How to Choose the Best Texas Truck Driving School for You

Becoming a professional truck driver can sometimes be more challenging than it sounds. It’s a great career choice, but it often requires some investment to get properly licensed and prepared before you can get hired. That’s why you need one of the best Texas truck driving schools to help you through every step and connect you with potential job opportunities.

There are plenty of open careers out there for trucking, but you have to attend school first. If you’re looking for a truck driving school in Lubbock, Waco, Giddings, Killeen, or surrounding areas, this guide is designed to help you learn what to look for so you can choose the best school to meet your needs.

Why the Right Truck Driving School Matters

In a world where many businesses will do anything to make a buck, you want to know you are getting a quality education for your investment. Truck driving school is not cheap and you want to come away with not only a commercial driving license (CDL), but also with the knowledge to drive successfully on the road.

A good school is going to offer comprehensive training and use a curriculum that meets the requirements set for by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Ideally, the school you use should offer:

Hands-on training
Classroom education
Job placement assistance

What to Look for When Choosing a Truck Driving School

When you compare the different truck driving schools available in Lubbock, Waco, Giddings, or Killeen, it’s important to consider some primary factors that will impact the quality of the school. Consider these factors:

Accreditation and Licensing: the school should be accredited, preferably by the Professional Truck Driver Institute, but there are other similar organizations that are acceptable, too. In addition, you need to know they are approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as a qualified provider and instructor.
Locations and Convenience: look for a location that will best meet your needs, something that’s convenient for you. It’s also nice if they offer more than one program option to accommodate your schedule. Keep in mind, you will need to adhere to their scheduled times, but you might find locations that have weekday schools or just weekend schools to help make it easier to attend.
Available Programs: most schools will offer different programs for different needs, covering anything from a Class A CDL to specialized training and certifications. Check with the school to ensure they offer what you are looking for.
Reputation and Reviews: see what others are saying and pay attention to any negative feedback that might impact you when you take classes. You should also consider things like quality of service, success rates, and whether they are responsive to any complaints.
Costs: it’s important to know and be aware of costs so you can plan accordingly. CDL programs are a financial investment, but you may be able to utilize payment plans, scholarships, and other financial aid options. ‍
Job Placement Assistance: we highly recommend working with truck driving schools that will provide job placement assistance when you complete their program. This can help you find quality career placement and secure a position shortly after completing your program.

Planning for Scheduling Needs

Every school has unique program times and offerings. It is important to know that you will be required to attend their classes as scheduled. This is one of the reasons we recommend looking for a truck driving school that offers schedules that will work for you. The good news is that most schools offer programs that cater to different schedules to help accommodate this.

Generally speaking, you will find that the majority of schools have a weekday class time that will be Monday through Friday at their specified times. Other schools might provide courses that are only on weekends, which are easier for some people to attend.

Take the time to look through all the options and determine what is going to work best for you to ensure you can successfully make it to your courses and be prepared to pass the testing as well. Every program will combine hands-on training with book knowledge and road time practice.

ATDS Truck Driving School: Your Best Texas Truck Driving School

When you’re choosing the best truck driving school in areas of Texas like Lubbock, Waco, Giddings, and Killeen, we hope you will consider ATDS Truck Driving School. We offer multiple program solutions to meet different needs, and we partner with multiple trucking companies to help you find the best career fit straight out of our program. Consider all of these details, and get prepared for your career on the open road.