Truck driving students left without training or licenses after school closes without warning
Esteban Hernandez has spent his summer waiting around to get his commercial driver's license so he can start a new career in trucking. In the spring he started a training program at Commercial Vehicle Training Center in Fort Lupton.
"The first time I signed the papers and paid, it was April 4th," he said.
He says one day in August he showed up to class and the doors were locked.
"They just shut down the school without notice," he said.
More than 20 others were students at the training center. They have receipts showing they paid thousands of dollars for the course, but now they have no way to get training or take the CDL test.
They reached out to the owner of the school Michael Euglow and he told them he would pay for them to take their CDL test, but many of them say they aren't ready for that yet.
"We don't have the knowledge," said Esteban. "If we just go take the test we might get in an accident and kill somebody."
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They say they have been trying to get ahold of Euglow to see if he will pay for them to enroll in a new program, but he is no longer responding.
"They don't answer the phone, we don't hear nothing," Esteban said.
CBS News Colorado's Michael Abeyta was able to speak with Michael Euglow, and while he didn't want to do an on-camera interview, he confirmed he will pay for his students to take a CDL test.
He said the cost of diesel and rent forced him to find a new place to do business. But so far, he hasn't had any luck. He doesn't know when he will be able to train again but he insists he will eventually train the people enrolled in his school.
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His students aren't buying it.
"In my case, I don't believe them because nobody makes business with people who don't give you like a window to move," said Esteban.
They say at this point they just want their money back.
"That's all we need. We don't trust them anymore," said Esteban.
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Euglow says part of his problem is finding a place big enough to house a trucking school that is affordable. He says he needs four or five acres. Commercial Vehicle Training Center has an 'A+' rating on the Better Business Bureau Website.