Key Questions to Ask When Comparing Truck Driving Schools
Are you interested in attending a truck driving school to prepare for a commercial driver’s license? Before choosing your school, it’s important to know what each option offers and its benefits. At New England Tractor Trailer Training School (NETTTS,) we provide CDL training programs at our locations across the Northeast, as well as career services support and more. Here, we discuss the questions you should ask when deciding between different truck-driving schools.
What Kinds of Training Do You Provide?
When exploring truck driving schools, it’s essential to know what kinds of training each provides. This includes what types of CDL they offer, as not all truck driving schools teach multiple types. At NETTTS, we offer entry-level CDL training programs for:
- CDL Class-A: This CDL enables truckers to operate commercial vehicles with a gross combination weight of 26,001 pounds or more or a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or more.
- CDL Class-B:This CDL allows drivers to operate commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more or tow vehicles with less than 10,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight.
Both CDL programs offer individuals with no experience in the trucking industry an in-depth introduction to CDL driving through a mix of in-classroom instruction and hands-on training. The NETTTS CDL programs are offered at our campuses in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. They prepare students to take the licensure exam in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
How Often Do New Classes Start?
It’s important to know how often the courses start at each school, in case you want to enroll in the middle of a traditional semester. At NETTTS, there are multiple opportunities to begin CDL training each month. Starting times may vary by campus location, schedule, and program type.
What Are the Program Requirements?
You should ask about each school’s program requirements to ensure that you are eligible to apply. At NETTTS, the general admission requirements for the CDL program are:
- 18 years or older
- Able to pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exam
- Possess a valid driver’s license or permit from MA, NH, CT, NY, RI, or ME
- Being a U.S. Citizen or green card holder
- Completion of a personal interview with a NETTTS Authorized Representative
Applicants without a valid high school diploma or GED may take the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE,) which is an approved exam used at NETTTS before starting training. Applicants must obtain a minimum passing score of 11 on the SLE to be accepted to one of our programs.
Applicants must also be older than the compulsory attendance age of secondary education in their respective states and cannot be attending another school at the secondary level. At the time of application, applicants living in RI must also have possessed a valid driver’s license for no less than two years.
Is the Program Accredited?
Find out if the truck driving school is accredited by any organizations or commissions. NETTTS is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which is recognized by the United States Department of Education, and which helps ensure quality education that enhances student success in the workforce. Because NETTTS is accredited, this means that Financial Aid is available for those that qualify, and that the school is approved for GI Bill® Education Benefits.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill
How Long Does The Program Take to Complete?
You should know how long it will take you to complete each school’s CDL training program before deciding on one. The completion time of the CDL programs at NETTTS will depend on the location, the class schedule you choose, and what type of CDL you’re pursuing. For example, at our Pawtucket campus, our CDL Class A programs are designed to be completed anywhere from 8 to 22 weeks!
What Is the Student-Instructor Ratio?
It can be beneficial to ask about the student-instructor ratio because it can impact training. At NETTTS, we have experienced instructors with real-world truck driving experience who teach our CDL classes.
We limit the number of students assigned to one instructor for the best results. For in-classroom CDL training, the maximum number of students assigned to one instructor in a classroom is 30. For practice in the training field, there are seven students to one instructor. For practice on the open road, there are only four students to one instructor.
Do You Offer Financial Aid?
If you may be thinking of using financial assistance to attend a truck driving school, ask about each school’s financial aid policy. Keep in mind that financial aid is available to those who qualify. NETTTS has in-house financial aid representatives ready to meet with you and help you understand available opportunities, which may include:
- Federal Pell grants
- Federal direct loans for parents
- Federal direct loans for students
- GI Bill® education benefits
- Agency and state workforce funding options
The loans through NETTTS are not credit based and credit scores do not matter. NETTTS also offers in-school and extended payment plans to our students, even after they’ve graduated.
Do You Offer Career Services support?
No school can ethically guarantee a student a job. But it is important to ask if each truck driving school offers any career placement assistance or services to students. At NETTTS, we provide career services support to our students, such as:
- Resume writing
- Finding and evaluating possible future employers
- Job interview preparation
- Following up post-interview
- Upcoming campus events
We also provide other services to students including advising, human service referrals, and housing and transportation referrals.
Do You Teach Manual Transmission and Automatic?
It can be good to know if the school teaches its programs in manual transmission, automatic transmission, or both. At NETTTS, we focus on fundamentals by teaching manual CDL training, whereas other schools may only teach automatic. We don’t do automatic training unless a student has a specific reason for needing it because it means having a restriction on your CDL license that only allows you to operate automatic commercial motor vehicles.
What Kinds of Vehicles Do You Use for Training?
It’s important to consider what type of vehicles each truck driving school uses for training. At NETTTS, we have a fleet of trucks and tractor-trailers at each campus for students to train on, including day cabs, sleepers, and Class B trucks. Students also get practice driving vehicles with 5- to 10-speed transmissions.
Advantages of Attending NETTTS for CDL Career Training
NETTTS was established in 1965 in Somers, CT, to provide CDL training to aspiring truck drivers in the Northeast. For more than 55 years, NETTTS has been providing CDL training to students that help prepare them to take their state’s licensing exam. NETTTS has also recently started providing heating, ventilation, air conditioner, and refrigeration (HVACR) programs at our RI and MA campuses. Attending a training program at NETTTS offers students many advantages, including:
- Experienced instructors who know the industries
- Financial aid available for qualified students
- Career services support
- Convenient payment plans, available even after graduating
- CDL simulators
To learn more about enrolling in career training at NETTTS, visit our admissions page.
Apply to One of NETTTS Truck Driving Schools Today
Are you ready to enroll in a CDL training program at a truck driving school? Look no further than NETTTS, with locations across the Northeast, where you’ll receive a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on training to prepare you to take your licensing exam, along with other benefits. Contact us today to learn more about applying to a CDL program at one of NETTTS truck driving schools.