Question:
Anyone know anything about this school in Stafford, MO? Are they a quality school or a CDL mill? Any and all information appreciated.Henry Ford

Answer:
Garyw, I am currently attending C1 in Strafford. Here are my thoughts: First, I would study the book before you go. Not to say anything bad for the school because I think many of them get you thru the book stuff pretty quit. I studied and took all my tests before I went and had my permit already. However, must still take the full week in the classroom. But pre study really helps. I will start my 2nd week on Monday. Classes are from M-F and you get your weekends off. Drinking is not allowed anytime during your "off hours" to some extent, but I'm not a drinker so it didn't apply to me. As far as it being a mill, the classes are fairly small (my class has 7) and they do their best. They say that they are the best in the state of Missouri, with the highest graduation rate out of all the schools in MO. Now I haven't looked that info up, but I have so far been very happy with the classes and treatment of the instructors. As a woman, you never know how you will be treated in this business. Here's something else. Depending on the way you pay, i.e. State funded, contracting, or private pay...you may want to look into these. Since I didn't quilify for State and I didn't have the money for private pay, I contracted. The only company that contracts with them is CRST. I don't know much about them but this...The terminal that I will be going to is in OK City. My contract is: I work for 1 year and they pay my tuition. I don't have to pay it back unless I quit before my 1 year is up. I have my motel room is free at this time but will pay them back as they will take $30 out of my pay each week. I have to pay for my own food. I just brought food from home. I have a mircowave and fridge in my room. As far as C1 being a mill, other than it being a short 3 weeks, if you can do the things they tell you, then you could be a driver two. The instrutors do real good about 1 on 1.
What part of Missouri are you from. I'm from Rolla.

Answer:
3 weeks training on a Monday thru Friday basis with weekends off.
If you are training from 7AM to 9PM everyday with 1 hour out for lunch, you get 13 hours training each day.
13 hrs training/day * 15 days = 195 hours.
Sorry, but this "school" IS a CDL mill.

Answer:
Gary there are good driving schools and bad, do your research and you will be fine,
Some of the things to look for is how long the porgram is, how much class time as to actual drive time do you get?
Do u get one on one instruction, this is important because you need that actual hands on training, and not riding in the bunk while someone else is driving, This is a driving mill schools way of giving u truck time, but not drive time.
Once your ready for your state skills test, how many times will they test u if you fail the first time, Go with a school that will retest u at least five or six times, stay away from the ones that only test you once or twice. For these schools it is all about the money and not your success.
And do not under any circumstances sign a contract with a carrier to get tuition for school unless u have no other choice. There are several ways to get your school paid for , use the empolyment agencies in your state like Workfroce Investment at your local employement office, or use a Technical School that can help with bank loans. If you or your parent is a vet, you can get tuition from the vetrans administartion. Or if you have a disability try your local disabilites vocational rehabilition services.
We have a C-1 here in Indianapolis and for the most part they are a good school, but remember its a business, and like all business at somepoint comes to the bottom line.
Good luck Gary, from an Indiana Driving Instructor
Catch you on the flip!

Answer:
I have no disagreement with the last statement. And I realize that a business is a business. What I hear the instructors tell us is we are there to get our CDLs. I realize that this is probably a mill but look at it from this perspective:
I had my CDL permit and looked for work for 6mo and then renewed it. I still couldn't find work. After that year I took the tests again and did the same thing. NO ONE would hire me, nobody. Not even any of these companies that train. So I let it go. Now, some 4 years latter, I decided to go to school. Because I have a bacholars degree, all the agencies I talked with said they couldn't help me. I couldn't and wouldn't get a loan...something I have to pay back. So I decided that the only way for me to do what I wanted to do was to contract. Now, I haven't even finished school and I hope I don't have to eat my words, but at least I have a company to go with and pay with it and experience. I try to be positive person. If you knew what I did before I persued this career, you wouldn't complain either. There's a whole lot worse stuff out there then contracting for a year. I don't have to pay back the tuition as long as I stay the year. After the 1 year, I can leave and go some place else.
This is just my opinion and not to offend the Indiana instructor who posted. The home office for C-1 is in Indianapolis. Is this the same place you mentioned?

Answer:
Just curious as to where you got your training?

Answer:
"Just curious as to where you got your training?"
A CDL mill. If nothing else, I learned how to recognize the CDL mills.
I didn't mean to be harsh.