Trucking: CDL Schools vs. Company Training

There are two avenues by which truckers may complete their training. One is a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) school, and the other is training provided through the company for which one plans to work. We at Armada Trucking would like to offer some information to help compare the two avenues through which one ends up with a CDL and a great trucking job.

CDL Schools

• Leaving Your Options Open

The advantage of a CDL school is that you can get your training and then have your options open when you complete your training. Also, if at the end of your training you find that a trucking career is not for you, you will not have committed to an employer or signed a contract. On the other hand, if you are enthusiastic about a trucking career, which you probably will be, trucking jobs are plentiful and you will be able to get a job whenever you decide to pursue one.

• The Matter of Tuition

CDL schools will require your tuition payment up front, so if you’re short on cash, this might not be the route for you. If you can come up with the cash up front, however, financial assistance is available and your future, well-paid trucking job will enable you to pay the money back quickly.

• Required Experience

The age-old employment question of “How do I get experience when all the jobs require experience?” can be a tough one to answer when many trucking companies require one year of experience before they’ll hire you. When considering completing your training at a CDL school you’ll want to give this a fair amount of thought. It just might take a little longer to find your first job.

Company Training

• No Cash Up Front

If money is a problem for you—and after all, that’s why you’re looking to be trained for a job in the first place—company training might be the option you take. The trucking company for which you are hired will cover the cost of your training and after that the paychecks will start rolling in and you won’t have any debt to pay off.

• Package Deal

As opposed to completing your training through a CDL school, company training gives you the peace of mind that, after you successfully complete your training, you will be able to count on a job with the ones who trained you. As a further benefit, you’ll already know your employers through the training and will be that much more ahead of the game when you start driving.

• Training Time

Company sponsored training programs are generally much faster to complete than CDL schools. You will be able to get your training and be on the road earning money much faster than if you had trained in a private CDL school.