CDL Training

CDL Training can come in many forms. I went to a truck driving school. It was fine, no problems, just expensive. I was anxious and ready to start trucking but I understood that it was not the most cost effective way. My advice you, read about your options. Your best option depends on your situation.

You will learn about CDL Training options plus these terms

Let's go over some terms and options for obtaining your CDL. Afterwards we will go into more detail about the training options.

Terms associated with CDL Training

Accredited Trucking Schools - These are schools whose programs are evaluated for educational standards by government authorized organizations or agencies.

Community colleges that offer truck driver training should be accredited. There is a database kept of accredited training institutions and you can look up the school your considering here List of accredited schools with CDL Training

PTDI - Professional Truck Driving Insititue. This is not a trucking school. This is an organization that evaluates trucking schools training programs for quality and safety.

If the training program for commercial drivers license passes they certify that truck driving school.

Community colleges can also be PTDI certified in addition to accredited. For more information about PTDI certification visit them.

Certified Trucking Schools - This means that the truck driving schools has meet the criteria to be certified by PTDI. These are often your stand alone a.k.a. private a.k.a. 3rd Party truck driving schools. You can see if the trucking school you are interested in

is a certified CDL training facility here

Here are some common options for CDL Training

Community College CDL Training - This is pretty self explanatory. Many of your neighborhood community colleges now provide truck driver training for obtaining your CDL. It should be an accredited school to insure you get the best training.

Free CDL Training - This means that the company will train you without you having to seek financial aid or paying out of pocket. It's not really free and it's not for everyone. See more details and Company Sponsored CDL training.

Company sponsored CDL Training - Company Sponsored Training is the same as Free CDL Training. The names are used interchangeably.

Private Truck Driving Schools for CDL Training - This means it is not a state school, community college, or company sponsored, they usually specialize in truck driver training. Some may also train heavy equipment operators or haulers. It's the most expensive CDL training but in most cases the quickest way to a Class A. Check out the school your thinking of attending.

Alternative Methods for Getting Your CDL

Home Study Course - There are internet home CDL home study courses and such available to help you study to get your commercial driver's license. You can just as well get the CDL handbook from your local DMV and study it yourself,but some people like official programs I suppose. Also with some of these programs 1 benefit would be documentation stating you have passed test pertaining to the information. This may be useful to show to prospective company that will hire you or not. I am not sure. You could call them and ask.

Do it Your Self - This is you getting the CDL Book from the DMV

For both of these alternative methods you will need a tractor trailer to practice driving with. If you know someone in with a truck and trailer good for you. If not, that could be a challenge for the do it yourselfers.

Other options for getting a truck to use, may be to hire someone to take you out on a tractor trailer and allow you to test with it. The next obstacle will be to find a company to hire you after getting your CDLs this way.

Many will say their insurance requires the drivers they license have gone to truck driving school. Call around to the companies your interested in and see if they will hire you if your are considering getting your CDL at home.

You may have to get experience some where else first and then go to that company. This is ok for some but for others, it is a lot to take in without a structured learning environment with instructors experienced in teaching.

However, back in the day, there were no truck driving schools. Of course this is not back in the day.

Choices, choices, choices.

One of the best choices to get your CDL in my opinion? Community college to get your CDL. But that is your decision based on your situation.

A closer look at the pro's, con's and comparisons of truck driver schools

CDL Training