There are three different classes of CDL licenses: class A, class B and class C. Class A CDL licenses permit drivers to operate any combination vehicles and tow cargo with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds, provided the tow cargo weighs more than 10,000 pounds.
Class B CDL licenses permit drivers to operate any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds or any other vehicle towing cargo, provided that cargo weighs less than 10,000 pounds.
Class C CDL licenses permit drivers to operate any vehicle that does not fit the category of a class A or class B vehicle, as long as it is designed to transport 16 or more passengers -- including the driver -- or if the vehicle is used to transport hazardous material and requires the placement of a "hazardous materials" placard. The gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, of a vehicle is the total weight of the vehicle without any cargo or passengers.
Truck driving schools and vocational schools offering CDL training courses are located all over the country. Some schools, such as Great Lakes Truck Driving School in Cleveland and Atlanta Truck Driving School in Atlanta, are locally based and contain only one location. Some schools, like Progressive Truck Driving School in Chicago, are locally based, but have multiple locations in their respective cities. Other schools, such as Roadmaster Driver's School, belong to a system of schools that has various locations placed across the United States, including Orlando, Columbus, Indianapolis and San Antonio.
Major truck driving schools often offer online enrollment, while smaller schools may require a handwritten application. Before enrolling in a trucking school, make sure you meet the school's minimum requirements for enrollment and your state's minimum requirements for CDL qualification.
Each school offers its own unique training program and, while individual courses may slightly vary from school to school, the overall education and training students receive is all basically the same. Truck driving schools and vocational schools offering CDL training courses prepare students for their state's CDL test. Not only do students receive training in commercial vehicle operation, they are also trained in essential skills needed while out on the road. These skills include trip planning, how to keep driver logs, map reading, Department of Transportation operation, commercial vehicle inspection and post-accident procedure.