on the side of the road on a 4 lane divided highway, to teach you how to double clutch. You get 1 day of this. You then move on to highway driving, city driving, two lane twisty, school zones, and railroad tracks. You also will have a day where they drive you over Monteagle Mountain, and a night drive.
Yes, a school that actually has you drive down a steep grade before you graduate.
According to some students of other courses in the area, we got more road time, and less class time then they did.
The TDoT final test to get your CDL is done at the school. They use a cab truck to do this. This truck you have little exposure to. You get to drive it once in the yard to practice your backing with. They want this truck to be 100% ready for the CDL test.
Was it worth it? I will know soon, as I am applying and deciding this week.
Yes, you can apply as you do the course, I chose to make sure I got the license in hand before applying, as I did not want to schedule, then have to reset everything with the trucking job, had I not passed.
My class started with 6. One could not speak English, and could not pass the TDoT multiple choice test. One did not even get past the TDoT document inspection, as his birth certificate was too old. One could not get the funding situated. The three left all passed, unlike the class before us, who had 3 take and 1 pass. If you fail, you have to wait 1-3 weeks for a retest. Yes, the school allows you access to the yard trucks while waiting for your retest. You will not have access to the road trucks.
Again, the 3 instructors do want you to pass. And are willing to do 1 on 1 instruction to get you through.