How to Start Driving Trucks

If you are interested in learning how to start driving trucks, there is no time like the present. The trucking industry is booming in nearly every sector, and it shows no time for slowing down any time either. Now is a great time to learn how to start driving trucks and become a full-time driver in just a month!

How to Start Driving Trucks: A Step-By-Step Guide

There are some crucial steps before you step into a big rig. Finding a school, getting a license, training, and finding the right job – for many, this can all seem overwhelming. That is why we have broken down the first few steps to learn how to start driving trucks.

First, Get Your CDL License

There are several small steps to getting your CDL license, starting from the beginning – finding a school that fits your needs.

Choose a School Right For You

Choosing the right school is a huge part of getting your CDL license. Whether switching careers completely or looking at truck driving as your first professional job, it is essential to feel supported by your school.

At Truck Driver Institute, we are with our students every step of the way. We help with the written test, practice on tracks and the road, and place our students with jobs after graduation. The Truck Driving Institute has locations in several different states, including:

• Georgia
• Alabama
• Mississippi
• Indiana
• Tennessee
• Florida
• South Carolina

Truck Driver Institute is also now training in automatics and ten-speed manuals, giving you more access to more jobs.

Next, Decide What Kind of Driving You Want to Do

Three basic kinds of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) will allow you to join the truck driving industry. If you are interested in life on the open road, traveling from state to state, you will likely want a Class A license. If your goal is to be a more local driver, you may want a Class B or Class C license. 

Class A

Usually, when individuals begin wondering how to start driving trucks, they imagine this kind of driving. A Class A CDL gives individuals the license to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds if a towed vehicle weighs over 10,000 pounds.  

This CDL also gives drivers the license to drive almost all Class B and C vehicles (depending on the necessary endorsements), tractor-trailers, tanker vehicles, flatbeds, and livestock carriers.

Class B

A Class B commercial driver’s license is required for drivers who want to operate a single vehicle. 

This kind of license does not allow you to drive a vehicle that is hitched to a trailer. Instead, a Class B CDL will include large vehicles like school buses, tourist buses, city buses, dump trucks with small trailers, and box trucks. With a Class B CDL, you cannot cross state lines, making this a good choice for those that want to drive but stay closer to home.

Class C

Finally, a class C – which is the most popular kind of CDL license to get – is necessary for those that want to operate a single vehicle with less than a 26,000 gross combination weight rating or transport more than 16 passengers. A Class C CDL includes tank trucks and double/triple trailers.

If you are still determining what kind of driving you want to do, do not worry. When you call for your initial consultation, we can help you narrow your goals and interests to help you choose a CDL and job focus that suits your needs.

Start to Practice with Professionals

As of 2022, everyone interested in getting their commercial driver’s license (CDL) must follow the national standards to get their license. Before, every state had unique criteria, but the transportation industry has since been updated to carry the same CDL requirements nationwide.

Every member of the TDI staff and faculty are former truck drivers, so they can train in the truck with you to help you practice driving both on the road and in practice areas. Because they are former drivers, TDI employees cannot only help with learning how to start driving trucks but also with other day-to-day driving tips and tricks.

Pass Your License Test

Your license test will have questions about driving, safety measures, and other important information. The test includes a written portion and a driving test that will showcase your skills from the institute.

Finally, Get a Job in the Truck Driving Industry

With a shortage of truck drivers, now is a great time to join the truck driving industry. Due to the aging workforce and increased demand, about 80,000 open jobs are available for individuals entering the transportation industry.

This means now is an excellent time to become a trucker. But how will you know what kind of job is good for you? What about benefits and other job factors? Luckily, getting an excellent truck driver job is easier when you have connections like TDI. 

We work with several companies to help place our alums with jobs, sometimes even before they graduate. This includes:

• Werner Enterprises
• Schneider National
• TMC Transportation
• Amazon
• Cyprus Truck Lines
• FedEx
• And many more!

How to Start Driving Trucks: Learn More with the Truck Driver Institute

If you want to learn how to start driving trucks and join the growing transportation industry, you are in the right place. 

You can change your life and go from never having stepped foot into a big rig to driving full-time with TDI. Our students can go from knowing nothing about driving to starting their careers in under a month. To learn more about how to start driving trucks, contact us today!