Below are a few topics to consider when selecting a truck driving school.
1. Choose a school with a comprehensive training program
Choosing a school that has generous amounts of classroom, range and on-the-road training will help you be successful in a career, along with passing your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) skills test.
Schneider is a member and sponsor of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association and the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools. Both of these organizations have numerous member schools and are dedicated to training and promoting safety in the transportation industry.
2. Have a willingness to learn and be trained
Once you have been trained to be a safe professional truck driver, you have the opportunity to reap the rewards of a career like many of Schneider’s featured drivers.
You will likely have to learn skills that you haven’t been exposed to before like shifting, backing, coupling, inspecting and driving a large vehicle on the roadway. Having an open mind and willingness to learn the skills will go a long way towards your success.
3. Use caution if you see “Free Training” language
With the cost of equipment, fuel, building, materials and instructors, there are substantial costs that a truck driving school endures to provide training to students interested in becoming a safe professional driver. Someone is paying for the cost of training. If you enter into an agreement with a school or carrier that does not cost you any money, make sure that you understand the expectations of the agreement.
Most schools offer multiple options to pay for the cost of truck driving school including cash payment, scholarships, student loans, grants and Veterans Education Benefits. Schneider offers a generous Tuition Reimbursement Program that will reimburse you up to $6,000 of the cost of the truck driving school.
4. Look for a high job placement record
Attending a truck driving school is about you and your future. Your ultimate goal is to get a job as a professional truck driver, so check into the school’s reputation in job placement of its alumni. Find a school with a record of placing drivers at several leading trucking companies.
5. Get hired soon after graduating from truck driving school
Congratulations! At this point you have graduated from school, and now it is time to start a rewarding career. You learned how to drive a tractor-trailer safely, and those valuable skills will deteriorate quickly if you don’t continue to use them. Starting with a trucking company as soon after graduation as possible will enhance your orientation and training time with the carrier and eliminate the potential of having to complete a refresher course.
At Schneider you have the ability to search and apply for specific jobs that are open in your area before, during or after competing truck driving school. You can also get pre-hired as a potential Schneider driver before you even step foot in school. Fax or mail the form, and once it is reviewed and approved, you can use the form to secure loans, grants or other funding for school.
