Professional Truck Driving : Know the License, Training and Certification Needed to Become a Pro

It is common for young people, especially young boys to be fascinated by big trucks, often imagining themselves as the driver of a big rig as a future profession. Actually, driving a big truck while covering long distances has great appeal to free-spirited people, who prefer not to be tethered to monotonous workplace environments. However it should not come as a surprise that becoming a driver of big trucks denotes taking on big responsibilities. That being the case, a high school diploma and informal training on how to drive a big truck is not enough.

Obtaining a CDL

First off, one has to undergo and pass written exams and actual testing of an applicant’s knowledge and skills in truck driving. Passing the tests is crucial to receiving the most important requirement of becoming a professional truck driver – the Commercial Driver License (CDL).

Still, different states tend to have different requirements when approving an applicant’s bid to obtain a CDL in its jurisdiction. States maintain their right to reject applicants who have adverse CDL records in other states.

Attending and Completing Truck Driving Training Programs

It’s common for prospective drivers to attend a driving school that specifically provides courses teaching federal laws and state regulations for interstate truck driving. Students also receive actual, hands-on truck driving lessons on how to manoeuvre big trucks and other large vehicles, not only on highways but also across crowded streets.

Some aspiring truck drivers may choose to attend a truck driving program offered by a private driving school, or to attend a truck driving project offered by a community college, which could lasts for about 3 to 6 months.

In both cases, a student attending a truck driving training program must already be a holder of a Commercial Driver License. Students who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion as proof of having undergone truck driving training.

If a truck driver lands a job with a commercial trucking company, training doesn’t stop with completing a truck-driving training program. In most cases, the hiring company will still require the new hire to undergo on-the-job training to demonstrate his knowledge and skills as a professional truck driver. That way, the new driver will have the chance to learn more not only about the truck he will be driving, but also the system, the rules and the materials with which the company operates.

Training includes responding to potential customers specifically requesting for a “truck towing near me”. A company truck driver available and nearest the customer’s location has to respond immediately to provide the needed road assistance and not as predatory tow truck operators.