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Post by Starkitty on Jan 2, 2004 6:48:01 GMT -5
Ok. I've been planning on going to drive for CRST. I was supposed to go this past weekend but I did not because of the flu. I really hate the thought that their school is only 2 weeks long. Arcflash, you said that you went through careerlink, what kind of help did they give you to get into school? My fiancee' went to All-State Career in North Versailes near Pittsburgh. I was planning on going there but I made to much money the year before and did not quallify for any pell grants. They said I could go to school, but I was responsible for about $3,000 which had to be paid before I could gradutate. That is about $500 a month and they were pressuring me to do it. Sure, I got $500 a month to blow. No rent, bills, ect. (Sarcasm here) My cousin says he went through careerlink (driving also) but i didn't listen to him much because of how much of a BS'er he is. Any help guys?
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Post by pete379 on Jan 2, 2004 9:43:47 GMT -5
Hey Starkitty, I thought I do some searching for you. I too live in pennsylvania but close to philadelphia area. I went to layover and Sage trucking was everywhere (ever heard of them?). They were layover school of the month. Or transport tech, new castle, PA. If thats close to you. Say I was thinkin about all-state are they pretty good? That just my little two-sense. Hope to be of some help. P.S. you plan to do team driving for CRST? Find info at www.idodac.com, other driver experiences with them. (Company reports) Good Luck ;D
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Post by Starkitty on Jan 2, 2004 17:26:15 GMT -5
All State is an ok school. I really don't want to go there because it is six months. I am looking into transport tech in Butler, Pa. They have one there, but it is not on the website. I've never heard of Sage. I am trying to get help through careerlink, I went there today, but there is so much red tape I might as well go to CRST for training. I plan on driving with my fiancee' who is already driving for them. I just can't figure out how you can learn the basics in 2 weeks. That just blows my mind. That is also part of why I didn't go last weekend.
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Post by Phantom56 on Jan 2, 2004 17:34:46 GMT -5
Hi Starkitty,
I went through all the hoops to see if I could qualify for a Career Link funded driving school and in addiction to being told we make too much money, that Gov Rendell cut the funding for the program anyway. Of course it seems that all Pennsylvania budget issues are changing day-to-day and there may be some funding out there now. It would never hurt to look, but don't limit your choices to depending on a program that may or may not help you, if in fact they happen to have the money when you apply.
I ended up going with Schneider to get my training, since the three to four thousand dollars I didn't have all the full-time schools want for a five or six week course. One choice I didn't have avbailable locally is the community college training route.
You might want to look in your area for a community college CDL course in your area. There used to be one in a neighboring county that cost about half of what the commecial CDL schools are asking. If you end up having to pay out of your pocket and have the additional time to go to classes on the community college schedule, that is a low cost alternative to commercial CDL schools.
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Post by Mike on Jan 2, 2004 19:00:56 GMT -5
Ok 1st off are you now unemployed? If so check with your employment office about re-training.
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Post by FrostBite on Jan 2, 2004 23:38:10 GMT -5
Arcflash, you said that you went through careerlink, what kind of help did they give you to get into school? Arcflash is back on the road, therefore unable to respond right now. In a later post you mentioned you were looking at Transport Tech. That is the school Arcflash attended. Awhile back he told me the one instructor he had problems with is now gone, but that the rest of the insturctors were top notch (his description). He attended the school in Bessemer.
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Post by Starkitty on Jan 3, 2004 0:21:47 GMT -5
Wow, there are more Pa guys on here than I thought! Just knowing my luck there won't be any money for me to get into school. The lady I was talking to at the Careerlink said that I have to attend a job search workshop, and I have to do some testing. Her words were, people do well in the academics but usually fail in the aptituted part of the test. That really gives me alot of faith. Running short on that with how much crapola that we been through the past year! I am unemployed, but the Unemployment office where I live is the probably the most worthless in the state. I hate going to that one. When I went in there today to ask about help getting training they looked at me as in, huh? We do that?
