Truck Driving Schools
And, of course, the District of Columbia has its own schools too! So here you go:
| Washington DC |
It’s best to do a lot of research before deciding on a truck driver training program. That’s why we’ve provided a link for each individual state above.
We list each school and let you know how each CDL school falls into one of following categories:
- Independent or Private CDL School
- Company-Sponsored School
- Vocational, Trade, or Technical School
- Community College
How Do Truck Drivers Usually Get Their CDL?
At Class A Drivers, we have also polled our own community of truck drivers to find out how they got their Class A CDLs. You can find that information in the pie graph below.
Data from Class A Drivers survey.
- 42.9% went to private trucking school
- 23.8% went to a company-sponsored school
- 19% went to a trade or technical school
- 9.5% went through community college
- 4.8% simply studied for the test on the Internet
What Should I Know Before Choosing a Truck Driving School?
To find out how you should choose the trucking school that best fits your needs, we first recommend How To Become a Truck Driver. In that section, we cover:
- The differences between private, company-sponsored, trade schools, and community colleges
- The costs of trucking school and your options for paying
- How to choose a truck school
If you’ve already read through our detailed guide and need a refresher, here are some of the key questions you should ask:
- How much does the school cost?
- What is the job placement rate with trucking companies?
- Which companies does a private school have relationships with?
- Does the school meet Professional Truck Driver Institute standards?
- Is the school fully accredited and licensed?
- How much behind-the-wheel practice will you get?
- What equipment will you use?
- How close is the nearest training location?
- Where will you live if the training location is too far for you to commute?
For company-sponsored schools, you’ll also want to find out:
- How does the repayment program work?
- Will you be paid while in training?
- How long are you required to stay with the company?
- If you leave at any point in training or after hire, what are the penalties?
- How much home time can you expect after becoming a full-time driver?
We recommend reading full our complete guide, but these are the most important questions you should ask. Use the chart above to find your state and the schools that fit your needs.
Then you’ll want to register with Class A Drivers HERE and find trucking companies that will work for your level of experience.