Back to School: The Difference Between Paid and Private CDL Training

A lot can go wrong behind the wheel of a truck. In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a commercial trucking accident occurs every five seconds, and are a leading cause of injuries and death on today’s roadways.

As an insurance professional serving the transportation industry, you know that your trucking clients are responsible for making sure their drivers are properly trained in all aspects of road safety so they can better reduce the risk of having an accident. Of course, all truck driver safety begins with training and obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

A CDL is required for an individual to drive a commercial truck. And while every state has its own certification testing, one commonality is that a driver must get the proper training before they are issued their CDL. Today, there are two types of CDL training: paid and private. Here, we’ll look at the basics of both.

Paid CDL Training

Paid CDL training (also known as company-sponsored training) is when a trucking company pays the costs associated with the required safety course. A trucking company may operate their own CDL training courses or contract with a private CDL training school. A driver who completes the company-sponsored training and successfully obtains their license is typically guaranteed a job working for the company that paid for their training. In fact, in many cases, a trucking company that offers paid training will require a driver to sign a contract, agreeing that they will work for that particular business for a certain period of time.

The biggest benefit of paid CDL training for drivers is that they don’t have to pay upfront for their training, and when they complete it, they have a job waiting for them. As for trucking companies, they’ll have the assurance that their new driver has been properly trained in road safety standards.

Private CDL Training

Private CDL training is just that — training in a school that is owned and operated by an independent business that is not associated with a particular trucking company. Unlike paid CDL training courses, these private schools require students to pay their tuition upfront and out of their own pockets. Because it is the potential driver who is footing the bill, they can select the location of the school they wish to attend.

The benefit of private CDL training is that once a driver successfully completes the course, he or she isn’t obligated to go to work for any one particular commercial trucking operation, but can go to work at the company of their choosing. The downside, of course, is that the tuition for attending a private school can be costly – ranging from $4,000 to $8,000 and typically paid in advance.