How to Pick the Best Trucking School near New Windsor Maryland
Congrats on your decision to become a truck driver and enroll in a CDL school near New Windsor MD. Maybe it has always been your fantasy to hit the open highway while operating a big ole tractor trailer. Or maybe you have done some research and have found that a career as a truck driver provides excellent income and flexible work prospects. Regardless of what your reason is, it’s essential to obtain the appropriate training by picking the right CDL school in your area. When reviewing your options, there are certain variables that you’ll want to examine before making your final choice. Location will certainly be important, especially if you need to commute from your New Windsor residence. The cost will also be of importance, but selecting a school based exclusively on price is not the best way to make certain you’ll receive the appropriate training. Don’t forget, your objective is to master the skills and knowledge that will allow you to pass the CDL examinations and become a qualified truck driver. So keeping that goal in mind, just how do you decide on a truck driving school? That is what we are going to cover in the balance of this article. But first, we are going to review a little bit about which commercial driver’s license you will ultimately need.
Which Commercial Drivers License Will You Need?
To operate commercial vehicles legally within the USA and New Windsor MD, an operator must get a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). The 3 license classes that a driver can qualify for are Class A, Class B and Class C. Since the subject of this article is how to select a truck driving school, we will discuss Class A and Class B licenses. What distinguishes each class of CDL is the kind of vehicle that the driver can operate as well as the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) or GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating). Following are short descriptions for the two classes.
Class A CDL. A Class A Commercial Drivers License is required to operate any vehicle that has a GCWR of greater than 26,000 lbs., including a towed vehicle of more than 10,000 lbs. A few of the vehicles that drivers may be able to operate with Class A licenses are:
- Interstate or Intrastate Tractor Trailers
- Trucks with Double or Triple Trailers
- Tanker Trucks
- Livestock Carriers
- Class B and Class C Vehicles
Class B CDL. A Class B CDL is needed to operate single vehicles having a GVWR of more than 26,000 lbs., or a GCWR of more than 26,000 lbs. including a towed vehicle weighing up to 10,000 lbs. A few of the vehicles that operators may be qualified to drive with Class B licenses are:
- Tractor Trailers
- Dump Trucks
- Cement Mixers
- Large Buses
- Class C Vehicles
Both Class A and Class B CDLs might also require endorsements to drive specific kinds of vehicles, for instance passenger or school buses. And a Class A license holder, with the appropriate required endorsements, can operate any vehicle that a Class B licensee is authorized to operate.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Truck Driving Schools Near You!
How to Research a Truck Driver School
When you have determined which CDL you wish to obtain, you can begin the process of evaluating the New Windsor MD truck driver schools that you are considering. As previously mentioned, cost and location will undoubtedly be your initial considerations. But it can’t be emphasized enough that they should not be your sole considerations. Other factors, such as the experience of the instructors or the reputations of the schools are similarly if not more important. So below are a few additional factors that you need to research while performing your due diligence before choosing, and especially paying for, your truck driver training.
Are the Schools Accredited or Certified ? Not many trucking schools in the New Windsor MD area are accredited due to the demanding process and expense to the schools. However, certification is more commonplace and is provided by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI). A school is not required to become certified, but there are certain advantages. Interested students recognize that the training will be of the highest standard, and that they will receive lots of driving time. For example, PTDI calls for 44 hours of actual driving time, not ride-alongs or simulations. So if a school’s program is certified (the program, not the school is certified), students know that the curriculum and training will satisfy the very high standards set by PTDI.
How Long in Business? One indicator to help determine the quality of a truck driver school is how long it has been in operation. A negatively rated or a fly by night school usually will not be in business very long, so longevity is a plus. Having said that, even the best of New Windsor MD schools had to start from their first day of training, so use it as one of several qualifiers. You can also learn what the school’s track record is concerning successful licensing and job placement of its graduates. If a school won’t provide those stats, look elsewhere. The schools should additionally maintain associations with local and national trucking firms. Having numerous contacts not only points to a superior reputation within the profession, but also boosts their job assistance program for students. It also wouldn’t hurt to get in touch with the Maryland licensing authority to verify that the CDL trucking schools you are considering are in compliance.
How Effective is the Training? At a minimum, the schools should be licensed in Maryland and hire teachers that are experienced and trained. We will discuss more about the teachers in the next segment. In addition, the student to instructor proportion should not be greater than 4 to 1. If it’s any greater, then students will not be receiving the individual instruction they will need. This is particularly true regarding the one-on-one instruction for behind the wheel training. And be critical of any school that professes it can train you to be a truck driver in a relatively short period of time. Learning to be an operator and to drive a tractor trailer skillfully requires time. The majority of New Windsor MD schools offer training programs that run from three weeks to as long as two months, depending on the class of license or type of vehicle.
How Good are the Teachers? As already stated, it’s imperative that the teachers are trained to teach driving methods and experienced as both instructors and drivers. Although several states have minimum driving time prerequisites to be certified as a teacher, the more professional driving experience a teacher has the better. It’s also important that the teachers keep current with industry developments or any new regulations or changes in existing laws. Assessing teachers might be a bit more intuitive than other standards, and perhaps the ideal approach is to check out the school and speak with the instructors in person. You can also talk to some of the students completing the training and find out if they are satisfied with the level of instruction and the teacher’s ability to train them.
Adequate Driving Time? Most importantly, an excellent trucking school will provide plenty of driving time to its students. Besides, isn’t that what it’s all about? Driving time is the real time spent behind the wheel driving a truck. Even though the use of ride-a-longs with other students and simulators are important training methods, they are no substitute for actual driving. The more instruction that a student receives behind the wheel, the better driver she or he will be. And even though driving time differs among schools, a good standard is a minimum of 32 hours. If the school is PTDI certified, it will provide at least 44 hours of driving time. Get in touch with the New Windsor MD schools you are researching and find out how much driving time they provide.
