Category: Blog

When you are seeking a career that provides you with both job security and adventure, you may want to consider getting your CDL. As a commercial truck driver, you will be able to take your office on the open road. To ensure that you receive placement in a quality truck driving job, it is a great idea to enroll in a truck driving school in Tucson. Your instructors will counsel you with fantastic job placement services. Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from your truck driving career.

Great Salary

One of the great options available to truck drivers is the chance to earn a great salary. Since commercial truck drivers are currently in high demand, you can expect to be paid a competitive rate for your services. To make sure that you are getting a competitive salary, it is a great idea to consult with your CDL instructors before taking a position.

Extensive Benefits

Along with receiving a great salary, you may also find that your truck driving career provides you with an extensive benefits package. Many commercial truck drivers receive medical insurance, retirement, and even life insurance. For those truck drivers with families, these benefits can be an invaluable perk of the job.

Fantastic Flexibility

As a commercial truck driver, you will enjoy fantastic flexibility for your working schedule. If you prefer to work nights, for example, you may be able to incorporate flexible hours into your work schedule. In addition, long haul truckers often receive several days off after they return from a longer trip.
For more information about all of the truck driving career options that are available to you, be sure to contact Yuma Truck Driving school at (888) 647-3239. The experienced instructors at our CDL school will be thrilled to help you get started on the trucking career of your dreams. Be sure to visit our website to learn more about our job placement services.

Truck drivers assume a tremendous responsibility every time they sit behind the wheel and start up the engine. After all, large commercial vehicles can weigh upwards of 10,000 pounds when fully loaded. Such tremendously large and heavy vehicles can be cause a great deal of damage if they collide with buildings or passenger vehicles. That’s why it’s important that all truckers make safe driving their number one priority. One way to be a safer truck driver is to ensure you are awake and alert at all times when behind the wheel. Here are some tips to help you prevent driver fatigue, one of the biggest dangers commercial motor vehicle operators face today.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The best thing you can to do prevent drowsy driving is to get a good night’s sleep before hitting the road. Sleep experts recommend between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for adults. To help you fall asleep faster at night, avoid caffeine and sugar at least two hours before you plan to go to bed.

Avoid Too Much Sugar and Caffeine

Speaking of sugar and caffeine, while these substances can give you a boost of energy and focus, consuming too much sugar or caffeine can lead to a “crash” later on in which your energy levels quickly diminish. Caffeine will also not greatly affect those who regularly consume it, so try to avoid energy drinks, coffee, and tea until you need it to feel awake.

Recognize Signs of Drowsy Driving

“Driving while drowsy” can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, so it’s important that you recognize the signs of driver fatigue so you can pull over and get some rest. Repeated yawning, wandering and disconnected thoughts, trouble keeping your eyes open, involuntary lane drifting, and difficulty focusing or remembering the law few miles driver are serious warning signs that you are too tired to safely be driving.

If you want to learn all you can about how to be a safe and professional truck driver, enroll in Yuma Truck Driving School’s 8-week Commercial Truck Driver Program. To learn more about our truck driving school in Yuma and the driving programs we offer, call us toll-free at (888) 647-3239.

Are you stuck in a dead-end job? Looking for a new career? Want to get paid to drive across the country? In as little as four weeks, Yuma Truck Driving School can help you develop the technical knowledge and professional skills needed to become a truck driver. During the driver training program, you’ll learn everything you need to know to pass the Arizona CDL exam, which is the first step towards becoming a professional commercial driver. Although our instructors will do everything they can to help you obtain your CDL, you’ll have to take and pass the test on your own. You’ll learn more during the program, but here are some tips to keep in mind that will help you pass the CDL exam on your first try.

Take Practice Tests

As you progress through truck driving school, it’s a good idea to take a few practice CDL exams to test your knowledge and see which areas you need to improve on before you take the actual written exam. Practice tests can also help you focus your studies on the topics that are most heavily covered in the CDL exam, although there may be some difference between the practice test questions and the questions you’ll encounter on test day.

 

Ask for Advice

When you enroll in Yuma Truck Driving School, you’ll be taught by professional drivers with decades of combined experience behind the wheel. Your instructors are valuable resources who can give you tips, insights, and advice on how to pass your CDL exam that you won’t find anywhere else. As you get closer to the test date, be sure to talk with your instructors about any practical knowledge topics you are struggling with or any driving skills you need to sharpen.

Keep Your Cool

On the actual day of the CDL exam, one of the most important things you can do to ensure success is to remain calm. It’s normal to feel nervous, especially if you have a family that’s counting on your to pass the exam and obtain your Class A CDL. Just remember that this isn’t the only chance you get to take the exam and you’ll be able to take the test in a more calm and relaxed manner.

