How Long Does It Take to Get a CDL?
Wondering how long it takes to get a CDL? – You can get your CDL in as little as 4 weeks when you attend the right school. Coastal Truck Driving School offers options for full-time students to get their CDL in 4 weeks and for part-time students to get their CDL in 8 weeks. To help accommodate students with busy schedules, we offer day, night, and weekend classes, as well as free student housing.
Coastal Truck Driving School is a state-approved third-party tester for CDL licensing. We’re authorized to test and train for Class A, B, and C commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). If you’re ready to get licensed and get on the road, contact Coastal today!
What Does CDL Training Entail
Most CDL schools have an extensive CDL training program that covers the valuable skills you’ll need as a commercial truck driver. Some schools can be months long, while others are just 4 weeks long to get a CDL. It’s important to find the right school for you when asking how long it takes to get a CDL to get the education and training required to start a career as a commercial truck driver soon.
Coastal Truck Driving School is staffed with supportive and experienced instructors who make sure you are road-ready in as little as 4 weeks. Our extensive training program covers the following:
- Dashboard configuration
- Inspections
- Basic control
- Night operation
- Truck maintenance
- Post-crash procedures
- Backing – A majority of accidents involving trucks happen when the driver is reversing. We make sure our students are comfortable and have mastered backing up trucks before sending them out on their own.
- Shifting – While many companies use automatic transmission trucks, we believe that you can never have too many tools at your disposal. Learning to drive both manual and automatic ensures that you are comfortable in any truck, and you have no legal restrictions on which trucks you can drive – making you more hirable!
- Plus, much more to increase your confidence and your chances to get a job
[Related: Can I Get A CDL Without Going to School]
How Long Is A CDL Training Program?
It does not take long to get a CDL when you attend Coastal Truck Driving School. Our CDL training course requires a total of 160 hours and can be completed in 4 weeks. We also offer options for night and weekend classes that can be completed in 8 weeks.
First, you’ll need to complete 40 hours of classroom time, where we cover the basics you need to know before getting behind the wheel of a truck. While in the classroom, you’ll learn about operating under extreme driving conditions, trip planning, and space management. The basics covered in the classroom are the foundation for a promising career in commercial truck driving.
After your classroom time is completed, you’ll spend 120 hours driving under the supervision of our instructors, who not only teach you but make sure you’re confident in the driver’s seat. We’ll spend 42 hours of our driving time on our back pad, where you’ll learn basic control and get acquainted with operating a big truck. Following the back pad drive time, you’ll begin road training. You’ll spend 72 hours driving and getting a feel for your new career.
Testing Schedule – Does Testing Make it Take Longer to Get a CDL?
Not all schools are certified to test for commercial driver’s licenses. Because of this, some CDL schools don’t have testing built into their programs. When you attend a school that is not certified for CDL testing, it may take longer to get a CDL. You will have to schedule a time to test with a third party after completing your training.
Coastal Truck Driving School is certified by Louisiana for third-party CDL testing, so we’ve included the testing time in our program. This means that once you graduate from our 4-week CDL training program, it won’t take you any longer to get a CDL, and you’ll be ready to start working in your new career.
Are you looking to start your career in trucking? Contact Coastal Truck Driving School today and get CDL certified in as little as 4 weeks!