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You can forget about learning to drive a truck by practicing figure eights in an empty parking lot. Transportation is a field full of options, and each option requires special training. There are many driving schools out there, and you need to be able to identify the right one for you.

Pick a License (or Two)

Not all truck licenses are created equal. There are endorsements for driving medium trucks, large trucks, tractor-trailers, multiple trailers and tankers as well as for transporting hazardous materials, says Bill Gouse, director of engineering for the American Trucking Associations. A “Class A” Commercial Driver's License (CDL) includes tractor-trailers; a “Class B” CDL includes other trucks and a “Class C” CDL includes buses. You can be licensed in as many endorsements as you like.

You may also choose from the variety of roles in the industry, including construction truck driving, snowplow driving, less-than-truckload driving (driving a vehicle in which freight from multiple shippers is consolidated), less-than-pallet driving (i.e. UPS delivery) and school-bus driving. There is even an endorsement for “driving” the hook-and-ladder section of a fire truck. “A forklift license takes about three days of schooling,” says Gouse. “It can take a few months to acquire other types of licenses.”

Fees and Credits

Though typical trucking courses run upwards of $3,000, it's common for schools to offer financial aid. At Smith and Solomon Truck Driving Schools, a network of four schools located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a $3,995 fee includes the physical and drug test you must take before receiving a CDL, all study materials and placement assistance.

Students can also incorporate the driving courses into their bachelor's degree programs at affiliated colleges, says Fred Kirschner, a founder of the Smith and Solomon schools. “Sometimes, for the right candidate, trucking companies will offer to pay the candidate's tuition,” he says.

Enroll Through a Trucking Company

The other route is to attend driving school through a big trucking company. Swift Transportation, one of the industry giants, offers its own 21-day, 210-hour course for a Class A CDL with Hazmat endorsements, and it's licensed by the Board of Education in several states, says Tim McLain, academy manager for Swift. But students have to prequalify to enter the program; they must be 21, have no drunk-driving charges on their record in the past five years, have no reckless convictions in the last three years and have no more than one moving violation in the last year, among other qualifications. Once they get in, students enjoy a weekly stipend that's included in their tuition fees.

Job Placement

Some schools, like the Smith and Solomon schools, promise to help you get a job after graduation. Through an affiliated company called the Professional Drivers Resource, the school makes recommendations to companies willing to hire new trucking school grads.

Ask the Right Questions

In 1986, the Professional Truck Driving Institute (PTDI), based in Alexandria, Virginia, began a program of voluntary standards for truck-driving schools. Currently, 61 schools in the US and Canada are certified under these standards. The PTDI recommends that prospective students research the answers to the following questions before choosing a school.

• Do the school's driving instructors have at least three years of experience as licensed, successful tractor-trailer drivers with good driving records? Do they have instructional backgrounds? Do they have state or provincial licenses and permits, if applicable?
• Is the school's training fleet in good mechanical condition? Does it meet applicable federal and state or provincial safety requirements? Is it comparable in size and power to those used by motor carriers in the area?
• What does the training cover? The PTDI requires schools to cover night-driving principles and that at least 25 percent of street instruction includes a trailer loaded with a minimum of 15,000 pounds. In addition to driving, training should include an overview of the mechanical basics of a truck, the etiquette of filling out various reports and even how to live on a budget while on the road.
• What is the typical classroom size? Ideal classroom size should be a maximum 36 students per instructor, with never more than four trainees in a truck, according to the PTDI.

The purpose of this article is to both provide information and facilitate general dialogue about various employment-related topics. No legal advice is being given and no attorney-client relationship created. Please see the disclaimer for further limitations and conditions.