How to choose a driving school

Is it time to make a change in your career? Have you decided what you plan to do with your life? If you decided to be a truck driver, that means you know you have to start cdl truck driving school. Just like when you choose to go to college or any other type of trade school, you have to be careful when choosing which one to attend. Here’s what you need to know about cdl driving school before you enroll! 

CDL programs vs driving schools

A CDL program may be offered by a company in which they offer to train new drivers and have them earn their commercial driver’s license. One drawback is at the end of the training, you will more than likely be obligated to work for that company. . On the other hand, once you complete driving school, there are no further obligations needed on your end. One downside is that there will be no job guarantee when you finish school. 

CDL programs pros: 

• No out of pocket fees 
• Can get paid during training 
• Guaranteed job after CDL 

Cons: 

• On contract to work for a company 
• The chance that you are a ride along during training

 Driving schools pros: 

• Choice of where you can work after graduation 
• Prepared academically to pass CDL tests 
• Remain close to family 

Cons: 

• High out of pocket expense 
• Need to job search after graduation 
• Might have low-quality training equipment 

Before making a decision on which program or school to attend you should do your research, if you are considering a school, you should ask about their history of job placement. The end goal of cdl truck driving school is to find a job and you should put yourself in a position to do so! It is also a good idea to ask around, see what experienced drivers recommend. 

Be sure to choose a school that is accredited and has instructors that are both experienced and skilled. Reading from a book offers plenty of knowledge but road experience can help you be the best truck driver possible. An experienced instructor can also help you handle dealing with customers or other people you may interact with as a truck driver. 

Requirements to keep in mind

If you are looking into a program, be sure you are aware of the basic requirements. There are five things you should know about. 

• The first one is the Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test, in order to qualify for your program, you need to pass this test. 
• Second, you need to be a U.S. citizen. 
• Third, to be a minimum age of 21, some programs might require you to be 23. 
• Fourth, you need a clean criminal record. 
• Fifth, have a clean driving history. 

Become a part of our trucking family at TransWood, by applying here! Here at TransWood, we value our employees, and constantly share health tips and safety tips to better help deal with the trucker lifestyle!