IITR Truck School

I needed to get my Oregon class B license in order to drive a bus for a private company. With the exception of a couple large moving trucks, I had no experience driving large vehicles whatsoever. I also came with very little mechanical knowledge. After working with IITR, I was able to confidently pass the pre-​trip and driving exams for my CDL. As far as the fees go, the expert instruction I received was WELL worth what I was charged! I would definitely recommend these guys if you need to get your CDL. Don’t waste your time and money by trying to do this stuff on your own and then having to take DMV tests (and pay DMV fees) multiple times.

Let me begin by saying that before I attended IITR truck school I had zero experience driving a truck and trailer, I had never backed up anything longer then a full sized pickup truck and after 1 month (160 hours) of instruction I am confidently entering the industry with a solid foundation of skills and experience.
The administration staff at IITR was great, Amanda the admissions and placement advisor really took the time to listen to my needs and expectations and after explaining what I wanted out this experience she focused on ensuring that my future would be heading in the direction I wanted. I didn’t have much interactions with any of the other office staff but what interactions I did have were all positive.
At the heart of the school wad the instructors. Our classroom instructor was Bob. As a veteran truck driver with hundreds of thousands of miles behind the wheel Bob brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Week one of the school was all in the classroom, we took tests and watched a bunch of videos that helped us prepare for the DMV written test (multiple choice computerized test actually). The movies they showed were a little dated but they complemented the DMV driver’s manual very well. Mixed into the class time were stories about what to expect in the real world as a trucker and helpful insight that you could only learn from a seasoned driver. Listen to Bob’s words of advice because he really knows what he’s talking about! After the first week they split the class up and we hit the road and the backing yard.
Bob instructed the backing yard and again his knowledge and patience were an incredible help in learning backing maneuvers that were completely foreign to me. Jeff, Dan and Jim were our road instructors. I didn’t get to drive with Jim but I can say with certainty that both Jeff and Dan are experienced drivers with decades of time behind the wheel as well as great teachers. Jeff’s teaching style was laid back and he liked to joke but he truly wanted us to succeed and helped us develop our skills day by day until we had our shifting down and our skills honed. Dan is also a great instructor, I didn’t spend as much time with him but he definitely knew his stuff, he was patient and honest in his development and assessment of your skills. At the end of the course I could tell that the instructors were genuinely happy that we had all improved so much and that we were ready to take the state test. They even bought us lunch on the last day which was very nice.
I never would’ve thought that four weeks would be enough to learn even the bare minimum of knowledge required to operate a semi truck and trailer but the teaching staff was amazing and it’s because of them that I have my CDL license today.
If you’re thinking about getting your CDL, the Clackamas IITR campus is a great place to learn and I would recommend them over and over again. It a little expensive but there are plenty of tuition assistance programs and it’s well worth every penny.