Truck Driving School in Alabama & Getting Your CDL

Driving commercial vehicles is the fastest way for many individuals to make a good living. Truck driving is a rewarding career and a fruitful occupation. And you need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to do so.

In order to apply for CDL, you need to prepare for the series of tests. How can you then get prepared? By enrolling in a training course offered by a truck driving school in Alabama.

Choosing the right truck driving school can make or break your career as a commercial driver.

If you find the best one to suit your requirement, the driving school can give quality education to elevate your knowledge making you prepared to pass the CDL training exams.

Your future will depend on the truck driving school you choose to enroll. If you are looking for one where you can take the course, here are your choices:

Affordable Truck Driver Training, LLC
170 Franklin Smith Road, Moulton, AL 35650
Phone: 256-974-4120, Fax: 256-974-4122

Truck Driver Institute
4939 U.S. 78, Oxford, AL 36203
Phone: 1-800-848-7364

American Truck Driver Academy
5018 US Highway 80 W, 36804-1875 Opelika, Alabama
Call: +1 334-298-9194

ESD School, LLC
116 Ipsco st nw, Decatur, AL 35601, us
Phone: (866) 432-0430

Driver Solution
This school offers no upfront tuition and 3-4 weeks of comprehensive training
You can visit their website at this address: greatcdltraining.com

Virginia College
488 Palisades Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35209
Call: (205) 802-1200

Calhoun Community College
Decatur - (256) 306-2500
6250 Hwy. 31 North Tanner, AL, 35671
Huntsville - (256) 890-4700
102 Wynn Dr NW Huntsville, AL, 35805
Toll Free Number: 1-800-626-3628

CDL Alabama
1-800-TRUCKER (1-800-878-2537)
Serves Birmingham, Huntsville, Prattville, Selma, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery

Bishop State Community College
351 North Broad Street, Mobile, Alabama, Tel. 251-405-7000
1365 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, Mobile Tel. 251-405-4400
925 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, Tel. 251-665-4114
414 Stanton Road, Mobile, Tel. 251-662-5362

Trenholm State Community College
1-866-753-4544 334-420-4200
1225 Air Base Blvd, Montgomery

CDL of AL, Truck Driving School
19653 Highway 59 Summerdale, Alabama, United States
Phone: (251) 989-0740

Southern Union State CC
1701 LaFayette Parkway Opelika, AL 36801
Phone: 334-745-6437

Reid State Technical College - Commercial Driver Training
PO Box 588 Evergreen AL 36401-0588
Phone: (251) 578-1313

H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College
1225 Air Base Blvd. Montgomery AL 36116-2612
Phone: 334-420-4200/ 1-866-753-4544

Bevill State Community College
Sumiton Campus, 205-648-3271, ext. 5256

Shelton State Community College
Martin Campus
9500 Old Greensboro Rd , Tuscaloosa, AL
Contact: 205.391.2211

When Choosing the Best Truck Driving School to Suit Your Need, Here are the Criteria:

• Since there is no standardized course to give the students a fixed amount of training time, make sure you are enrolling in a truck driving school in Alabama that provides ample time doing behind-the-wheel practices and classroom training. A quality truck driving course usually takes 8 to 10 weeks to complete. If you are receiving a shorter amount of training time, then, you are getting less value for the money you will be paying as tuition.
  
  
• If you are planning to take the training at a community college near your area, make sure they have a partner trucking company. The trucking company will provide you with the professional practical training you need and will help you find a job after you graduate.
  
  
• When surveying a truck driving school, consider the one that offers job placement assistance. Recruiters from different logistics and trucking companies contact the schools and ask for information on their graduates. If you are one of the lucky graduates who can be referred to, then finding a job is just a step away.
  
  
• Make sure you are getting training on the latest model of commercial vehicles and that the driving school has modern training facilities and experienced instructor.
  
  
• If time is a constraint for you and still you want to pursue the training, why not take the course during night time or during weekend classes. If this is your case, choose the truck driving school that offers such schedules.

Enrollment Requirements of the Truck Driving School

• You must be at least 21 years old.
• You need to have a valid driver’s license
• Your Social Security Number
• You should not have a record of DUI conviction in the last 5 years
• You need to pass the DOT Physical Exam
• Submit a motor vehicle report (MVR) from the Alabama Department of Public Safety
• You must have a result of your latest substance abuse screening/test
• CDL Learner’s Permit to be applied at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; you need to have a permit 2 weeks prior to starting a truck driving training.

