ASK Before Choosing A CDL Class A Truck Driving School

What Should You Know ?
- And -
What Should You Ask ?

BEFORE You Choose A  Truck Driving School
- And -
BEFORE You Sign Any Contract

Assuming that you don't have any felonies, DUIs, misdemeanors or anything else in your past that could or would prevent you from being hired by a trucking company, (and therefore you probably shouldn't spend the money to attend CDL truck driver training school) here are some excellent guidelines for you to follow when selecting a truck driving training school to get your CDL Class A License. 

Finding the right truck driving school can be very confusing for the driver who needs a CDL Refresher Course, but it is doubly challenging for the newcomer who wants to get a CDL Class A License and begin a professional over the road driving career.  What questions should you ask ?  What should you be looking for in a cdl truck driving school?



CDL Training Schools
The Good, The Bad &
The Ugly



Making the right choice can possibly make or break your career before you even get started.  The phrase "the good, the bad and the ugly" is not limited to the movies; there is a lot of good, bad and ugly in the trucking industry, and there are schools whose only objective is profit, and a big profit.  Their business practices are questionable, and too many students have spent a lot of money to get their CDL Class A License, only to find out that he or she is ineligible for hire by any trucking company.  The school knew that .... but they took the student's money anyway.  And then there are the schools that charge an incredibly inflated tuition fee. You can read more about telling the difference between a 'good' school vs. a 'bad' school at our website.

Before you hand over thousands of dollars for your CDL school training, let's look at some important factors that you need to consider:  

1. Is the school licensed by the State
2. Is the school Accredited
3. Is the school Certified

To understand the importance of these questions you need to understand what each of these terms represent.

The ABC's of Getting Your CDL Class A License

You've Made Your Career Decision
You Want To Be An Over The Road Driver
You Need To Get Your CDL Class A License
What Is The Next Step?



James S. McCormack
Co-Founder of
Trucking Careers of America



You cannot drive for a trucking company without first getting your CDL license, and here we are talking about a CDL Class A license to drive tractor trailers over the road.  You must have graduated either from an independent school or from a company sponsored cdl training program.

First and foremost, there are several requirements that must be met for you to get your CDL Class A License:

• you must have a valid driver's license from the state in which you currently reside
• you must be at least 21 years of age
• you must be in good health
• you must speak, write and understand English well enough to communicate with others

Next, go to your local Motor Vehicle Bureau and get a copy of your MVR and a copy of the CDL manual.  Make sure your MVR is accurate and doesn't have anything negative that would prevent you from being accepted into training or being hired after graduation.  If you have a criminal record and depending on the type of crime, you may be ineligible for employment in the trucking industry.  Get a head start on learning the manual and get your CDL Permit at your local Motor Vehicle Bureau before you attend training.  For a CDL Permit for a CDL Class A license you will need to take:

• a general knowledge test
• a combination test
• air-brake test

Choosing the Right CDL Training School

The Choice You Make Will Determine the Quality of Your Education and the Amount of Money You Spend for That Education ......

When we began Trucking Careers of America more than 10 years ago, our mission was to help CDL Class A drivers become successful - and not just another statistic.  It took time and a lot of hard work to weed through the good, the bad and the ugly, but it's been a very worthwhile journey.

We have placed thousands of drivers in good paying jobs with trucking companies that we feel good about.  We make it our business to remain informed about trucking companies, training schools, and the overall trucking industry.  And unfortunately, we often hear horror stories from our drivers, and often it's about the abuse from CDL training schools.

It's all too easy for new drivers, new to the industry and its inherent pitfalls, to fall prey to unethical schools whose primary objective is financial gain.    

So, for purposes of this article, we are concentrating on the new driver, the student, the applicant that is looking for the best way to get his  or her CDL Class A license.