Looking for that elusive sense of adventure, a change in career, or a career where you can start earning a competitive salary immediately with minimal experience? Want to drive a big truck? Enroll in Truck Driver Institute’s Class A CDL training program and learn everything you need to know to take your career on the road. It only takes 3 weeks!
There’s a nationwide shortage of Class A CDL drivers, and it’s affecting the transportation and truck driving industry in big ways. The nation’s leading carriers, such as Werner, FedEx, Schneider, Averitt, and more, are hiring commercial driver’s license (CDL) graduates by the handful. That’s why the Truck Driving Institute (TDI) is eager to spread the news and invite the next Class A CDL training class to a TDI campus near you.
What Can Class A CDL Training Do For My Career?
Earning a Class A CDL presents you with several career opportunities in the transportation and freight industries. With a Class A CDL, you’re automatically qualified to drive a truck that tows a trailer with a GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of more than 10,000 pounds. When you’re on the interstate, most of the big semi-trucks you see are Class A vehicles.
When you receive Class A CDL training, you’re also able to drive the Class B and Class C vehicles. Class B drivers are restricted to vehicles that tow trailers that don’t exceed a GVWR of 10,000 pounds, or with large vehicles that don’t have detachable trailers.
A Class C CDL driver can drive smaller vehicles such as 16-passenger vans, other commercial vans, and Hazmat vehicles.
This means that Class A CDL drivers can operate:
- Semi-trucks
- Tractor-trailers
- Flatbeds
- Box trucks
- Dump trucks
- Straight trucks
- Passenger vans
- Tanker vehicles
- Double and Triple trailers
- Livestock carriers
- …and more!
Although Class A CDL drivers can operate the widest variety of vehicles of any license, there are a few exceptions that do require the driver to have special endorsements. These include metro busses and school busses, but also hazardous materials, certain tankers, and others. A comprehensive list of the various restrictions and regulations can be found here.
With the freedom that a Class A CDL affords its holders, it’s no wonder the nation’s leading carriers and transportation companies are hiring TDI grads straight out of school. The fact of the matter is that there is a severe shortage of Class A CDL drivers, and, to compensate for that, the industry is littered with CDL schools that offer subpar Class A CDL training and are unreliable. With this in mind, you may think that carriers would hire anyone who holds a Class A CDL, but that’s not the case.
Driving a large truck is a big responsibility, and it requires training and professional instruction. It’s nothing like your standard four-on-the-floor transmission. The big carriers recognize this, and even though there’s a massive shortage, they’re selective with who they choose. After all, road safety and job efficiency are the top priorities.
Since 1973, TDI has been providing job-seekers with the best value-time ratio in the business. Our program takes you 3 weeks to complete, and carriers and companies will know you have the skills to join their teams after completing our Class A CDL training.
TDI—More Than Class A CDL Training
The quality of training that TDI provides paired with our reputation and the high demand for Class A drivers means our job placement program is among the most successful facets of our operation.
Through our various job placement methods, TDI boasts a 80% job placement rate for our graduates. Here’s how we do it:
- Pre-hire CDL job screening. This pre-screening takes place before your training even begins. Based on our employment partners’ requirements, we make sure you’re qualified to work in the industry before you step foot in a classroom.
- Job placement during training. TDI students work closely with job placement specialists during their training. They help you create an employment plan that’s tailor-made to your situation, skills, and career goals. Almost all of our students accept jobs before they even graduate.
- Post-graduation job placement involves offering free, ongoing placement services for each and every TDI graduate.
- TDI’s carrier partners include some of the nation’s leading carriers. We have a large variety of carriers that offer different services and job descriptions. At TDI, you can have the freedom of not having to choose from only two or three companies that may not even align with your career goals.
Apart from impeccable Class A CDL training, TDI offers the chance to enter a rewarding and well-paid career no matter your background. Whether you have poor credit or you’re ready to turn your life around after criminal charges and everything in between, you have the option to jump on the right track with TDI today. A career in truck driving offers you the opportunity to earn a competitive salary, have great healthcare benefits, and a retirement plan.
TDI also offers some of the best financial aid and financing options in the country. We’re proud to offer military benefits*, carrier-paid tuition, and various scholarship options for all qualified applicants.
Class A CDL Training For Everyone
If you’re ready to take the first step into a new career and a new chapter of your life in the truck driving industry, look no further. TDI has 11 campuses spread across the Midwest and the Gulf South, each equipped with acres of training space and a team of seasoned industry veterans to provide you with the best Class A CDL training on the market. Please see the full list of campuses to find the closest one to you here.
If you have any questions, our blog most likely contains the answers. It’s also a great way to learn more about our offerings, keep up-to-date with the latest in the trucking industry, and learn more about the industry in general.
Sign Me Up!
Visit our Tell Me More page and fill out our quick form to get started. You can also give us a call at 800-848-7364 to make inquiries. We look forward to meeting you, and we’d like to congratulate you on your decision to join us at TDI.
Enroll in Our CDL Training Program Today
It’s time to get started in an exciting, new career. We look forward to speaking with you!