What You Need to Become a Truck Driver

Truck drivers are essential to keep our country running smoothly. Anything you buy in stores has likely been brought there by a commercial driver. Because this job is so important, the demand for qualified drivers grows each year. A driving career is rewarding and high-paying and you can earn more than $64,000 a year*. If this sounds like the career for you, here are some of the things you need to become a truck driver:

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

In order to operate a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle, you need to possess a commercial driver’s license. This is a bare minimum requirement for just about every job in the trucking industry. You earn your CDL by passing two different tests, a written permit test and a skills test.
The written permit test covers safe driving information and basic facts about operating commercial vehicles. The skills test will require you to actually operate a truck and demonstrate basic road skills such as backing, turning, and parking. When you attend CDL classes such as those at Phoenix Truck Driving School, you get the preparation you need to confidently pass both portions of the CDL test.

Completing Truck Driving School

While you can become a truck driver without attending any CDL classes or truck driver training, completing a program at a licensed truck driving school can help. Many trucking companies are hesitant to hire new truck drivers who only have a CDL, as these new drivers may not have the experience necessary to safely operate a commercial vehicle. When you complete CDL training, trucking companies know that you learned important safety information and that you are committed to your new career. Completing your training can be a simple process. At Phoenix Truck Driving School, we offer accelerated courses to get you on the road in as little as four weeks. We also offer financial assistance for students who qualify. In addition, many truck driving jobs offer tuition reimbursement to help you pay for your education. In the end, completing a licensed training program can be a valuable investment for your career as a truck driver.

Know What Type of Trucking Job You Want

Once you do complete your training and start looking for truck driving jobs, it’s important to know what sort of job you want. Not all truck drivers do the same type of work and you should find a job that matches your desired lifestyle and salary expectations. For example, long haul drivers usually make more, but may spend more time on the road away from home. Local drivers may not make as much each paycheck, but the schedule can be more flexible to accommodate family time. You can also consider working as a team driver, where you will work with other truck drivers to deliver goods
more quickly and earn more money. Whichever type of trucking career you want to start, Phoenix Truck Driving School can help you succeed. We offer accelerated CDL classes to get you on the road and working as a truck driver as quickly as possible. Contact us today to learn more about our programs.

*Professional truck drivers earn a mean annual wage of $44,500
(https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533032.htm). The top 10% of truck drivers make more than $64,000
per year according to the 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Your Guide to CDL Endorsements

Obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is your first step to a high-paying career as a truck driver. This license requires you to pass a written permit test and a hands-on skills test in order to demonstrate your ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle. In addition to the basic knowledge and skills tests, you can also add endorsements. These additional certifications show that you have learned safety and operational skills beyond the standard CDL requirements. At Phoenix Truck Driving School, we help you earn three CDL endorsements: Tanks, Doubles/Triples, and Hazardous Materials.

Tanks

This is known either as the Tanks or Tanker endorsement. It demonstrates that the CDL holder has the knowledge required to operate a vehicle including a tank that transports liquid or gaseous materials. Tanker trucks transport fuel to gas stations across the nation. They can also transport any type of liquid from water to industrial chemicals. Due to the high demand for tanker drivers, a CDL tanker endorsement may help you land a truck driving job more quickly. The tanker test will cover basic safety regulations for transporting liquids in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). The test will require you to understand what exactly a tank is and how it differs from other types of vehicles. One big safety issue you will be tested on is surge, which is how liquids move during transport. Your instructors at Phoenix Truck Driving School will help you thoroughly prepare for any questions on your tanker endorsement test.

Doubles/Triples

A standard semi-truck will only carry one trailer. However, some trucks can include two or three attached trailers in order to transport more cargo. These are known as doubles and triples or Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs). Driving a LCV requires an additional CDL endorsement. Your CDL test for the doubles and triples endorsement covers basic knowledge you need to safely operate a LCV. This includes understanding how to attach multiple trailers, how to drive a LCV around other motorists, and rules for double/triple inspection. Adding a Doubles and Triples endorsement to your Class A CDL allows you to operate these higher-capacity vehicles, allowing you to potentially earn more as a truck driver. Our classes at Phoenix Truck Driving School cover all the information you need to pass the additional knowledge test for this endorsement.