Application of Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

Before you can apply for CDL in Alabama, you need to have a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) first. The CLP permits you to do driving practices using a commercial vehicle on the public road with someone sitting beside you who is CDL holder. When applying for CLP, here’s what you need to do:

1. Make sure you have all the requirement in the application of CLP. The requirements you need to be/have are: your valid driver’s license, any proof of social security number (you may bring a document such as your social security card, tax forms, or any papers showing your SSN); your citizenship card or any proof showing you’re legal presence in the US (only applicable if you’re not a citizen); you may need to bring also your driving record in the past 10 years where you can get from your local DMV; the DOT medical test result; the fee for the permit itself is $36.25 and the testing fee is $25.00 (as of this writing).
   
   
2. Set for a schedule of application. You will have to set an appointment in the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), you can visit this page to do so. You need to set an appointment 48 hours before your preferred date of taking the knowledge test. The appointment scheduling can be done at the ALEA driver’s license office near where you are, here are the offices. Bring with you the requirements when booking an appointment.
   
   
3. Take the knowledge test. You will have to take the series of written exams for the CDL classification you want to apply.

Here are some details and information about the commercial learner’s permit.

• Make sure you have the Alabama CDL manual you can download a copy of the manual from here. You can read the manual to learn the different topics of the exam you’re going to take.
• Before you apply for CDL, choose for which type of commercial vehicle and what kind of driving you want to apply the CDL for.
• You must have a CLP with you at least 14 days it is in your possession before you can take the CDL skills test.
• There are several endorsements you can apply for: Passenger, School Bus and Tank. These are the only endorsements you can apply for the CLP.
• The commercial learner’s permit is valid for 180 days, but CLP holders can renew it one time for an additional 180 days without retaking the exams

The truck driving school in Alabama will help you in the application of Commercial Learner’s Permit. They know what to do.

Getting Your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

1. Complete the requirements. Your CLP is the most important piece of requirement you need to submit. However, you need to bring also the requirements you’ve used in the application of CLP. You need bring also a proof of insurance, the skills test fee of $20 and the CDL fee (it varies depending on the classifications you want).
   
   
2. Wait until the period has passed. You need to hold your Alabama CLP at least 14 days before taking the CDL skills test. Also, make sure you have made sufficient amount of driving practices and comfortable driving the commercial vehicle.
   
   
3. Make an appointment to take the CDL skills test. Setting an appointment is basically the same when applying for CLP. You need to book an appointment at the nearest Alabama driver’s license office. Here is the list of driver’s license offices.
   
   
4. Choose the CDL endorsement. The choices you have are Passenger, School Bus and Tank, and Double/Triple trailer. If you want to apply for Hazmat endorsement, the stricter rule applies, you need be background checked.
   
   
5. Take the CDL Skill Tests. You have to pass all three (3) components of the Skills Test: the Vehicle Inspection Test, the Basic Controls Test, and the Road Test.
   
   
6. Pay the fee CDL license and Endorsement you chose. The fee varies depending on the classification you applied. The CDL license is valid for four (4) years.

If you enrolled in a truck driving school, they can help you prepare for the application of CDL. They can assist you with what you’re going to do.

Salary of Commercial or Truck Driver in Alabama

If you are asking how much you would get being a truck driver in Alabama, here is the salary matrix:

The report is based on the July 31, 2018 survey of Salary.com.

Governing Authorities You Can Contact With

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
201 South Union St., Suite 300, Montgomery Alabama
Phone: 334-517-2800

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Medical Forum Building, 950 22nd Street North, Room 1050
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 731-1534; (205) 731-0504 FAX

Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Alabama
3400 Demetropolis Road, Mobile, AL 36693, Phone: (251) 660-2330
If you would like to contact DMV office near you: follow this link.

Alabama Department of Transportation
1409 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery, Alabama 36110
Phone: (334) 353-6554

To Make a Conclusion

Getting employed as a truck driver has never been so rewarding. You can expect better pay and long-term employment.

But before you can enter this field, you need to have your commercial driver’s license (CDL). This is where the truck driving school in Alabama comes in. They will help you get the education you need in order to pass the CDL tests.

So get enrolled in truck driving school to receive a professional training. They will also assist in different aspects such as getting a job and career guidance.