To learn more about how Yuma Truck Driving School can prepare you to obtain your Class A CDL and become a successful commercial driver, call us toll-free at (888) 647-3239 or contact us online.

So you’ve decided on a career as a trucker: congratulations! For dedicated and independent folks, trucking is a rewarding and exciting career. Now that you’re looking at CDL schools, you’re probably wondering how you’re going to afford truck driving school. Luckily, Yuma Truck Driving School offers numerous financial aid options: this blog will tell you everything you need to know to stop worrying about your tuition and start learning how to be a trucker!

Many Trucking Companies Reimburse Your Training

Trucking is a rapidly growing, in-demand profession: in fact, it’s one of the most common professions in America. Since truckers are in such high demand, it’s not surprising that some trucking companies reimburse your costs of CDL training once they hire you. Of course, this definitely depends on the school, but Yuma Truck Driving Institute is one of the schools that is able and willing to do this.

Other Sources of Financial Aid

There are other places to get financial help with jump starting your trucking career, like:

• Yuma Private Industry Council (YPIC)
• Arizona Workforce Connection
• Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PPEP)

Each of these sources have different requirements and stipulations, so be sure to read up on what each of them offer.

The time is now to make a positive change in your career. Yuma Truck Driving School is part of a family of truck driving schools that span the entirety of Arizona and beyond. Give us a call at (888) 647-3239 or contact us on the web to find out how you can make a serious shift in your career trajectory.

 

Most people know that the railroad and the highway significantly changed the landscape and culture of the United States, but did you know that trucking has as well? Trucking is now one of the most common professions in America, but trucking has always been a profession that stirs up feelings of freedom and adventure. When you combine that idea of freedom with the ever-increasing importance of the trucking industry, it’s not surprising that trucking touches popular culture fairly often.

We Got a Great Big Convoy

If you’re a child of any decade after the 70’s, you might be surprised to know that there was a number one hit song about truck driving. Outlaw country was in its heyday back then, and since trucking was perceived as a sort of “outlaw” profession due to the freedom and adventure involved, it’s no surprise that a country singer did a song about trucking. Enter C.W. McCall’s “Convoy”, an immensely entertaining tune filled with trucker slang that details a sort of trucker rebellion that spans across America. Although it’s not a terribly accurate picture of what it’s like to be a modern trucker, it’s an awful lot of fun. It even spawned a movie!

Trucker Hats and More

I don’t know you, but I know you’ve seen a trucker hat before. The reason you have is because trucking has even touched the world of fashion! Trucker hats were big in the 70’s but have made a comeback in recent years thanks to celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Judah Friedlander of “30 Rock” fame. The ironically blue-collar trucker hat was a major fashion statement for suburban youth, and they can still be seen in some of the trendier bars (accompanied by a tall can of Pabst Blue Ribbon, of course.)

Trucking matters, not just because of popular culture. Trucking keeps America’s goods moving, and if you’re looking for an exciting career that really makes a positive impact on this country, look no further than truck driving. Yuma Truck Driving School can help you get there: give us a call at (888) 647-3239 or contact us on the web to find out how you can join the great big convoy of American truckers.

It was only a matter of time before CDL training programs began recruiting female drivers, as women are known for driving less aggressively and being more cautious. In theory, these skills mean that women drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents. Now that an increasing number of women are enrolling in Tucson CDL school, their involvement is shaping the trucking landscape.

Challenges

Women who pursue trucking as a career face advantages and disadvantages. Similar to male truckers, there are bound to be some female truckers with similar experiences in the industry. While some female truckers may find their gender is a plus, others may find it creates challenges. On the one hand, other drivers are anxious to cater to a female trucker’s needs by helping with directions on the CB, radio checks, or fixing the truck in a break down. In fact, some female truckers can use the radio to simply ask a question and have had free meals when visiting truck stops.

Equal treatment

Many women truckers don’t feel they have been treated any differently than their male counterparts. However, some female truckers feel they receive too much attention. While other drivers may be overly helpful to female truckers, the truckers may not have extra time to chat while trying to get directions.

Harassment

When other drivers’ attention goes too far, it can constitute harassment. Every now and then, a female trucker may hear ignorant comments over the CB radio. Other drivers may find these jokes funny, even though they are disrespecting their female colleagues. Some male drivers are serious and even say nasty things to female drivers to put them in place. A mature female driver will respond by simply ignoring the disrespectful comments that come up every once in a while.

