Driving a commercial vehicle is not an easy task. Driving it well and safely means being well-trained and highly skilled. Simply getting a Commercial Driving License is not enough to ensure a successful professional driving career.
Any experienced trucker knows that you will require lots of training and practical knowledge, things that can only be learned from a reputable driving school. A simple internet search for Utah CDL school will result in thousands of results with varying information. It can be typical to know which school is right for you or what to search for in a potential driving school.
The key is to do your research both online and offline. It means assessing things like cost and reputation but also doing on site visits to ask innumerable questions and see the facilities for yourself. To help, we have broken down everything you need to know about finding the best CDL school in Utah, from what to look for in a program to which specific school is right for you.
What is a CDL?
We are going to assume you already know this, but ensure. A CDL is a special class of license which allows you to operate large, heavy or hazardous material vehicles in the US in commerce. Therefore, you might need to get a special endorsement or class type in order to drive tankers, passenger vehicles or trucks with multiple trailers.
Since driving these types of vehicles are often difficult, dangerous and extremely important for the United States economy, it's compulsory to pass a skill test, written test, pre-trip inspection and vision test.
How to Get Your CDL?
Getting your CDL puts you in a dignified club of truck drivers. Many people do not realize how important drivers are to the US economy. In fact, trucks move about seventy percent of the freight in the US that accounts for about $670 billion. There are some strict rules and regulations for ensuring that our truck drivers are healthy, knowledgeable and skilled.
As of 2020 there were various steps needed to get your CDL. Here are some of what you should be expecting in order to apply for, and get your Commercial Driver's License:
- Minimum age requirement is 18 years
- Should have a Class D Driver's license for minimum one year
- Identity proof required
- Proof of Legal Utah Residency
- Avail Social Security Number
- Completion of a Medical Examination Report Form and provide Department of Transportation Medical Certificate (DOT card)
- Qualify a vision test
- Clear a knowledge exam
- Qualify a road skill exam
- Complete training from authorized school
What to search for in a Driving School?
In order to get your CDL you will need to complete an authorized course from a Utah truck driving school. Finding a good school is all about what is the right fit for you. With so many different things to consider it can be fantastic to know exactly where to start looking.
What is the Cost of getting A CDL?
Price is a big factor while choosing a driving school. If one school is more expensive than the other that does not mean it must be better. There are many truck driving schools that offer fast and easy training. It's pertinent to find a balance between what you can afford and a good enough experienced driving school. While selecting, talk to the instructors, ask your queries, try to visit that school to see how they're teaching their students. There are plans for scholarships, grants, loans or tuition. Therefore, ask for that.
Click here to see our breakdown on "What it Costs to Get a CDL in 2023"
Reputation
One thing that matters a lot is the reputation of that driving school. It is really important that school should have wonderful reviews. If it has no good reviews you should not switch to that training school. You should know how many students have actually passed their CDL exam and how many have failed their CDL test. You can go to their official website, you can check online reviews there. You can also talk to the students and they can tell you the best way to know if they're teaching their students properly or not.
Drive Time
When it comes to your career, time behind the wheel is crucial to both passing your CDL test and being a safe and successful truck driver. While in-classroom learning and simulator time is beneficial, you can't beat that real, hands on the wheel experience. Driving schools vary on the amount of driving time they facilitate but to be on the safe side you should not accept anything less than thirty two hours.More is certainly better. Ensure the school you are selecting gives you enough time to drive.
Utah Truck Driving School is a pre-eminent Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training provider who has successfully helped a large number of aspirants with their CDL training. If you are interested in pursuing a career in the trucking industry and want to explore all the options concerning Commercial Driver's License , Contact us today at (435)-477-7711 or drop us an email at utahtruckdrivingschool@gmail.com.