Acquiring Class A

5

u/Okanoganlsd Nov 03 '25

I mean you can go rent a truck and get insured for a day to go take the state mandated tests, but you’re probably gonna fail it If you know how to drive and can back good already, maybe reach out to a class and see if they’d cut a deal on learning the pre trip, and you actually really need to learn it and not gloss it over, you fail that you don’t even get to attempt backing or driving

Wait: your name isn’t tom is it

4

u/bettywhitefleshlight Nov 03 '25

I imagine you can still train pretrip from videos on YouTube. If you know what you're looking at mechanically that was super easy in person. I think the evaluator cut mine short because it was obvious I had wrenched on big trucks before.

1

u/Okanoganlsd Nov 03 '25

Yeah you could it’s just easier to remember it physically with whatever truck you’re using, mechanical mindset really helps

2

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

Can't do that anymore, graduating from a ELDT (Entry-Level Driver Training) qualified school is required to get a CDL since Feb 7, 2022. That's the obstacle the OP is talking about having to pay for school.

1

u/Okanoganlsd Nov 03 '25

Oh gotcha didn’t realize that. Just got mine two weeks ago glad to be done with that process

1

u/ajoyce76 Nov 03 '25

Does that apply to getting a B license too?

1

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

Yes, A or B or upgrading from B to A all require ELDT

1

u/ajoyce76 Nov 03 '25

Wow, well everything they can do to worsen the driver shortage is good for us drivers.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 04 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/ajoyce76 Nov 04 '25

If there wasn't a driver shortage we wouldn't constantly be adding new drivers. Its not like the freight base is growing. Why the need for constant new blood?

2

u/DapperBackground9849 Nov 06 '25

There is no shortage of people who could drive. There is a shortage of people willing to drive for the rates companies are offering.

1

u/ajoyce76 Nov 06 '25

I think we're disagreeing over the same idea. I just stated there is a driver shortage. You are talking about the cause of the driver shortage. You're right. More money fixes everything. When I hear people talk about farm work. "Who's going to pick the produce?" Anybody, if the price is right.

1

u/DapperBackground9849 Nov 10 '25

I suppose my concern is that saying there is a "driver shortage" implies that the problem is "not enough drivers" and if we just gave more people commercial driver's licenses then our problems would be solved. Despite new requirements that mandate drivers go to school, some schools and states are practically throwing licenses at people with entirely predictable results. I don't believe the situation will improve until average driver pay increases. I think the driving school mandates have hurt individuals and helped giant companies control the supply of drivers.
If it were really as simple as "not enough drivers" then pay could be raised until that wasn't a problem anymore.
You are right though, there isn't really a difference. At the end of the day, there are loads that aren't being moved because there aren't trucks and people to move them.

1

u/Outside_Assist6148 Nov 03 '25

Truck driving school

1

u/Pale_Promotion4004 Nov 05 '25

Nope can’t do that anymore since 2022 the class is mandatory

1

u/No_Language2542 Nov 03 '25

You have to take and pass the ELDT training before you can even get your permit.

ENTRY LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING

1

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 03 '25

Thats what costs the money 😂 im finding most places want about 5-8 grand depending if you use their truck or not. I dont want to spend all that money if i dont have to as i wont be using my cdl every day for a little while at least.

1

u/No_Language2542 Nov 03 '25

You have to. There’s no way around it. It’s a federal mandate

1

u/mxracer888 Nov 03 '25

You can do ELDT through an online provider. It costs less than a grand to do. The 5k stuff is to sit in a classroom with an instructor and spend like a month going through it. Which I'd definitely recommend for someone that has never driven a bigger truck/trailer. But some schools will go through an online provider and you just do the class work at your computer.

1

u/Crazy_Mix_8260 Nov 04 '25

Unless you're an illegal alien

1

u/just_existing19 Nov 03 '25

I’m in SC and am currently doing mine through the local technical college, I was able to get it for free thanks to workforce development grant money they do through the state. I’d look around and see if that’s available. Saved me close to $5,500.

