If you have been dreaming of a life on the open road you probably have a lot of questions. Learning to drive a tractor-trailer
can be the key to an exciting and lucrative new career, but it is important to go into it with your eyes wide open. Life as a truck driver is more than just driving across the country – successful truck drivers often must load and unload their trailers as well. Understanding what is truly involved in the truck driving industry is a key to success on the job.
Another key to success on the job is finding the right trucking school. The growth of the trucking industry in recent years has helped to create a veritable cottage industry of truck driving schools, some springing into existence virtually overnight. In order to get the top-notch instruction you need to be successful, it is important to do your homework and find a school that is as committed to your success as you are.
Some of the questions all would-be truck drivers should ask of all potential truck driving schools include:
- How long has your school been in business – beware of schools with a short track record. Those schools could disappear just as fast as they came, leaving you without the education you need and leaving you with nowhere to turn for help.
- How long have you been in this location – it is a big red flag if the trucking school has moved to multiple locations in a short period of time.
- How many years of experience do your instructors have – look for a school whose instructors have plenty of actual behind-the-wheel experience. You will generally get the best instruction from real-world truckers.
- How long does the training take – while it may be possible to learn how to drive a truck in only a few weeks, it is generally not a good idea. Look for a school with a reasonably long training period.
- Do you have partnerships with trucking companies – the best trucking schools will have long-standing partnerships with companies who need to hire drivers. Beware of schools that do not have companies waiting for their graduates.
- What type of career support do you offer? A quality school will give you a great education, both behind the wheel and in the classroom, and those quality schools will be able to offer career guidance to their students once they have completed their training.
By asking these tough questions before you start training you will increase the odds that your new career will be a successful one from the start.