
The good news is that there are quite a few options to help cover these costs. But many people still have concerns about paying for training. Paying for Trucking SchoolĪttending trucking school is the best way to get your CDL. However, if you somehow find a company that will hire you without having gone through a training program, you may find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do. While you can technically get a CDL without going to school, ask yourself whether that’s really how you want to start your new career.įormal training from a qualified school with qualified instructors will give you the tools and education you need to drive safely. Trucking school should be considered an investment in your future. The ability to work hands-on with experienced trainers who can answer questions and correct mistakes.Preparation for the exam and road skills test.Education on how to safely operate a rig and the rules of the road.Formal training at a qualified school will give you proper: However, there’s more to consider than just the cost of school. Many aspiring truck drivers are concerned about the costs of attending a formal trucking school. Reputable trucking companies want to hire new drivers who have completed a formal training program with at least 160 classroom hours. Trucking School is the Safest Choice for Getting Your CDL and a Job in Trucking Improper and unsafe driving can quite literally put other lives at risk as well as your own. When trucking companies hire new drivers, they want to make sure that they’ve been adequately trained and know how to handle driving a tractor-trailer.ĭriving a truck is not like driving a car. Hiring someone who obtained their CDL without attending formal training is a serious risk for the trucking company. Sure, you may have your CDL, but trucking companies will have no idea whether you received proper training. If you want to get your CDL and give yourself the best chance to get hired by a trucking company, then your best bet is to attend trucking school. A CDL means nothing if you can’t put it to work.


But that doesn’t mean anyone is going to hire you. So, yes, you can get a CDL without school – if you have some kind of hands-on training from another trucker. You can read and study to prepare for the written test, but you can’t possibly prepare for the road test without some kind of hands-on training. If you don’t have a trucker buddy to help you out, you’ll likely have a hard time passing the road skills test. Once you feel comfortable, nothing is stopping you from taking the exam and getting your license. They can likely teach you the basics of driving a truck and how to operate a rig. Maybe you have a truck driver friend who has offered to give you one-on-one lessons.

Technically, yes, you can get a CDL without going to school.