If you are looking to begin a career as a female truck driver, HDS Truck Driving Institute has trained thousands of CDL drivers. We are a fully accredited educational institution in Tucson. To learn more about beginning a career in trucking, give us a call at (877) 205-2141.

Spring weather may be great for gardens, but the wet conditions that flowers love will also cause over a million traffic collisions each year. If you’re a Tucson CDL driver, you need to know how to safely handle such situations during your time on the road. When it comes to rain, safety begins before you drive, as you take steps to ensure visibility.

Slow down

One of the biggest safety risks in driving through rain is hydroplaning, where the tires rise up on a film of water. Even as little as 1/12 inch of water on the road forces your tires to displace a gallon of water per second to maintain contact with the road. To ensure your truck doesn’t hydroplane, you should reduce your speed to correspond with the amount of water on the roadway. For example, even at speeds as low as 35 mph, brand new tires can still have difficulty maintaining contact with the roadway.

Leave room

Another way to avoid hydroplaning is by leaving plenty of room between your truck and the other drivers. Remember, others traveling won’t be as experienced with driving long distances in rainy conditions. To stay safe, increase the following distance between your truck and the vehicle in front of you. You should also start to slow down early to stop for an intersection, make a turn or adjust to other traffic conditions.

Respond to a skid

Even if you’re taking all the necessary steps to stay safe in the rain, you may experience a skid. If you feel the truck beginning to skid, the worse thing you can do is panic. Instead, continue looking and steering in the direction you want the truck to go. At the same time, don’t slam your brakes, as this will make it more difficult to regain control of the truck.

Since 1991, HDS Truck Institute has proudly served the Southern Arizona community. Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about CDL training in Tucson. Our graduates are working for many of the nation’s top over-the-road carriers.

After completing truck-driving school in Tucson, the next step is taking the road test portion of your CDL exam. While you may be anxious about bumping a curb or forgetting to check your mirrors, not knowing what the examiner is looking for can be even more nerve-wracking. An effective way to ease any anxiety related to the test is by learning exactly what to expect on the big day.

Automatic failures

In order to pass the CDL road test, you need to know what constitutes automatic failure. While some of these may be obvious, like getting into a wreck or running a red light, other automatic failures aren’t so easy to detect. For example, smaller actions like hitting a curb, forgetting your turn signal, and failing to check your mirrors when changing lanes all result in automatic failure. When driving a truck, these little mistakes can result in very serious consequences, so it’s important to ensure they never happen.

Acceptable mistakes

Even after years of truck driving, minor mistakes do happen. In most situations, it’s not a serious safety hazard to grind a gear or taking an extra second to find the right RPM to get into gear. So long as you demonstrate sufficient proficiency in shifting, you won’t fail the road test with a few ground gears or missed shifts. If you make these minor mistakes on the test, just keep your composure, take your time, and find the right gear.

Non-driving considerations

Your demeanor during the test is actually a main factor guiding the examiner’s decision to license you. Trucking is a high-pressure occupation, as you spend the day dealing with heavy traffic, terrible weather, and impatient drivers. For this reason, you need to show the examiner that you can stay calm when faced with serious stress.

HDS Truck Driving Institute has been proudly training Tucson truck drivers since 1991. As a fully-accredited educational institution, we have trained thousands of students to pass their Commercial Driver License exam. To learn how we can help you become the kind of professional driver companies seek, please call (877) 205-2141.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration have specific rules prohibiting interstate truckers and bus drivers from texting or using hand-held phones while driving. These joint rules are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s efforts to end distracted driving. As a result, violations of these rules can result in fines and driver disqualification.

Texting while driving

Commercial motor vehicle drivers aren’t allowed to text while driving their vehicles. This means, truckers are prohibited from manually entering alphanumeric text into or reading text from their electronic devices. This includes sending short messages, e-mailing, instant messaging, and accessing web pages. Drivers are also not allowed to press more than a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using their mobile phones.

Conducting voice communication

As a result of these regulations, CMV drivers may not reach for or hold a mobile phone to conduct a voice communication or dial by pressing more than a single button on their phones. Additionally, CMV drivers who use mobile phones while operating their vehicles may only operate a hands-free device located in close proximity. Combined, these rules mean a driver is prohibited from unsafely reaching for a device, holding a mobile phone, or pressing multiple buttons while behind the wheel.

Understanding the risks

Besides facing CDL disqualification, violating these rules may result in substantial penalties. Additionally, recent research illustrates that failure to abide by these rules increases a driver’s chances of suffering a safety-critical event, such as a crash, near crash, or unintentional lane deviation. According to the FMCSA, CMV drivers who dial a phone while driving increase their odds of being involved in an accident six times. Texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which equates to traveling the length of a football field.