Hazardous Materials

Semi-trucks can transport a wide variety of goods and this can include hazardous materials. A hazardous material (or hazmat) endorsement for your CDL allows you to transport substances that the Department of Transportation labels as potentially harmful to human health. Drivers who obtain a CDL endorsement for hazmat can earn more per mile than other truck drivers. This endorsement has a slightly different process, as the Department of Transportation requires a full background check for any truck driver looking to add a hazmat endorsement. Certain criminal offenses can disqualify you. Our team at Phoenix Truck Driving School can go over these in detail with you to determine whether or not you qualify.

Earn Your CDL and Endorsements

Complete your CDL training at Phoenix Truck Driving School to earn your license as well as these three endorsements. We do all that we can to help our students succeed as truck drivers. This includes providing additional training to set you apart from other recent CDL graduates. Call us today to learn more about our training programs.

How to Get a Truck Driving Job

The demand for truck drivers continues to increase and high-earning truck driving jobs can earn you more than $64,000 a year.* A career in trucking gives you a sense of adventure when you set out on the open road. You can also choose the type of driving career that matches your earning goals and desired family time. Does this sound like the sort of job you would enjoy? If so, Phoenix Truck Driving School in Albuquerque, NM, can help you get there. Here are some tips for getting a truck driving job:

Earn Your CDL

In order to get a job as a truck driver, you need a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). To earn this in New Mexico, you need to take a test. This consists of a written portion that will test your knowledge of truck safety and operation. You will also need to pass a CDL skills test, which requires you to drive a tractor-trailer. By passing both the written and the skills test, you will earn your CDL. You can also get various endorsements with your CDL, such as Hazardous Materials, Tankers, and Doubles/Triples. Adding an endorsement shows that you have a commitment to being a safe and skilled driver and this can help you secure a truck driving job.

Attend a Licensed Truck Driving School

While you can earn your CDL by studying and taking the test on your own, many truck driving companies will be more likely to hire you if you graduate from a licensed truck driving school. This is because in addition to getting a CDL, you will leave truck driving school with actual driving experience. You will also learn valuable safety skills, which gives trucking companies confidence in your ability to be a safe and effective driver. The Phoenix Truck Driving School in Albuquerque can help you earn your CDL. When you graduate, you will have the skills trucking companies are looking for. We are a licensed school with highly-skilled teachers who are ready to help you earn more money in your new career. Compared to earning a CDL through self-study, graduating from the Phoenix Truck Driving School will help you become a professional truck driver.

Job Placement Assistance

When you attend our truck driving school, you also get the benefit of job placement assistance. This means that you don’t have to go job searching alone. You will have a team of professionals working to help you find truck driving jobs that fit your qualifications and needs. We do our best to assist you with finding a high-paying job that will also provide you with the home time and benefits you deserve. We can also help you look at what type of truck driving job you prefer. For example, many CDL graduates look for jobs as a team truck driver. Teamed deliveries can help you get more miles and earn more money. You might also be interested only in local deliveries, or you might want to do long-haul trucking to see more of our country while earning higher paychecks. Our job placement assistance team can work with you to see how to turn your dreams into reality. If you are looking for a truck driving job, one of the best first steps you can take is to enroll in a truck driving school. Phoenix Truck Driving School is a licensed school in
Albuquerque that can help you start on the road to a new career. Contact us today for more information.

The Benefits of Accelerated CDL Classes

If you are thinking about a new career as a truck driver, you may be considering completing truck driving school to help you earn your CDL (commercial driver’s license). While you can earn your CDL through self-study, many trucking companies are more likely to hire graduates from licensed training programs. If you are ready to start and want to get on the road as soon as possible, then accelerated CDL classes are a great option. The accelerated program at Phoenix Truck Driving School in Albuquerque, NM, can have you on the road and earning in as little as four weeks. There are many benefits to accelerated CDL classes.