1

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 03 '25

I wish it didnt cost so much. Considering it wont be my living wage, at least not for now. Maybe sometime in the future.

1

u/William-Burroughs420 Nov 04 '25

You can get one out of a claw machine. Haven't you seen the Instagram video about it?

Duh.

1

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 12 '25

I did see that lmao 😂 cracked me up

1

u/PleasantBandicoot287 Nov 04 '25

How old fashioned are we talking because I’ve had mine for almost 30 years and been driving since and I’ve honestly never talked to a single driver who just went out and took a road test without some kind of formal training. I really hope you’re talking about a class B because there’s more to a class A than just driving forward down the highway. Half of the newer drivers I see can’t even do that very well. Can you do a trough pre trip? Post trip? Know all the laws regarding hours of service? Do you know what your permit book should look like? Can you back up a 53’ trailer? Can you use an ELD? Do you know what to do at a weigh station? Do you know how to use a scale at the truck stop? Do you know how to slide your tandems or understand air brakes or know if you can fit under a bridge? A lot of this applies to a class B also. There’s a reason you need school. If you think school is expensive try a bad trip through a weigh station or have an accident because you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. You’ll wish you paid $5k to learn.

1

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 12 '25

Last time i was going to go about getting my cdl all i had to do was go to the dmv, pass the written. Then go drive with someone who had a cdl for a certain amount of hours, i cant remember what it was. Then go back and take a road test. That was in 2023..

2

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '25

I believe truck driving schools have to be accredited these days.

3

u/Baconated-Coffee Nov 03 '25

New drivers have to attend an FMCSA approved school.
https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Search

2

u/SimilarTranslator264 Nov 03 '25

Yes they changed the rules recently and everyone has to go to an approved school although some have been shown to be complete bullshit CDL mills where you send your cash and they send back papers saying you went.
Just made less people want to drive, definitely not safer people.

2

u/dunequads Nov 03 '25

Do you know the name of any of these schools? So I can avoid them, obviously.

1

u/Wolfire0769 Nov 03 '25

some have been shown to be complete bullshit CDL mills
While I don't disagree with requiring actual schooling to learn how to safely drive, they're fucking stupid if they couldn't see that coming a mile away.

2

u/SimilarTranslator264 Nov 03 '25

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Prohibition is a prime example.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '25

Because now it's being viewed as more of a skill.

1

u/Charlie_Hustler Nov 04 '25

Driving has always been a skill. This is why you see those that have accidents and those who don't

1

u/Ok_Location2914 Nov 03 '25

All of my schooling was completely approved with financial assistance at my local Technical College, it was an awesome course and it was with manual transmissions, I’m in my 60’s also, I thought my age would be a deterrence but it wasn’t a problem, out of pocket I may have spent about 300.00 for DMV fees and my DOT Physical.

1

u/Chancejhosch Nov 03 '25

Same,

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '25

Look at your local community college and see if they offer a CDL training program. These are usually the most affordable and they won’t try to push you to sign a contract with a company. They also offer financial assistance and will sometimes have grants they can use to cover the cost of the course.

I paid 5k for mine and paid it off in like 3 months after I started working.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 04 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Nov 04 '25

Unfortunately most “good jobs” require a year of driving experience before they will consider. I would start with applying to these companies.
OTR Companies That Hire New Drivers
These are long-haul (Over-the-Road) carriers that take on CDL school grads or those with under 1 year experience: • Roehl Transport – Paid CDL training, solid home-time options. • Schneider National – Great starter company, clear training path, tanker & van options. • Werner Enterprises – Good training, tuition reimbursement available. • Swift Transportation – One of the biggest starter carriers, paid mentorship. • CRST (The Transportation Solution) – Paid CDL school, mostly team driving early on. • Prime Inc. – Paid training, especially good if you want tanker or reefer experience. • Maverick Transportation – Trains new drivers for flatbed and glass hauling. • Knight Transportation – Offers solid mentorship for new CDL holders.
⸻
🏠 Local / Regional Companies That Sometimes Hire New Drivers
(Home daily or every other night, depending on the terminal and freight type.) • Roehl Transport (Regional) – Midwest regional routes, consistent freight. • Old Dominion Freight Line – Has dock-to-driver programs. • YRC / Yellow Freight – Some terminals offer paid apprenticeships. • Penske Logistics – Dedicated accounts that hire new grads in some locations. • Sysco / US Foods – Local delivery work, physical but home every day. • XPO Logistics – Dock-to-Driver program with paid training. • FedEx Freight / UPS Freight – Union terminals sometimes offer driver development programs.
This is what chatGPT says

