Need advice on how to complete getting my CDL-A license

So I was approved for a state grant (to allow me to go back to school) and decided to go to truck driving school (a 3 to 4 week program).

Ended up attending a C1 Truck Driving academy here in Missouri (my home state). It's close by, I could drive there each day. The test here in Missouri is 3 parts - the Pre-trip inspection, the maneuvers portion of the test (parallel parking, etc), and the driving portion of the test.

I passed the Pre-Trip inspection, passed the maneuvers, but ended up failing the driving portion of the test. And apparently you only get 3 chances to take the test here in Missouri. After that, you have to send a request off to the state capital to get the right to test again.

I don't feel I was ready to test the first time I went out to do my road test (I had just passed my maneuvers, why do they make you go test immediately on the road right after that?), and was a bit too nervous the 2nd time I went to test, but the third time, I made a stupid mistake and the instructor failed me. I want to note that I have never done this line of work before, so I feel it was an accomplishment to get as far as I did.

But anyway, I sent the request for a 4th attempt off to Jefferson City, got approved with the condition that I do another 20 hours of truck driving training. I checked with the Missouri Career Center, and they say that they won't pay for any additional training (I guess it was a one time shot). I told C1 Truck Driving academy that I only need 20 hours, which I could (I feel) bust that out in 2 to 3 days. They argue that it's 20 hours behind the wheel (and you don't spend all 8 hours of the business day behind the wheel at a truck driving academy...from what I found, it was usually 2 to 3 hours behind the wheel). So they want me to pay for a whole 2 weeks of training ($2,000 bucks). Which I can't really afford. I've heard elsewhere that an actual "20 hours" behind the wheel is not what the state wants, they just want me to complete 20 hours of training (it doesn't all have to be me behind the wheel), and that C1 is just trying to milk me for money. I asked for a certificate of completion, and C1 says they won't give me one since I didn't pass and get my license (but I certainly was in school for 120 hours). Does this sound fishy to anyone else here?

The person I talked with on the phone at Jefferson City said that the state just wants 20 hours from anywhere, it doesn't have to be a school, I could drive around with a person that has a valid CDL-A license, and as long as they sign off that I did 20 hours, that would count. But I don't know of anyone that has a license that could allow me to drive with them.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? My permit is good until the middle of September...it just seems like I'm so close, I should be able to find a way to finish this off and get my license.

 

Springfield, Missouri.

 

I was hoping to avoid being in debt to a company for a year or two.

Well, that's encouraging...