Alliance Tractor Trailer Training Center Misleading joke of a school! Arden North Carolina

The school has a new Director who is ethical and working on improving the school in every way he can. 

Trucking schools are not free. There is a myth out there that trucking schools are going to put you up in a motel, pay your food and gas and train you...for nothing! Why would they? Nothing is free in this world and they really have no way of knowing if you will even finish the training. The closest thing there is to a free truck driving school is to sign an contract with a company school. In the old days, that was called indentured servitude. Company schools will charge you about $6K if you leave school or your job. Read before you sign. 

As for Alliance, they will train you and you will be placed into a job. It will cost you some money but it is an investment in yourself. If you are not willing to invest in your own trade training, why would someone else? Besides, most companies that accept school graduates offer tuition reimbursement, so you get your tuition back anyway. Even if you didn't, if you are unskilled and making nothing, being placed in a job at $38-42K your first year is not bad. 

From my experience with Alliance they are one of the more unethical business out there. Yes, thats what they are...a business, not a training school. I first was introduced to Alliance by viewing an ad of theirs online for a "Territory Sales Manager." I was right out of college and in search of a job, I thought that this had potential. I called the number listed and talked to what may have been the VP but I can't recall for sure. He asked me a few questions and then invited me for an interview the following monday. I went to the interview and things went well but then I started to get a little suspiscious. I was a little offended when he started offering a "sales rep" position as opposed to the TSM position like was advertised. However, I needed a job and thought I would give it a try. The lying just began there, many more would follow. Myself and a co-worker were told to go to NC for two days for a training session. They did pay for our hotel but we had to pay for gas and food. Let me remind you that this was about a four hour trip one way and we were not getting paid for it!!! Alliance pays only on commission. You aren't even really an employee with them but are in reality an independent contractor, meaning that they don't have to pay taxes on you but you have to pay taxes for yourself. Well after the training session the following week we were given "leads" or basically preset appointments. In the interview I was promised at least 15 leads per week in my area. The first two weeks I was given only 12 and 7 leads respectively. The majority of those leads were as far as 4 or 5 hours from where I live and required me to travel with my own expenses. They don't pay a dime for travel expenses or anything else!!! After that I decided that this was not a good idea at all and left them without notice. The school is a joke and its not worth paying $6,000 in tuition. Once you get out of the school you still have to get your CDL. The Alliance Director in Arden, NC is one of the most arrogant people you will ever meet. During the training session my coworker and I went to a appointment to view how he did it. The young man who he interviewed did not have the $395 on him at the time but that didnt stop the director who kept hassling him until finally he got a promise that they would send a check first thing Monday morning. After the meeting when it was just him and us together he bragged about how that appointment was a "textbook sale." Just another reason to point out the rip off that is Alliance.

There is so much more that I think I could say. If you have any questions then please feel free to ask.

Alliance Tractor Trailer Training Center has worked very hard to correct a misunderstanding that my husband had with them. It is nice to know that there are still some big companies out there that work hard to satisfy their customers. Thank you Alliance for doing the right thing!

I agree with the fact that there are a lot of people that work at Alliance that are great people. My husband has made a lot of friends, including the instructors. My husband has also found another way to obtain his Class A license and he is now working on getting them away from Alliance. Alliance has agreed to give my husband a full refund. So my hat is off to them for that! Thank you for your response. It is nice to know that there are some nice people out there working to help other people in a tough situation.

Melonie

I agree with the fact that there are a lot of people that work at Alliance that are great people. My husband has made a lot of friends, including the instructors. My husband has also found another way to obtain his Class A license and he is now working on getting them away from Alliance. Alliance has agreed to give my husband a full refund. So my hat is off to them for that! Thank you for your response. It is nice to know that there are some nice people out there working to help other people in a tough situation.

Melonie

I have to say that this company is the strangest company that I have ever worked for. The owner is still back in the 80's. He feels that he is the only one that has a company to train drivers the correct way. Representatives are trained to learn a script that will induce pressure on the individual to attend the school. The $395 down isn't spoken about until the end of the meeting...as well as the tuition fee of $5095.00, which this balance is due the first day of class.

There is not a finance department...you are left on your own to get the money. When a prospective student says that he or she doesn't have the $395.00..the reps are supposed to demand that they get on the phone and call every relative that they have for the money. They make lame statements like..."If your child broke her leg right now and the doctor needed $395. to fix it...you would sell something...you would get the money!"

Also the reps are not to tell the prospective student that they will need to pay for a hotel room for 4 weeks, food, pay for the drug test and DOT physical, the permit, and the cdl license. There are many hidden costs that they refrain from mentioning. Also...after 3 days at the VA school and 5 days at the NC school...your $395.00 is lost if you don't cancel before. So...if you can't get the loan...and it takes longer than 3 to 5 days to find out...you are screwed!! There is a spot on their contract for you to sign...so they are legal in doing this.

Many Reps have left because they feel that this company is unethical in the way they treat prospective students. They feel that they need to strong arm an individual into attending their school. Stay away from ALLIANCE TRACTOR TRAILER TRAINING CENTER!! There are other ways to obtain your Commercial Drivers License...check out those ways. This company needs to fall flat on their face......I believe that the more we get the word out...the chances are high that the owner will have to close the doors.

Don't get me wrong..there are some individuals that work for Alliance....many have worked for them for years...and they are super people!! The staff of instructors really do know how to train people to drive and know what is needed by DOT to pass the tests. So...don't frown upon these individuals.

It is strictly the owner and the managers under him that think that the only way to do biz ...is to pressure the heck out of people!

Signed,

A past representative that couldn't screw people looking to better themselves!