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Post by Phantom56 on Jan 3, 2004 10:59:55 GMT -5
Not all Career Link offices do handle vocational training. That might be the reason the folks had no clue.
Our local office does because this county (Susquehanna) is a poster child for economic depression and is eligible for federal funding under programs like the Appalachian Redevelopment Act.
Look in your phone book has a listing for TREHAB and contact them about possible training assistance.
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Post by Arcflash on Jan 19, 2004 11:13:54 GMT -5
Hi Starkitty. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you; I was out on the road for a little longer than I expected to be.
Anyways, I went to the careerlink office in Lawrence county. Each county has different standards that they administer the program by based on the local unemployment rate and standard of living. You have to have earned under a certain amount during the past six months, and you have to take a few tests to verify that you have at least a tenth grade education, and have the applitude neccessary to do the job you want to train for.
I went to Transport Tech in Bessemer and would definately recommend it. Their equipment is very current, and their instructors are excellent. The Butler school is sort of a renegade outfit, that is why they aren't on the website. They've sort of seceeded from the union and gone out solo.
They have the same name but are no longer affiliated with any of the other schools. This means something... First off they don't have the modern classroom facilities or equipment as they don't have the big corporate bucks behind them. Second they don't have the services or connections that the other schools have. They aren't anything to sneeze at either, the main campuses can really make or break you.
I didn't know much about any of this until after I enrolled. We were at this little truck stop across from the Butler County fairgrounds in one of the Bessemer Road Trucks when the Butler TT truck pulled in too. Got to talking to their instructor and the students and they were really feeling the pinch.
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Post by Scott on Feb 16, 2004 11:48:27 GMT -5
Starkitty, If youare unemployed, you should qualify for dislocated worker funding. Yes, there are alot of hoops to jump thru, but in the end it will be worth it. Just keep plugging at it.
Scott P.S. Let me know how you make out.
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Post by truckertom on Feb 22, 2004 12:57:04 GMT -5
Star
I think you should look into every state program or even rehab. I have taught alot of Rehab folks how to drive along with Workforce Commission people. It is legit and nothing to be ashamed of. Every one of us have been broke before.
There are alot of people that are trying to climb out of hole right now, many of my students used to have jobs that I once would have killed to have (not really) but it didn't last. I think you should do some reseach and take advantage of every thing you can.
You sound like you would make a thoughtful trucker, and the industry needs as many as we can get right now.
P.S. Waking up in a new state every morning ain't too shabby either, just go easy on the chicken fried steak. (God I am getting tired of eating that....I want fish dammit!) They don't listen, do they? Last week the truck stop was out of chicken, fish and pork! What is left to put on the special?.....another chicken fried steak!
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Post by Starkitty on Feb 23, 2004 14:54:39 GMT -5
I haven't responded lately, but I am pretty discourage from the whole thing now. My BF came home after 3 months with CRST. His one pay was $21 and he called me to drive over to Ohio to get him. Everyone on all the boards say to me, oh he needs to stay 6 months to a year but there is no way we could survive. He went for almost 3 days without eating. Just drinking the pop he had and some junk food. Now we are having a hell of a time finding him a job. We are waiting on US Express to see what they say about hiring him. I am already pre-appoved they are running my backround and stuff, but i know I will be accepted because I have no criminal backround and my MVR is so clean you can eat off of it. I'm not commiting and sending them a $250 unrefundable deposit unless they hire him. We even told the recruiters this. Any of you have thoughts on US Express?
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Post by Scott on Feb 25, 2004 9:31:22 GMT -5
Starkitty-How are you making out with the CareerLink folks? Still waitin' on U.S. Express? Let us know.
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Post by Starkitty on Feb 25, 2004 21:20:52 GMT -5
Forget US Express, no more than 1 suspension in 5 years, so there goes that.
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Post by Arcflash on Mar 2, 2004 18:34:36 GMT -5
He went for almost 3 days without eating. Just drinking the pop he had and some junk food. Hehehe. I did that once. I cracked off a few 600+ mile days doing a "favor" for the company and I had to keep the left door shut and the right foot down. No stopping to eat or anything like that.
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