If you’re thinking about becoming a truck driver in Texas, you’ll need to select a truck driving school that’s right for you. With so many schools to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are a few tips to help you choose a good truck driving school in Texas.
CDL Requirements in Texas
Before you can get your CDL in Texas, you need to obtain your Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). To get your CLP, you must:
- Be 18 years old to drive intrastate or within the state of Texas, 21 years old to drive interstate or across state lines.
- Submit a medical examiner’s certificate
- Pass the written test, which consist of: General Knowledge; Air Brakes; Combination Vehicles
- Have a valid Texas Driver License
- Be a resident of the state of Texas
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Hold the CLP for 14 days before taking skills exams
- Not disqualified to drive a motor vehicle in any state
- Can read and speak English
CDL requirements:
- Complete Entry-level Driver Training (ELDT): The ELDT regulations set the minimum Federal requirements for training that entry-level commercial drivers must complete before being permitted to take certain CDL skills or knowledge tests.
- Pass skills test
How to Select Truck Driving Schools in Texas
Going to truck driving school is required in order to get your Class A or B commercial driver’s license. The CDL school must cover the Entry-level Driver Training or ELDT curriculum as mandated by the FMCSA.
Cost
The cost to attend a truck driving school in Texas can be an expensive investment where the tuition fee can cost $5,000 or more.
Before signing up for trucking school, you want to check its legitimacy, especially those that claim to offer “free training”. Taking advantage of free training may seem like a good idea, but it could hurt your career in the long run.
And it’s a good idea to look into ways to pay for your CDL tuition other than from your own pocket. Several driving schools offer flexible payment options, such as letting the students pay when and how it works best for them. Some schools also work with federal and state grants – so look into financial aid such as scholarships and grants for CDL training.
Compare the cost of tuition and fees as well as the length of the program.
Trustworthy Programs
Look for programs that you can trust before you sign up for any of these. The number of students to teachers is important. The best ratio is 3–4 students per teacher. As a program student, you want to be able to talk to other people. Also, make sure you know who your teachers will be.
Find out if the school has a good reputation and is known for producing quality truck drivers. It would be best if they are teachers who used to drive or still drive. A good teacher can teach you a lot about a job and way of life. The best choice is to learn from someone who has worked in the field for a long time.
You’ll also want to research the school’s job placement rate to get an idea of how successful their graduates are in finding employment. What’s more, make sure the school is accredited and offers the type of training you’re looking for. Get in touch with some of the school’s graduates to see what they think about their training.
Curriculum
When choosing a truck driving school, you need to think about a number of things, like how long the program is, how much it costs, and how it is set up. When it comes to trucking school programs, you can choose from a lot of different options.
To learn how to drive a commercial vehicle, you need to be taught in a certain way, like in the truck or in a classroom. If you want to be a professional driver, you should go to a school that offers both classroom and on-the-road training. Finding a driving instructor with at least three years of experience is a good idea.
Conclusion
Getting a decent job in the trucking business starts with choosing a good truck driving school. Choosing a CDL school is an important decision, but carefully consider the cost and how you’ll pay for schooling, as well as the quality of the curriculum.
List of Trucking Schools in Texas
TruckersTraining.com provide information, tools and resources to potential truck drivers in the U.S. We hope that you can use the content on the site to help you decide if want to drive trucks for a living.