Truck Driving Certificate

What is A Truck Driving Certification?

Do you like the idea of commanding a big rig across long distances, seeing new sights, meeting new people, working hard?  If you do, Professional Truck Driving is worth looking into.  You can make a good living driving with this specialized training.  Of course, you’ll need to have a relatively clean driving record, especially over the past 3-5 years.  Truck driving—at least, Over the Road (OTR) driving–will require a way of life that may not be to your liking.  Some trucking firms advertise that their drivers who live in certain areas may—yes, may—be home on the weekends.  But, that’s not always guaranteed.  So, if you want an 8 to 5 predictable job with weekends to call your own, then look elsewhere. But, if you have an adventuresome spirit, read further.  You’ll need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to drive big rigs, and, to get one, it’s best that you check in your area to find out exactly what you have to do.

Most geographical areas have two classes of license—Class A for the heaviest trailers and Class B for the lighter ones.  Most drivers go for the Class A rating. You also may want to get endorsements in one or more specialty loads like Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) which would also require a background check, Tanker Trailers, Air Brakes, Double and Triple Trailers, and even School Buses.  Each requires slightly different training and testing.  To get the CDL license you’ll need to get a learner’s permit by passing written tests, and then you’ll need to pass a skills test administered by an approved site after having a required number of hours of experience.  Most in the field would agree that the best thing to do is to go to an approved CDL Training School lasting from 7 weeks to 12 weeks.  Some trucking companies will hire and pay you while you’re going to school, so this might be something to check out.

The video below discusses a “typical” program, so it should help regardless of which school you are considering.