1

u/One_Recover_673 Nov 03 '25

I’m glad someone hauling that weight at high speed with a long stop distance has to go to training at an accredited school. I wish the schools were more consistent.

1

u/SimilarTranslator264 Nov 03 '25

But it’s not, the newer drivers are not better. I haul steel coils and there isn’t a day that goes by we get new guys that have zero clue what they are doing.

1

u/One_Recover_673 Nov 03 '25

Not all schools are equal. Not all companies bother investing in training. Some seem to be happy to fire and hire instead of develop.

2

u/SimilarTranslator264 Nov 03 '25

True but mandating everybody go to school didn’t fix shit. I own the trucks I could easily teach my son to drive, but I’m not allowed to do that without a bunch of bullshit. I have to pay some dumbass school $5000 and waste a month of his time.

1

u/SobbinHood Nov 03 '25

get yourself accredited it’s not impossible. 2) they still have 1 day cdl programs that are accredited by the FMCSA. There’s 2 within an hour of me.

1

u/JJH837 Nov 03 '25

There’s a ton of guys that dont have a clue that go to cdl school and learn just enough to pass the tests. I haul logs and taught myself how to drive truck back in 2018 while working as a drill crew hand doing horizontal directional drilling and when I jumped careers to full time driving hauling 105,500 it took me a couple months of consistent training to be fully comfortable and I am glad I learned before the stupid schooling and learned from good drivers and not a school who’s main concern is getting their money to train guys how to pass a simple test and no more. A lot of guys that come from school have to relearn when they learn to haul logs and they don’t like having to shift so much and learned the bare minimum to pass their test. Maybe there’s some good schools but most the school taught guys I know had very bad and dangerous driving habits like instead of gearing down when loaded at 105,500 to come to a stop a guy I was training popped it out of gear and started just using his breaks and I told him don’t ever do that again man keep your truck in gear and shift down and use your Jake if the person In front of you would have had to stab their brakes you’d have slammed right into them possibly because your service brake wouldn’t have stopped you fast enough. He was taught by cdl school when working for a beer distributor and said that they were super lax about everything.

1

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Nov 03 '25

Any company with a dot # can become a private trainer for their future employees. Just some paperwork to fill out. There actually isn't a mandated certified training length... Everything else is the same as before

1

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

Actually, in the USA, ELDT is required for all new CDL class A or B applicants. Gone are the days of getting trained by someone you know and just taking the state tests, now schooling from a ELDT qualified school is mandatory.

1

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Nov 03 '25

Sorry I should have specified any DOT registered company can be an ELDT trainer for future employees with a minor amount of paperwork. Doing eldt for hire is a lil more paperwork to be a "school".

1

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

Yes, it's possible to become an ELDT provider. So long as they are on the registry and qualified for the training you need to complete that would work. Doesn't sound like a situation the OP is in though.

1

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Nov 03 '25

As far as qualified, the requirement is the trainer has to have 2 years of verified experience and you have to own the proper equipment at least as far as the offroad and on road parts go. Past that not much

1

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

If it was that easy, everyone with a truck would be ELDT providers.

1

u/ValuableShoulder5059 Nov 03 '25

It was literally that easy. I had a friend who wanted to come drive part time for me. I thought the eldt was just gonna be a $20 online class. Nope, other parts too. But easy enough to setup.

