Understanding CDL Training at GDA
Your Guide to Becoming a Truck Driver: Part 3
Updated May 16, 2023
The next step in your quest to becoming a truck driver centers on the main portion of the training: going to CDL school. This is the part where you’re actually committing your financial resources to your new career ambitions and there’s no turning back. Due to this, we wanted to answer a few common questions people ask about the CDL training offered at GDA. You can find answers to those questions below:
How Long Is CDL Training?
Trucking training generally runs between 6 and 12 weeks, depending on how intensive your sessions are and how much time you commit weekly. It is important to go through the entire course, and work hard to ensure you not just become familiar with the concepts of your CDL training, but that you master them.
What Does Training Consist of?
Before getting into what you will learn in CDL training, you must understand the ELDT mandate. Introduced in February 2022, this rule requires all new truck driver trainees to attend an approved training school. To become approved, schools must implement a standardized baseline of parameters in all CDL training programs. Through this, future truck drivers will be set up for a safe and successful professional driving career.
There are two aspects to your job training. The first is the most obvious: learning how to drive. Your time in the truck, learning the controls, and how to maneuver this monstrosity around without hitting anything, getting stuck, or running off the road, is of major focus during this portion of your CDL training.
The second part is classroom work. In the classroom, you learn the rules and regulations of driving a truck, preparing for your time on the road. When all is said and done, the act of learning to drive is pretty worthless if you don’t know the limitations and rules that govern you while you’re out there.
As a student, you must commit an equal amount of resources to learn both of these aspects of driving. Being out on the road and employed as a truck driver can negate itself if you’re constantly getting tickets and inspection violations while on the road.
How Do I Complete a CDL Training Course?
After completing CDL training with driving and studying, you’ll be approaching the big day: taking the CDL exam. Without completion of the exam, you will be unable to take a job as a truck driver. But before that, we’re going to discuss a rather important point of CDL training: endorsements.
