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Dear Bill,

Good for you and for your wife!  You are making your career into something even more enjoyable by encouraging your wife to drive with you.

If you’ve been trucking for more than a few years, you might have been one of those drivers who just applied for a job with a carrier and were handed the keys to the rig. The credentials that were required then were not as qualified as we see today.

Each year, thousands of men and women join the ranks of professional truck drivers, and they are trained in one of there ways.  Your wife can get her training either by committing to work for a carrier, or through a public or private truck driving school.  There are pros and cons for each of these choices, so your wife will have to determine which option will better suit her (and your) needs.

If she chooses to obtain her CDL training from a carrier, she will need to be prepared to sign some type of agreement to work for that company.  Training a driver is expensive, and motor carriers don’t want to spend their time and money providing the schooling required to drive their trucks if you aren’t willing to stay for a year or two.  

Of course, the benefit to being trained by a carrier is that you won’t have any tuition or fees, and many of them will provide room and board during your training period.  

If your wife would prefer to pay for her training so that she can choose a company once she’s obtained her CDL, then she should consider a truck driving school that will charge her a fee.  Many schools will assist in obtaining grants or funding, so there are some options for helping out with tuition.  However, you will need to have a check ready before she signs up for lessons.

e are two types of truck driving schools, and you should be very careful in selecting the one that will prepare her for a career as a truck driver.  The first type of school is one that is publicly funded, and the second type is a privately owned school.

Most publicly funded truck driving schools are associated with a technical institute or community college.  The administrators at the schools will help you obtain financing and often tailor the class time to fit your schedule.  You might choose this option if you want to attend classes in the evening and continue to work during the day. You can find out more by visiting the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools (www.napftds.org).

There are many great private training schools and they strive to offer prepare drivers for a career in trucking. You should also be aware that there are some “academies” that are more interested in your tuition than they are in adequately training you for a career.  If they promise that you will have your CDL in a matter of days, be wary.  However, if you wish to attend a private school and want to learn more about your options, call your state truck association for assistance. (You can find a list at www.trucking.org)

Regardless of which school you choose, be sure to look for certification from the Professional Truck Driver Institute (www.ptdi.org) that certifies technical and community college training facilities, and the Commercial Vehicle Training Association  (www.cvta.org) for private trucking schools.  These organizations require the training schools to hold certain standards and will access the level of skill received by students in the program.

Just think, in a matter of a couple of months or less, you and your wife can be enjoying the countryside while making a great income as a team.  Enjoy your time together and start thinking about how you’ll both be spending your paychecks!n

Ellen Voie