Comprehensive Truck Driver Training

Even though accelerated CDL courses take less time to complete, you will still get all the training you need to start a career as a truck driver. For the first week of your training, you will be in the classroom learning the ins and outs of trucking safety and operation. This helps prepare you to pass the written portion of your CDL test. After you successfully pass your written permit test, you will complete hands-on training with experienced truck drivers. Our instructors are among the best in the industry and they will show you the basic road skills you need to succeed as a driver. They will be by your side as you complete on-the-road training to prepare for your new career.

Start Earning Faster

Accelerated CDL classes get you on the road faster. This means you can start earning sooner. Once you complete our program, you will have your CDL and the skills that come with completing training at a licensed truck driving school. These qualifications will help you secure a job as a truck driver. Another benefit of taking CDL classes at Phoenix Truck Driving School is our job placement assistance program. Our job coordinators can help you look for a job while you complete your training. In some cases, you may even get job offers before you graduate. This will allow you to go right from CDL classes to a full-time trucking job.

Financial Considerations

Completing truck driving school does require an investment, but there are many ways to make completing your classes easier for you financially. When you complete an accelerated CDL training program, you get on the road more quickly, which can help reduce your financial stress. Many trucking companies also offer tuition reimbursement programs, so once you complete your CDL classes you may be able to start earning money to pay down your loans. Another great benefit of attending Phoenix Truck Driving School in Albuquerque is that we offer financial aid to students who qualify. We can help you determine which grants you may be eligible for. A combination of different types of financial aid and potential tuition reimbursement post-graduation can help you reduce your overall cost to attend truck driving school. Start on the road to your new career with accelerated CDL classes at Phoenix Truck Driving School. We can have you on the road and earning in as little as four weeks. Call us today to find out more about our truck driver training programs

Top 3 Reasons to Complete CDL Training

If you are tired of corporate culture and underpaying jobs, you may be looking for a new career. Do you want to earn more than $64,000 per year*? Do you want to create a schedule that works with your earning goals and desire for family time? Becoming a professional driver may be the career you are looking for. With demand for CDL drivers growing more and more, now is the best time to complete CDL training and start on the road to a new career. If you still aren’t convinced, here are the top 3 reasons to earn your CDL license and start driving:

1) Better Pay

Truck drivers earn annual wages that can be more than $64,000/year*. This type of pay is one of the most attractive reasons to complete CDL training and start driving. Even better, many trucking companies will offer tuition reimbursement. This makes CDL training school more affordable than ever.

Once you do graduate from a CDL training program and start driving, you can optimize your truck driving career to earn more. Trucking companies pay more for long haul, and you can earn bonuses for driving more miles. Our truck driving school at the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute in Albuquerque will help you find a job placement that gets you the best pay possible.

2) Flexibility

After completing your CDL training, you can create a schedule that works with your life. If you want to do short distance drives and spend more time at home, you have that option. You can also maximize your earning by focusing on long haul trucking.

Completing CDL training opens up a world of possibilities for your career. Truck driving is not like a stuffy corporate job. When you get your CDL and work as a professional truck driver, your life is in your hands. Our CDL training program can give you more information on how you can customize your work schedule after CDL training.

3) High Demand

According to statistics from the American Trucking Associations, truck drivers move 71.5% of American freight. With so much to move, there is a huge demand for individuals with their commercial driver’s license. Completing your CDL training means that multiple trucking companies will compete to get you to work for them.

The high demand for truck drivers is great news for those graduating from truck driver training programs. Each company tries to offer the most competitive pay, the best benefits, and the most home time. After completing CDL training, you can compare the many trucking companies that want you to work for them.

Once you decide to earn a commercial driver’s license/CDL, the next step is to find the best CDL training program. With so many truck driving schools offering these programs, it can be tough to determine which is the best for you.

At the Phoenix Truck Driving Institute, we offer a superior CDL training program. When you choose us for your CDL training, you can get on the road in as little as 4 weeks. We offer financial assistance for qualified students. Call us today at 877.205.5372 to find out how you can complete CDL training with us!

Author: Tara Mckelvy