Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/10/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Mr. ************************* is the owner of National Truck Driving School. I signed a contract and paid ************** two thousand dollars of the three thousand dollars owed for National Truck Driving School's total fees. I have attended National Truck Driving School for approx. 6 weeks. I am now to the point in my training that I am receiving instruction on the road. On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, I was sent out by ************** with one of the two instructors ************** employs (**********). ************** had told me I would be going out with **************** that day, but for whatever reason switched me to Mr. ********** at the last second.When Mr. ********** and I got on the road, we came to a railroad crossing at approx. 1000 El Camino in ********** that had the crossing arms down. After we sat at the crossing for about 20 minutes (I was the first at the railroad crossing arm) w/no train coming and cars behind me going around and under the crossing arm, Mr. ********** got out of the truck and looked both ways down the track. He got back in the truck and told me to get out and hold the crossing arm up so he could cross under. I refused. He kept trying to coerce me. Finally I got out and called my dad. Mr. ********** drove under the crossing arm - and just left me standing on the side of the road in a bad neighborhood. My dad came to get **** am supposed to be able to attend school until three DMV tests. I haven't been given the opportunity to take 1.************** refuses to release the dash-cam video, which exonerates me. ************** refuses to respond to emails asking for resolution to this matter.I would like it if the BBB could help me resolve this matter. I would like to either complete my education, under the tutelage of **************** (the instructor that has never endangered my life nor told me to do something illegal while driving on the road), or be refunded the $2,000 I paid to ************** and have **************, in writing, release me from the contract I signed with him to attend his school.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/18/2024

  First off all *** is very disobedient, undisciplined and arrogant young man.  His father would bring to school every time and he treated his father with nothing but disrespect. Very difficult to be around.  Second off all our instructors are extremely professional and we are in this business for 16 years.  We are totally aware off all the rules and regulations and non the instructors would ask a student to do anything illegal or the road or in the yard.  So we simply don't understand how the instructor sitting on the passenger seat could ask a student, who is driving, to get out of the truck and do something that is not only illegal but also dangerous. We charged *** $2,000 and instructors spent a good amount of time teaching and training him in the yard and on the road, so it would be unfair to our team if they didn't get paid for the provided services.  We offered $1,000 refund but the family refused to accept the money and went viral on the social media with very bad reviews about our school and the instructor. They complained everywhere they could.  Everything they say is a complete lie and is not acceptable. *** refused to wait on the railroad, got very inpatient, call his father from the truck and got out.  The instructor had no other choice but to bring a truck back to school. We don't have dash cameras in our trucks so we don't understand how we can release the video.  We are still ready to refund $1,000 if the family will stop harassing our school with made up stories and apologizes

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/25/2024

  I am rejecting this response because: Good morning,

  
  

  I am unsure if I'm supposed to respond to this notification from BBB via email or through the link I was given.  I know I was given seven days to respond.  It has been five days, but we are going into the weekend, so hopefully this form of response will be acceptable.  At the end of reading ****************** rebuttal I clicked that I "rejected the business owner's offer", but didn't see where to include my response to his rebuttal.

  
  

  With respect to ****************** rebuttal.  Casting erroneous personal aspersions about me doesn't negate the fact that National Truck Driving School refused to either refund my $2,000 OR return my school records and contract so that I could move on to another driving school.  ************** rejected my offer to allow me to return to the school when instructor **************** worked there - **************** has since left that establishment.  I would have been willing to finish up my schooling under ******************** tutelage, but this offer was also rejected by **************.  I have given ************** several options, he simply doesn't respond to emails.  I have asked him for my records and contract, or refund funds submitted to him/his school in full (since he refuses to release my school records and contract), or return to the school to finish up under **************** (but that is now not an option since he no longer works there).  ************** has refused all options and only wants to give me $1,000 back.  What good is half my money back if I can't move on with school records to prove to another school what I have already learned, and more importantly, what more I need to finish at the next school in order to properly obtain my commercial truck driver's license?

  
  

  By ****************** own admission there are (conveniently) no dash-cams in his trucks used for student instruction.  A clear violation of DOT's regulations for a commercial truck driving school.  If ************** has been in this business for 16 years, he is aware of this.  This is a predatory institution as evidenced by the fact that ************** will neither provide my school records and contract, nor return my $2,000 of the $3,000 owed for tuition so that I can move on to another school.  To ask for an apology letter before he would return HALF of my money submitted to him only goes to show that he is making an excuse to keep all of my money.  So if I don't apologize in writing (for not wanting to break the law and endanger my life and others on the road), ************** won't return half of my money?  What do I have to apologize for?  For refusing to do something I knew to be illegal just because instructor/owner ******** wanted to get going and believed the railroad crossing arm to be broken?  Apologize for finally, after 10 straight minutes of putting up with berating in the cab of the semi by instructor/owner ********, getting out of the truck and waiting on the other side of the tracks to be picked up if ******** was insistent on doing this illegal act?  Or apologize for being left on the side of the road in the middle of ********** with no way to either get back to my truck or the yard?  

  
  

  It is very convenient ************** claims there are no dash cams in his trucks, although by law there are supposed to be.  It simply makes it easier for him to say, "He said, he said," and get away with it.  No, I don't accept ****************** offer of half my money back.  Why is ************** refusing to release my school records and contract?  Would that not be what a reputable business owner would do?  No, he is not a reputable business owner - probably also why he isn't a member of BBB.  It is my understanding from other truck driving schools to whom I have been inquiring, that National Truck Driving School is also not certified or accredited or licensed (apologies, I don't remember which ones I was told National was not), as these other truck driving schools are.  This makes sense because ************** charges $3,000 for tuition vs. the $6,000-$7,000 charged by these other certified, accredited, and licensed truck driving schools

  
  

  Thank you for your time and efforts to try to assist me in this matter,

  
  

  *************************

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2024

  We are still at the same decision. We can pay  $1000 to the consumer. We trained him in the yard and on the road. We spent time burnt fuel. We need to get paid for that