Are they Captive or Independent ? It’s possible to obtain free or discounted training from certain truck driving schools if you make a commitment to drive for a particular carrier for a defined time period. This is referred to as contract training, and the schools that offer it are called captives. So instead of maintaining relationships with a wide range of trucking lines that they can refer their students to, captives only refer to one company. The tradeoff is receiving free or less expensive training by giving up the flexibility to initially be a driver wherever you choose. Obviously contract training has the potential to limit your income prospects when starting out. But for some it may be the ideal way to get affordable training. Just make sure to find out if the New Windsor MD schools you are considering are independent or captive so that you can make an informed decision.
Provide Onsite CDL Testing? There are several states that will allow third party CDL testing onsite of truck driver schools for its grads. If onsite testing is available in Maryland, find out if the schools you are considering are DMV certified to offer it. One advantage is that it is more accommodating than competing with graduates from competing schools for test times at Maryland testing locations. It is also an indication that the DMV views the authorized schools to be of a higher quality.
Are the Classes Flexible? As formerly noted, CDL training is only about 1 to 2 months in length. With such a short duration, it’s imperative that the New Windsor MD school you select provides flexibility for both the curriculum and the scheduling of classes. For example, if you’re having difficulty learning a certain driving maneuver, then the teacher should be willing to dedicate more time with you until you have it mastered. And if you’re still employed while attending training, then the class scheduling needs to be flexible enough to fit in working hours or other responsibilities.
Is Job Placement Offered? The moment you have attained your CDL license after graduating from truck driver school, you will be impatient to start your new profession. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs. Ask what their job placement rate is and what average salary their graduates start at. Also, find out which national and local trucking firms their graduates are placed with for hiring. If a school has a poor job placement rate or few New Windsor MD employers recruiting their graduates, it might be a clue to search elsewhere.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Trucking schools are much like colleges and other New Windsor MD area vocational or trade schools when it comes to loans and other forms of financial aid being available. Find out if the schools you are assessing have a financial assistance department, or at a minimum someone who can help you get through the options and forms that need to be submitted.
Area Truck Driving School New Windsor Maryland
Selecting the appropriate truck driving school is a critical first step to starting your new profession as a local or long distance truck driver. The skill sets taught at school will be those that forge a new career behind the wheel. There are a number of options offered and understanding them is critical to a new driver’s success. You originally came to our website because of your interest in Area Truck Driving School and wanting information on the topic Good Truck Driving Schools. But first and foremost, you must receive the proper training in order to operate a big commercial vehicle in a safe and professional manner. If you are lacking money or financing, you might want to consider a captive school. You will pay a reduced or even no tuition by agreeing to drive for their contracted carrier. Or you can select an independent trucking school and have the the freedom to drive for the trucking firm of your choosing, or one of several associated with the school. It’s your choice. But regardless of how you obtain your training, you will in the near future be entering an industry that helps America move as a professional truck driver in New Windsor MD.
Truck On in These Other Maryland Locations
Maryland Route 75
Maryland Route 75 (MD 75) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Green Valley Road, the state highway runs 28.40 miles (45.71 km) from MD 355 near Hyattstown north to MD 31 in New Windsor. MD 75 serves as the main north–south highway of eastern Frederick County, where it connects Hyattstown with New Market, Libertytown, Johnsville, and the Carroll County town of Union Bridge. The first sections of MD 75 were constructed around New Windsor and between Green Valley and New London in the early 1910s. The latter highway was extended south to Green Valley in the late 1910s. In the early 1920s, MD 75 was constructed between New Windsor and Union Bridge and from Libertytown to Johnsville. The remainder of the state highway was constructed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. MD 75 was relocated between Union Bridge and New Windsor in the early 1960s, around its interchange with Interstate 70 (I-70) and U.S. Route 40 (US 40) in New Market in the early 1970s, and at its northern terminus in New Windsor in 2007.
MD 75 begins at MD 355 (Urbana Pike) a short distance north of the Frederick–Montgomery county line near Hyattstown. The state highway crosses Bennett Creek and Stillhouse Branch and passes through the village of Green Valley. MD 75 traverses Fahrney Branch before reaching MD 80 (Fingerboard Road), onto which MD 75 turns west for a short concurrency in the hamlet of Fountain Mills. The state highway continues north to the village of Monrovia, where the highway passes through a pair of sharp curves, crosses Bush Creek, and passes under CSX's Old Main Line Subdivision. At Baldwin Road south of New Market, MD 75 makes a right turn to remain on Green Valley Road while its old alignment continues straight to a dead end. At East Baldwin Road, the state highway heads north of a park and ride lot and makes a left turn onto a four-lane divided highway where the state highway has a diamond interchange with I-70 and US 40 (Baltimore National Pike). North of the interchange, MD 75 has an intersection with Old National Pike, which heads west into the town of New Market as MD 144.[1][2]
North of MD 144, MD 75 reduces to two lanes and meets the north end of the old alignment, Old New Market Road. The state highway traverses Bens Branch in the hamlet of New London, which contains the Drummine Farm and Linganore High School on Old Annapolis Road. MD 75 crosses Linganore Creek and parallels Town Branch to the town of Libertytown. The state highway is named Walnut Street and Church Street south and north, respectively, of its intersection with MD 26 (Liberty Road). After passing through Johnsville, which is home of the historic Kitterman-Buckey Farm, MD 75 curves to the east and crosses Beaver Dam Creek. The state highway curves back to the north and traverses Haines Branch before crossing Sams Creek into Carroll County.[1][2]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 12
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
9 Reviews 1 Reviews 4 Reviews 2 Reviews 1 Reviews 
7 Reviews 
3 Reviews 