Truck driver training allows men and women to avoid taking on massive student loan debt and earn a good-paying job. Organizations that provide in-class education and hands-on trucking experience typically cost men and women under $8,000, depending on the region. Many offer financial aid packages, and freight carriers attract qualified CDL-holders with signing bonuses that may cover the cost of tuition.
While people who attend four-year colleges pay upwards of $200,000, all told, first-year trucking professionals promptly see their bank accounts swell. Although the truck driving trades offer tremendous financial advantages, it’s crucial to understand how training works. These are things to consider before enrolling in an accredited truck driving school.
1: What To Expect From In-Class Instruction
It’s not uncommon for people considering a career as a truck driver to resist classroom settings. Some people are just better with their hands, and experience often proves the best teacher. This concept is consistent with the trucking sector. Many of the people earning high salaries gravitate toward hands-on trades over office jobs.
Potential truckers will undergo a few weeks of classroom instruction. The things you will cover have practical applications when taking the CDL test or involve safe practices. These are items you can expect to review in a classroom setting.
- Hours-of-service regulations
- Lanes truckers should use
- Understanding truck speed applications
- Safe distances for heavy trucks
- How to negotiate winter driving
- How to manage driving at night
- Avoiding accidents
- Applicable federal guidelines
- Truck idling practices
- How to handle hazardous materials
What makes truck driving classroom topics different from the algebra you learned in high school is that there’s a one-to-one connection with the real world. Once you get behind the wheel, the light should turn on in your head about how to apply what you covered in the classroom.
2: What To Expect From Outside Training
The good news for hands-on learners is that a great deal of your truck driver training experience will involve managing an actual vehicle. You will likely be paired with an experienced instructor who will take you through the paces of preparing and operating a semi. Before stepping on the accelerator, you can expect to cover the following.
- How to conduct a pre-trip safety inspection
- How to manage a logbook
During your stint in a trucking school, instructors will work with you to learn skills that include shifting, braking, turning, and backing into a loading dock. You may discover that all of these techniques — especially backing up — require repetitions. That generally works seamlessly for hands-on learners.
3: How Much Road Time To Expect
Part of the CDL process involves securing a learner’s permit that allows you to get real-life trucking experience under the tutelage of an instructor. Depending on the organization’s approach, trainees may receive 30-80 hours of on-road experience. It’s also not unusual to enjoy numerous hours operating the rig at the facility.
Don’t be surprised if truck driving school professionals err on the side of caution to ensure you are fully prepared to negotiate unexpected situations safely. Upstart truckers would be well-served to exercise patience because the people teaching you have been there, done that, and probably have the T-shirt.
Source: schneiderjobs.com, drivebigtrucks.com
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