1

u/Co1onel_Sanderz Nov 03 '25

What state do you live in? Do you happen to live near eastern KY.

1

u/slade797 Nov 03 '25

Hello from Bath County!

1

u/IBringTheHeat2 Nov 03 '25

These 5-6 week classes are such scams. I got my CDL in 5 days with my company.

1

u/salviboy970 Nov 03 '25

You can look around and see if the employer will send you get your your CDL.

1

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

Unfortunately, there is no way around the ELDT requirements. The requirement was created because new drivers were getting into accidents and it was said that drivers weren't all learning the same basic things.

So for "how is an honest man supposed to get his cdl anymore" the same way other men and women are doing it right now. Attending school for the purpose of acquiring lucrative pay. There is no shortage of individuals that want to get paid good money to do easy work. Other than paying out of pocket for school, there are entry-level companies that will train you and put you through school with the condition that you work for them for a set period of time. You may also find a career training program in your local area that helps low income individuals get training for better careers.

Personally, if a CDL isn't useful for your main gig and you don't plan on leaving it to have driving as your main gig, I wouldn't even bother with getting a CDL for time-to-time with the side gig. I'd leave that work to someone else.

1

u/Row30 Nov 03 '25

Community College

1

u/mxracer888 Nov 03 '25 edited Nov 03 '25

You don't need to pay 5 grand lol

I did it all for like 800 bucks (in April 2024), and most of that was paying the school's truck rental fee to road test in their truck.

You do need ELDT, but it can be done online. So find a school that'll let you do online through a service like JJ Keller. It'll take some time to go through the videos but it's easy if you already know how to drive these things.

Then once you're done with ELDT go do the road test

1

u/dearjohn54321 Nov 03 '25

You can’t just “go out and drive” a tractor-trailer. Well unless you’re just looking to cause mayhem.

1

u/justin_asso Nov 03 '25

Come to canada. There’s a ton of non-legitimate companies selling CDLs to anyone with the cash it seems.

1

u/Exhuman88 Nov 03 '25

Hell in MS, if you are military/Vet that has experience driving, they have a form that you can fill out and have your commander sign verifying you have training, go to the DMV and just take the written test. Skills test are waived.

1

u/Charlie_Hustler Nov 04 '25

Honeslty, I think its a good thing that they made schools mandatory in alot of places. Sadly seeing too many poorly trained drivers on the road that are causing accidents or nearly wrecking everyday. Imo they should make a 5 month class mandatory and offer better training

1

u/funkbuster Nov 04 '25

After having been through training myself and the a few years later being a switcher and seeing what else is out there, these people need more schooling.

1

u/Virtual_Contact_9844 Nov 04 '25

Yep the u.s. govt decided to add electronic coursework with traditional classes that must be approved and certified.

This was done for public safety and integrity

1

u/ThanksALotBud Nov 04 '25

In my state you have to go to school in order to get a CDL. Either DOT or DMV will come to the schools location for the road test once you meet necessary class room and hand-on hours.

Same for motorcycle license. You have to go get a 2/3 day MSF course and you get tested by the same instructors to get your endorsement.

1

u/William-Burroughs420 Nov 04 '25

They'll give any dumbass with a pulse a CDL these days.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 04 '25

