What to Expect with Class B CDL Training in the Southwest US
As you pursue a career in the truck driving industry, the first step you must take is to get your commercial driver’s license. Until you have a CDL, you are not eligible to start working as a truck driver in the US. Here at Southwest Truck Driver Training in Arizona and Nevada, we provide Class B CDL training for student drivers. Our Class B commercial driver’s license training gives you the tools you need to successfully jumpstart your trucking career. Learn what you can expect when you earn a Class B CDL as a truck driver from our trucking school.
What is a Class B CDL?
A Class B CDL is a commercial driver’s license class that allows you to drive certain types of commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles that can be operated with a Class B driver’s license include straight trucks, delivery trucks, box vans, or large buses. Having a Class B license permits you to drive a gross vehicle weight of fewer than 26,001 pounds. This gross weight limit includes any combination of vehicles and cargo. There are actually three CDL classes including Class A, B, and C. We provide Class A and Class B CDL training, as well as RV training and a refresher course for existing CDL holders.
Getting a Class B Trucking Job
A Class B CDL is most popular among truck drivers ages 18 to 21. This is due to the age restriction on interstate truck drivers. If you are under 21, you cannot carry cargo across state lines on the interstate. You are restricted to a Class B CDL until you turn 21. The ideal route to take if you are under 21 is to get your Class B license and start working as a commercial truck driver.
This will give you the highly valued driving experience that trucking companies want to see. In fact, when you get hired by your first trucking company, you will notice that the more behind the wheel experience you have, the higher your entry-level pay rate will be. Then when you turn 21, you can take the Class A CDL training, also available here at Southwest Truck Driver Training, to get this class of license. As an added bonus, you can already gain several years of experience before you even turn 21 and become a Class A driver–all by getting your Class B CDL today.
As a Class B truck driver, these are the typical types of Class B trucking jobs that you will be eligible to apply to:
- Dump truck driver
- Garbage truck operator
- Bus driver for large buses, i.e., city, school, or tourist buses
- Parcel delivery driver, such as for UPS or FedEx
- Furniture delivery driver
- Cement mixer operator
- Household and commercial mover
- Grocery store delivery driver
- Florist driver
These trucking jobs typically involve local and/or regional routes. As a result, Class B truck drivers are almost always home most nights or weekly. Consistent home time is important for truck drivers seeking a home-work balance, especially when first starting a new trucking job.
What to Expect in Class B CDL Training at SWTDT
When you sign up for Class B CDL training at Southwest Truck Driver Training, we provide you with both written and skills knowledge. You will need to pass two types of exams to get your CDL, and we ensure you will be prepared for each part. The written portion of the Class B CDL exam includes basic knowledge about regulations, compliance, hours of service, and truck driver documentation requirements. Once you successfully gain this information, you are ready to take the Class B CDL written test.
The knowledge portion of the training will give you the skills needed to obtain your driver’s permit so you can start the second part of truck driver training. This part of the program involves getting behind the wheel and training as a Class B truck driver. We provide you with modern model trucking equipment to ensure you learn the latest trucking techniques. When you complete our truck driver training program, you are fully prepared to take and pass the CDL exam in Arizona or Nevada.
Find Truck Driver Training in the Southwest
Here at Southwest Truck Driver Training, we provide bilingual training in Spanish, as well as lifetime placement for all of our graduates. Along with Class B CDL training, we also provide military veterans interested in becoming a trucker with the path for success. Whether you are a military veteran with driving experience or not, we can help you transition to a career as a commercial truck driver.
We have three convenient locations in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, and in Las Vegas, Nevada. Contact our representatives today at 833-220-2340 to request additional information about state-certified CDL training.