All Things Trucking - Truck Driving Schools, Truck Driver Training, and Trucking Jobs

Many of you who are new and/or interested in starting a trucking career, may be wondering what happens after you graduate from truck driving school (cdl school).

It is fair to say that once you have graduated from one of the country's truck driving schools, you have just SCRATCHED the surface of what trucking is all about. Truck driving schools are focused on helping you get your CDL. But, they aren't great at getting you ready for the truck driving jobs you will be presented with.

That is where the trucking companies step in. Now, remember, not all trucking companies hire trucking school graduates. But, the ones that do have their own truck driver training programs. They usually last between 4-6 weeks and these programs are aimed at helping the new truck driver become a good truck driver. And, it should be mentioned that some companies are better at this than others.

Here is what you can expect with a truck driver training program:

• You will be trained by a driver with at least 6 months of over the road experience.
• Many times a trainer will have more experience than this, but most trucking companies require a minimum of 6 months experience in order to become a truck driver trainer.
• Not all trainers are created equal. Some are fantastic while others are just plain lazy. Be flexible, but if you feel your trainer is a complete joke, request a new one.
• You will learn a lot.
• You will learn how to use the in cab computer system, how to deal with the paperwork, how to log in the real world, and how to deal with the day-to-day dealings of a truck driver. There will be some things that you may not have expected, just as with any job. Some you will like and some you will not like.
• One of the most important pieces of information you will learn is how to properly deal with operations. If you are able to earn the trust and confidence of the folks in the terminals, you will find yourself making a lot of money and loving your job. The people in operations will make sure the best drivers are getting taken care of. They understand that the best drivers are the people making the company profitable.
• There is a learning curve.
• Be patient with yourself and maintain a good attitude. Everything isn't going to be easy at first. But, you will learn it all eventually.
• For the first week or two, your trainer will do much of the difficult driving. He will assess your skill level and adjust accordingly. Then, once you prove yourself to be ready, he will hand the wheel over more often.

Once you are complete with your truck driver training program, you still won't know it all. There will still be a lot to learn. So, do everything you can to learn the craft of professional truck driving. If you do, you will make a ton of money and earn a ton of respect from your colleagues.