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When you are seeking a great new career opportunity, you may want to consider studying for your CDL exam and becoming a commercial truck driver. After you enroll at a truck driving school, you will receive the personalized instruction you need to thrive in a truck driving career. Today, there are more truck driving opportunities than ever before. To highlight the benefits of becoming a truck driver, here is a look at how the trucking industry has changed over the decades.

The Origins of Commercial Trucking

The modern trucking industry can trace its roots back to the early 1900s, when the first commercial trucks began carrying goods from town to town. These early trucks were equipped with solid rubber tires and electric lighting systems. By 1910, it is estimated that a fleet of 10,000 trucks were in use around the United States.

Rules and Regulations for Commercial Trucks

As the trucking industry grew, so did the need to regulate the safety of commercial truck drivers. For this reason the 1935 Motor Carrier Act was passed. This Act resulted in the paving of thousands of roads across the country. These roads were able to connect cities and towns, making commercial transportation easer.

The Birth of Modern Trucking

By the 1950s, commercial trucks began to resemble the trucks that we know today. After the Motor Carrier Act was passed, commercial trucks were able to travel on inflated, rather than solid rubber tires. From the 1950s to the present day, commercial trucking has continued to grow and expand.

If you are considering obtaining your CDL in Arizona, be sure to contact Yuma Truck Driving Institute by calling (888) 647-3239. When you enroll at our top rated truck driving school serving Southern Arizona, we will help you get ready for an exciting job as a commercial truck driver. Our instructors look forward to meeting you soon.

For many people, the first step towards a rewarding and exciting new career is truck driving school. After you graduate from trucking school and obtain your commercial driver’s license (CDL) you’ll be able to fill any number of the available truck driving positions with local transportation companies, national carriers, and many other organizations in need of professional drivers. One of the biggest obstacles for many people considering truck driving school is the cost of tuition. Fortunately, there are sources of financial assistance available to those who qualify.

Military GI Education Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a VA-administered financial aid program available to active servicemen and women as well as former armed forces members who have at least 90 days of active duty service following September 11, 2001. If you qualify for the GI Bill benefits, contact an admissions representative at Yuma Trucking School to discuss your enrollment options.

Credit Cards and Personal Loans

Although you will still have to pay the full price of tuition plus interest, paying with a credit card or taking out a personal loan allows you to enroll in truck driving school and start your career sooner instead of having to wait until you save up to pay tuition on your own. If taking out a personal loan, come in and meet with us so we can tell you what the full cost of the program plus training and licensing will cost.

Motor Carrier Training Reimbursement

If you have already lined up a job with a motor carrier, or if you currently work for a trucking company in some capacity other than a driver, you may be able to take advantage of available training reimbursement programs through your employer. In some cases motor carriers will either reimburse you the cost of truck driving school after graduation or may even pay for you to go to trucking school without any out-of-pocket expenses.

To learn more about your financial assistance options for attending trucking school, contact Yuma Truck Driving School. We are a nationally-recognized truck driver training school that provides Class A and Class B CDL training and refresher courses. Call us toll-free at (888) 647-3239 to speak with one of our admissions representatives.

When you graduate from truck driving school you’ll be able to obtain either a Class A or Class B CDL, but you can start preparing yourself for your new career in other ways if you understand the differences between these two truck driving licenses ahead of time. Here are some things you should know about the differences between Class A and Class B licenses.

Vehicles

The main difference between Class A and Class B driving licenses is the types of vehicles license carriers are permitted to operate. Basically, if the weight of a vehicle excluding any trailers is over 26,001 pounds, you need either a Class A or Class B CDL to drive it. If the trailer(s) weight over 10,000 pounds, a Class A is required. That’s why most of the vehicles that only require Class B CDLs are box trucks, city buses, and dump trucks with small trailers. Class A CDL carriers can operate any commercial vehicle required to have a Class B or even Class C license.

Careers

One of the most common questions new and aspiring drivers ask is, “which license is better for my career?” The answer depends on a number of different factors, including the type of driving you want to do. There are lots of job openings for Class B drivers, but keep in mind that Class B holders don’t qualify for Class A driving positions. This means that, while there are still ample career opportunities for Class B drivers, a Class A CDL will provide more opportunities since any commercial driving position that requires a CDL (Class A, B, or C) will be available to you.

Training   

Because of the differences between Class A and Class B licenses, the training time involved to master Class A CDL skills and obtain a Class A license is generally longer than that for the other license types. In other words, you may can earn your Class B CDL faster and start your career sooner, but there are more opportunities available if you earn your Class A designation.

If you are interested in pursuing either a Class A or Class B CDL, Yuma Truck Driving School can help you achieve your goals. For a closer look at our programs and certifications, visit our website or call us at (888) 647-3239.

Whether you are new to the job market, or are seeking a career change, truck driving is a position that you may want to consider. As a truck driver, you will be entering a growing field that offers great pay, awesome benefits, and a flexible schedule. In order to get started on your career as a truck driver, you will need to attend a truck driving institute in Tucson. To help you decide whether CDL classes are a good fit for you, here is a look at some qualities of great truck drivers.

Independence

Truck driving is a great field for any person who prefers to work independently. When you start your job as a commercial truck driver, you will spend long hours out on the open road. Independence is a quality that is shared by many commercial truck drivers.  For those workers who are independently motivated, the freedom offered by truck driving may be a natural fit.

Driving Skills

If you love to drive, commercial trucking may be the right field for you. Commercial truck drivers have finely tuned driving skills that allow them to make their deliveries safely and on time. During your truck driving education, you will be provided with essential tips and skills for driving a big rig truck.

Maintenance Abilities

During long trips on the road, many truck drivers perform routine maintenance on their vehicle. For example, before you set out for your day’s driving, you will need to complete a basic safety and maintenance checklist. If you have always loved maintaining and repairing vehicles, you may want to consider a job in the trucking industry.

At Yuma Truck Driving School, we can provide you with the skills and information you need to obtain your CDL and become a professional truck driver. Our instructors will provide you with valuable, hands on experience during your courses. Be sure to contact our Tucson location at (888) 647-3239 to hear more about our current enrollment opportunities.

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.