There are many issues that set good truck driving schools head and shoulders above the rest. The first is that the school must offer PTDI courses. In 1986, the Professional Truck Driving Industry developed certification standards for truck driver courses. This was the first time that the industry recognized any teaching programs for their entry-level drivers, and it has been a huge turning point in producing professional, safe drivers. These standards include not just the area of driving skills, but also includes the actual course or program.

Another important issue of course is for students to be taught by well qualified instructors. Not only do they need to possess the necessary driving skills and experience, but they also need good communication skills, and plenty of patience. Students who like and respect their instructor will not only learn quicker, but will perform much better at all their given tasks. There is a great deal of time that must be spent in the classroom during a truck driving course, and a great number of things that must be learned. Good teachers always produce the best drivers.

Many truck driving schools train their students on ill-repaired and outdated equipment. This is often a cost-saving measure which does the student no good at all.
Trucking companies need students who once qualified, can easily make the move into their fleet of trucks. If the training has been carried out on some old clonker which should have been retired 20 years ago, then considerable time and expense has to be spent in familiarizing the novice driver with modern equipment. Naturally at well recognized truck driving schools you would expect to be trained on the latest, well maintained equipment so that the transition from school to employment is easy,

Issues such as student to teacher ratio is also important, particularly when it comes to the actual driving part of the program. Each student needs as much individual driving time as possible. Some schools have a bad habit of inflating the driving hours, when in actual fact you spend a great deal of time observing other students driving whilst waiting your turn. Even though this has some merit, it is no substitute and students should always clarify this issue before enrolling at any truck driving school.

Because there is such a huge shortage of truck drivers in the USA, truck driving schools have been incorporated into many of the colleges throughout all states. This has made a huge difference to the affordability of the courses, and it has meant that students are able to begin their training whilst in their last years of college. Many of these students will leave college having obtained their commercial driver’s license and walk straight into a job paying around $35,000 per year. More and more of these schools are also offering PTDI courses, which is providing the industry with the highly trained and safe drivers that it so desperately needs.

In many states, a good driving school also can be certified by the state to administer the driving test. This means less time is wasted in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles!

Although the drivers handbook can explain the traffic laws clearly and can be studied, it takes real life practice to become comfortable with all the traffic and safety laws. Driving Schools exist to give the new driver the opportunity to gain experience and build a foundation of real, behind the wheel knowledge.

There are many different types of driving schools. New driver schools are by for the most popular. Specialty schools however are available to train drivers for different situations. These schools include defensive driving, anger management driving, advanced driving courses, big rig truck driving, motorcycle driving and more. Each offer a different and important skill set to the learner.

Driving schools are more than just driving around with an instructor. Quality driving schools feature study materials and some even study time.

Defensive and advanced driving schools train people for a much more dynamic driving abilities. These may include evasive driving techniques like hard stopping to change direction of your auto quickly, These classes and training are not for beginners but for specialized careers and those who are interested in taking their driving abilities to the next level. These classes usually include classroom and driving track training and last a day to several days depending on the depth of information to be taught.

There are also specialty driving schools like those that teach truck driving. These classes are focused more on the student obtaining enough road time and knowledge to become a truck driver. These schools focus on the career aspect of their training and work to provide all the information necessary for the student to take and pass all state certification driving tests.

Another specialty driving school focuses on motorcycle drivers training. Unlike most driving schools, most motorcycle drivers training teach a much more aggressive safety aspect. This is no doubt due to the seriousness of accidents involving motorcycles.

So in the end, driving school training can benefit almost anyone of any age. From the newest, almost ready to drive teen to those of us interested in a truck driving career, there’s a driving school suited to the needs of everyone. Driving schools deliver the skills and knowledge that not only can save on auto insurance but also save a life.

Upon attending truck-driving school, students have the option to select from one of three programs were graduates will receive either a Class A Commercial Drivers License, Class B Commercial Drivers License, or a Forklift Certification License. Each license corresponds to a particular truck that the student desires to operate when he/she graduates. Classes are issued to drivers depending on the type and weight of a vehicle.

1. Class A
An individual may drive any combination of vehicles under Class B and Class C and may tow any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 10,000 lbs.

2. Class B
An individual may drive a single vehicle with a BVWR of more than 26,000 lbs, a 3-axle vehicle weighing over 6,000 lbs, a bus with endorsement, and any farm labor vehicle. However, he/she may only tow a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less.

3. Forklift Certification
An individual may operate and inspect any type forklift including:

• High lift trucks
• Counterbalanced trucks
• Cantilevered trucks
• Rider trucks
• Forklift trucks
• High lift Platform trucks
• Low lift trucks
• Low lift platform trucks
• Motorized hand trucks
• Pallet trucks
• Narrow aisle rider trucks
• Straddle trucks
• Reach rider trucks
• Single side loader trucks
• High lift order picker rider trucks
• Motorized hand/rider trucks
• Rough terrain trucks

There are currently 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States, with total industry employment at over 8.7 million. This implies that one out of every 15 people working in the United States is employed in the trucking industry. Most truck driving schools have a full-time placement professional that assists students with their job search upon graduation.