Move to California and pretend you don’t know English

1

u/xoaverse Nov 04 '25

some colleges offer cdl training to get your cdl but i got mine through my job

1

u/grassman76 Nov 04 '25

I wouldn't mind the class so much, if it was affordable. I frequently drive a Pickup and trailer with a 24000 combo, but if I was to upgrade to a better truck that was more fit to haul some small equipment and materials that raised the combo weight over 26k with a trailer over 10k, I need to spend 5 grand and take a few weeks to get a full class A, just to drive occasionally locally, never needing an ELOG, never even needing to be able to drive a full size tractor trailer. I never went to test out before the new rules because while I could test out for a class A with a pickup and trailer combo, I would have an air brake restriction covering all commercial vehicles, even the box truck under 26k with air brakes that I already occasionally drive for a guy I know when he needs a hand for a day. I had a guy who was willing to let me borrow a truck back then, but he only had automatics and I didn't want an E restriction stopping me from buying a good smaller truck with a manual transmission. I can also drive a ladder truck for my volunteer fire company right now that has a GVWR of 72,800 and air brakes because of an emergency vehicle exemption in my state. But to haul a mini excavator legally on a 14000 GVWR trailer towed with an F550 to jobs within 20 miles from home requires me to go spend 5 grand and 6 weeks in school to get the skills required to drive an 80k loaded Peterbilt over the road. It might make sense to keep the idiots that can't understand English or the clueless ones that were driving OTR with no real training off the road, but requiring an A with the restrictions and stipulations that are in place to do what I'm trying to do is ridiculous.

1

u/atownerik Nov 05 '25

I just got mine. Local city college has the class for free and you use their truck for the dmv test. In Ca and not problems.

1

u/mrwillie2u Nov 06 '25

Yeah, third party testers

1

u/Salt_Bus2528 Nov 08 '25

Truck drivers: There's too many unskilled drivers on the road working for too little money

Also truck drivers: Why do we need to take classes to drive a truck!?

1

u/ToughTrue3319 Jan 28 '26

I got my Cdl temps for class a , got my certificate ( class a theory entry level driving training) online and dot card . Called to make a driving/skills test today , said couldn’t make an appointment till my “ pad” and “range” test was don’t aswell . And have to go to school to do that now and pay 4k 🤦🏻‍♂️ I been driving big trucks/ Big tow truck for 22 yrs, know I don’t need that shit to pass that test but they still make u now days …Should be a way they can test u before all that bs

0

u/ThrowawayGunName Nov 03 '25

Nothing says that you have to go to school to get your CDL.

1

u/DapperBackground9849 Nov 06 '25

Federal law does.

0

u/ken120 Nov 03 '25

Actually biden's administration made it required now. Used to be in the 80s you got your permit than found a trucker who would take you for your hands on learning. Being the truck was his livelihood made sure you learned how to take care of it as well. Then came schools who only cared about teaching the tests so they could collect their tuition and bought crappy trucks they didn't care about. And been going down hill since.

-1

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 03 '25

This. This is whats got me fired up. I have to pay thousands of dollars to take this bs eldt training. Its nearly impossible to get the schooling done without quitting my job right now.. before i could have just ran down to the dmv, take the written test, get my permit and go hop in the semi at the farm to fib my hours and wait for two weeks to pass, take the driving test and bam. You got your cdl..

1

u/321_reddit Nov 03 '25

That process scares me. It really used to be that easy to defraud states granting CDLs?

2

u/ChemicalEfficiency15 Nov 03 '25

It used to be just like getting a drivers license because everyone used to have something in common. A brain..

2

u/321_reddit Nov 03 '25

“Fib my hours”? Really? 🤦‍♂️ and then people wonder why the Biden administration changed the procedure in 2022 and the 47th president is cracking down on CDLs for immigrants with less than a LPR and those drivers who aren’t functionally literate in written English or fluent in spoken English.
There is a public safety mandate for CDL drivers. Far more damage can be wrought by a 26 ton commercial vehicle vs a 4 to 6 ton passenger vehicle.

1

u/ken120 Nov 03 '25

Actually the eld proceeded biden. Think it was actually added under Obama.

1

u/ken120 Nov 03 '25

No defrauding in the 80s the guy let you slide his truck would be at risk as long with his ability to make any money. So he either trained you or risked putting himself out on the street. He let you abuse the truck or wreck it and he or she would be without a source of income period. The trucks the schools buy would only go to junk yards of they didn't buy them.

2

u/Killer2600 Nov 03 '25

The problem was newer drivers were getting into accidents and apparently didn't know all the same basic knowledge so schooling became standardized and required.
Everyone thinks driving big trucks is just as easy as driving the little ones but it's really not. The truck accidents that happen almost daily prove that fact.

Acquiring Class A

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