Top Truck Driving Schools

You probably already know that to become a qualified truck driver you need to graduate from a truck driving school or training academy that specializes in this form of training. A truck driving school is unlike any other training facility out there. Not only do you learn all about the many facets of safety, maintenance and operation of truck driving in the classroom, but you also learn by doing.

Most reputable schools have space, facilities, trucks and instructors that allow you to actually get behind the wheel and drive a tractor trailer on a closed-course, usually a private parking lot. The training that you receive in the classroom gets put to practical use when you get behind the wheel of a truck and start actually learning to drive and maneuver the vehicles.

Most truck driving schools have more than one qualified instructor providing the training so that all students get a chance for some one-on-one training both in the classroom and behind the wheel out in the driving area.

List of Driver Schools

SAGE Technical Services
Website: https://www.sageschools.com/sage-locations.htm

SAGE offers training at facilities in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona and Utah. Since the 1970s, SAGE has been operating truck driving schools, revolutionizing the driving school industry by becoming the first company to guarantee private driver instruction for every student. This is very important when it comes to the actual behind-the-wheel training for each student. Some other schools have more than one student in the truck with an instructor at a time (to save time and gas, presumably). This means that each student would have limited time to learn as everyone takes their turn. SAGE driving schools are nationally accredited and certified by PTDI. SAGE driving courses offer a minimum of 44 hours behind-the-wheel driving for each student along with comprehensive lab and classroom time. The school offers job placement assistance and the courses are all reasonably priced. Financial assistance is also available to all students.

Fox Valley Technical College
Website: https://www.fvtc.edu/public/content.aspx?ID=1625&PID=1
Address: 1825 N. Bluemound Drive, P.O. Box 2277, Appleton, WI 54912-2277
Phone: 920-735-2525
Fax: 920-735-4771
Email: [email protected]

Located in Wisconsin, deep in the heart of trucking country, Fox Valley Technical College is one of the best publicly-funded driving schools with courses targeted specifically for students entering the truck driving industry. The school is approved and fully endorsed by the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association and has an excellent reputation within the industry. Fox Valley Technical College offers customized courses in truck driver training with a primary course of ten weeks along with lab, classroom and hands-on training that prepares all students for their new careers in the trucking industry. Fox valley also offers diesel mechanic courses for those students that want to work within the trucking industry providing a very essential and valuable service.

Isothermal Community College
Website: https://www.isothermal.edu/truck/
Address: P.O. Box 804, Spindale NC 28160
Phone: 828-286-3636, Ext. 221
Email: [email protected]

This education facility is on many ‘Best of…’ lists within the truck driver training industry because of its dedication to safety and excellent training methods. Located just southwest of Charlotte, ICC is easily accessible to residents of both North and South Carolina. The training programs offered at this school have been certified by PTDI and all training is handled on a one-on-one basis for the best level of personal instruction. This has been particularly helpful for the many women in the graduating class, who may not have a chance to get properly trained at other schools. The one-on-one driver training begins on the private driving area and then moves out onto the roads, highways and city streets around the campus. This helps develop a feeling of personal confidence which all truck drivers need to have. For those residents from out of town, the school administration staff can help arrange accommodations for the duration of the five week course.

Western Pacific Truck Schools
Website: https://www.wptruckschool.com/
Address: 4609 Quail Lakes Drive, Suites 1 & 2, Stockton, California 95207
Phone: 209-472-1500
Toll Free: 800-677-7717
Email: [email protected]

Western Pacific Truck Schools is operated by Nordic Enterprises and has been responsible for the training of over 20,000 truck driver graduates since 1977. The school has received the Fleet Safety Award from the California Trucking Association and takes pride in providing quality training at an affordable price. The instructors at the school are experienced and use late-model equipment to give real-time training to each and every graduate. Programs offering Class A CDL training are available as well as Class Band even forklift courses for those students wanting to work in the freight handling sector of the industry. The school also has a wide network of employers waiting to hire all new graduates from the school’s training programs. This means that each graduate has a much better chance of getting a job and getting out on the road to make their way in this new career. The schools are located in California (Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento) and Washington (Kent).