A CDL instructor standing in front of a truck.
Getting a CDL opens a lot of opportunities for you, but just like any type of training, many would-be professional drivers wonder how difficult the process is.
That's a fair concern. Whether it's your passion or you're simply looking for a fruitful career with stability, you need to know whether the effort is worth the payoff in the future.
Today, we're going to break down how hard it is to get a CDL license, some factors that will need to be considered, and the best route to take to make it easier.
Let's get started.
Is Getting a CDL Difficult?
In comparison to spending years at a university to be a doctor or lawyer, getting a CDL isn't difficult. We'll talk more about how long it takes and what you should expect shortly, but it's a lot more accessible to the average person than many of the other high-paying career paths out there.
However, that doesn't mean that it's easy or that anyone can do it.
While training is shorter and fairly straightforward, any type of CDL job will demand a certain type of worker who can handle the various tasks involved in driving a truck safely. As such, the education process does tend to weed out students who won't be successful in the career field itself.
Things to Consider Before Going to CDL School
How difficult CDL school is will have a lot to do with your own abilities and personality traits. So, instead of just telling you it's easier than many other high-paying career paths, we're going to go over the various factors that can make or break your experience and your ability to succeed.
1: School Location Matters
There are lots of CDL schools around the nation, and you likely have one within an hour of your home. However, you don't want to go to just any random school.
You have to find a certified CDL school, preferably with the backing of large companies in the industry or organizations that have to do with trucking, and a few other key requirements need to be met. Otherwise, you're wasting your education time at a school that's not guaranteed to get you a great job.
If there's not one near you, you might need to relocate for the duration of your schooling, and that can dramatically increase the difficulty of the whole process in terms of cost and effort.
2: Time Requirements
Getting your CDL is a lot faster than getting a master's degree, but it still takes time. You can expect to spend a month to six months going through the program before you're licensed to drive.
If you're not going to be able to commit to the program fully for up to 6 months, it might not be an option for you. Whether the full 6 months is necessary depends on your performance and the teaching structure of the school you attend.
3: Past Legal Problems
If you have a legal history, don't worry. You're not automatically ruled out of getting a CDL. However, you might have some difficulties depending on the situation you're in and the nature of the offense on your record.
If you did something that caused you to lose your license, you obviously can't go to school to drive a truck, and certain driving-related offenses can exclude you entirely in many states. If you're part of a post-release program or something else that restricts what you can do, that also needs to be taken care of, or you'll have trouble attending classes and getting a job upon completion of the program.
4: Testing Capabilities
Much of the CDL program consists of learning and then testing your knowledge just like any other type of schooling. There's a hands-on component, but you still need to be able to absorb information effectively and apply it in a practical sense later on.
Most people can do just fine with this. It mostly comes down to how much effort you're willing to put into the learning process. However, if this type of learning is particularly difficult for you, then you might have a harder time successfully completing the program.
5: Your Driving Abilities
If you're looking to get a job driving professionally, you need a solid foundation to build that career. Driving a truck is a bit more complicated than driving your standard vehicle, but many of the same skills translate, and the better you are at driving, the better your chances are of succeeding with a CDL.
Previous driving experience with a clean record and a penchant for safe driving practices will go a long way toward helping you succeed.
6: The School You Go to Matters
Finally, the school you choose for your CDL schooling will have a major impact on how difficult it is for you to succeed.
This isn't because some schools cut corners or anything like that. If you're going to a proper school, the curriculum itself will be fairly standard.
Now, the difficulty is affected by the class structure and the professionals the school has in charge of teaching.
Learning when a school does one-on-one or small-group teaching is always much easier. You don't want to go to a CDL school where you're just sitting in a classroom with 30 other people, because you won't get the support you need to ensure you're getting all the details right.
The people handling each class are important, too. If professionals with years of experience are the ones doing the teaching, you'll learn a lot more practical information in a way that's not as easy simply reading or listening to lectures.
In addition, free CDL training PDFs can be quite helpful if you want to speed up the whole process. At the end of the day, nobody's prohibiting some extra work!
Where to Find the Best CDL School
Instead of wondering how hard it is to get a CDL license, you can make your CDL schooling easy by choosing AAA CDL School. At AAA CDL School, we provide online learning for much of the program to minimize scheduling and travel problems associated with going to a traditional school.
We also offer one-on-one teaching and hands-on instruction by seasoned professionals to ensure you're learning what you need to succeed. We also have high-quality industry connections to help you find a job fast after you get your CDL.
If you want to get your CDL and start an exciting career, contact AAA CDL School today.