For more information about obtaining your CDL license in Tucson, contact HDS Truck Driving Institute. We offer nationally recognized truck driver training with available refresher courses and road testing. You can learn more by calling us at (877) 205-2141.

Since April 1, 1992, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has required drivers to have commercial driver’s licenses in order to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Consequently, the FMCSA has developed and issued standards that states must follow to issue CDLs to drivers. Restrictions are placed on CDLs when a driver’s vehicle lacks critical equipment on certain CMVs, so drivers need to take the Skills Test in the same type of vehicle for which they are seeking CDLs to operate.

Classes of licenses

According to Federal standards, States issue CDLs and CLPs to drivers according to three license classifications. Class A encompasses any combination of vehicles that have a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more. Any single vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross weight rating below 4,536 kilograms is Class B. A Class C vehicle is any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not qualify as a Class A or B, but is designed to transport 16 or more passengers.

Endorsements

Drivers who operate certain CMVs must pass other tests to obtain endorsements on their commercial driver’s licenses. For example, a double or triple trailer driver only needs to pass the knowledge test only to obtain an endorsement. For a passenger vehicle, the driver needs to pass the knowledge and skills tests. Additionally, a school bus driver needs to pass the knowledge and skills tests.

Restrictions

If a CDL driver fails to pass the Air Brakes Knowledge Test, doesn’t correctly identify the air brake system components, or does not properly conduct an air brake systems check, he or she will carry an “L” no full air brake restriction on the license.

Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about obtaining a commercial driver’s license with HDS Truck Driving Institute. We have proudly served Southern Arizona since 1991. As a fully accredited educational institution, we have trained thousands of students to pass their CDL tests and to become the kind of professional drivers that companies want to hire.

After obtaining your commercial driver’s license, the most important career decision you will make is how to surround yourself with the right people at work. You also need to understand the factors affecting the freight you receive, as well as the steps to take to put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. Factors to consider when choosing your freight type include your personality, lifestyle, and desire to be far from home for long periods of time.

Dry van carrier

The most common trailer on the roads is dry vans, which are big, empty boxes. As a result, they don’t require any temperature control mechanisms. As there are more dry van companies than any other type of company, you will discover the broadest range of opportunities in this trucking area. Additionally, there are a large variety of companies pulling these types of trailers, so they are difficult to define in a general way. As a result, there are a broad range of jobs and lifestyles within this trucking category.

Dry van jobs

Especially with bigger companies, dry van jobs tend to offer the greatest range of opportunities for truckers who prefer regional, dedicated, and local runs. In many of the larger companies, it’s easy for truckers to switch over into a regional job, which gets them home on the weekends, or possibly every night. While these jobs may require some manual labor, this usually depends on the individual companies themselves.

Refrigerated carriers

A refrigerated company can haul either temperature sensitive freight or drive freight. From time to time, the company will get some of each. Consequently, it’s good for a company to be capable of hauling both types of goods, as it gives the company more versatility with its freight.

HDS Truck Driving Institute trains truckers to become the kind of professional drivers that companies seek. Over the past 20 years, our graduates have secured jobs with many of the nation’s top over-the-road carriers, as well as regional and local companies. Call (877) 205-2141 to learn more about enrolling in truck driving school in Tucson.

Graduating from truck-driving school helps you learn all of the skills that you need to know to safely operate a commercial truck. Once you obtain your CDL and get behind the wheel of a truck, you can start living your life on the road. Use this guide to learn more about what to expect from life as a driver:

Inspections Before You Drive

You should always walk around to inspect your truck before you get onto the road. Look at all of the tires, the mirrors, and the doors to make sure everything looks solid. You should also look at the area around the truck so you can see any potential hazards that might affect the way you back up or drive out of the parking lot. Even if you just stop at a truck stop for a quick meal, you should always do a quick walk around to make sure the truck looks good.

Long Hours on the Road

Whether you drive long haul shifts or local routes, you can expect to spend a lot of time behind the wheel. You might not make it home every night, but you will get the chance to see a lot of the country from wide-open highways. Make sure you take the time to rest to ensure that you are completely refreshed when you get back behind the wheel of your commercial truck.

Visits to Lots of Truck Stops

During the long stretches of driving, you will probably spend a lot of time at various truck stops around the country. Try to make an effort to eat healthy food options whenever you can to keep your mind and your body ready for your next session behind the wheel.

If you think the life of a trucker is appealing for you, sign up from the program at HDS Truck Driving Institute. Our Tucson program offers you the chance to learn the skills you need to earn your CDL and get on the road. For more information, visit us online or call (877) 205-2141.