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Class B CDL Training at Southwest Truck Driver Training

  • Learn to drive commercial vehicles such as buses, dump trucks, straight trucks, and more
  • Earn a CDL that qualifies you for many local driving jobs
  • Ask about related endorsement courses
  • Take your driving exam with approved onsite examiners

Class B CDL Training at Southwest Truck Driver Training

Southwest Truck Driver Training's Class B commercial driver license (CDL) program prepares students to take the CDL B exams and pursue truck driver jobs requiring this type of driver’s license. You'll receive valuable behind-the-wheel time and develop the skills necessary to start a commercial trucking or coach driving career.

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Overview of CDL B Training Program at Southwest

As an approved Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) provider, Southwest Truck Driver Training provides Class B CDL program students with knowledge that enables them to:

  • Learn how to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMV) under various road and traffic conditions
  • Become knowledgeable in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)
  • Understand how to perform vehicle inspections and preventive maintenance
  • Acquire knowledge of the non-driving activities related to CMV operations, such as cargo securement and loading/unloading
  • Learn how to safely maneuver a CMV concerning speed and space management and under varying weather and vision changes
  • Develop a working understanding of basic truck driver operations
  • Understand how to handle a CMV when faced with a hazard
  • Investigate the ins and outs of passenger handling
  • Discover tactics for defensive driving and planning routes to ensure trip safety and success
  • Gain the skills you need to take—and pass—the Class B CDL exam

 

How Long Is CDL B Training at Southwest?

Southwest's CDL B training program is divided into theoretical and hands-on learning. You'll spend 80 hours in the classroom and an additional 80 hours of the program behind the wheel. The 160-hour program should take between four and eight weeks, depending on your specific class schedule.

 

Coursework and Topics in Southwest's CDL B Program

CDL B holders can drive any vehicle weighing a total of 26,001 pounds or one towing a trailer weighing less than 10,000 pounds. These types of vehicles include straight trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, and large buses.

A comprehensive CDL B training program prepares you for your licensure exam and includes both theoretical and practical instruction.

The theoretical section typically covers:

  • Basic and advanced vehicle operation for a truck type that CDL B holders can drive
  • Rules of the road
  • Road signals
  • Driving-related laws
  • Non-driving activities, such as logbook management and handling cargo
  • Safe operating procedures
  • Vehicle maintenance and inspection

 

The practical section usually includes:

  • Performing pre- and post-trip inspections
  • Parking
  • Backing and docking
  • Starting and stopping
  • Steering
  • Turning
  • Shifting

You can also elect to obtain a HAZMAT endorsement with a short additional training program at Southwest Truck Driver Training to accompany your CDL B license coursework.

The classroom portion of Southwest's Class B CDL training covers how to plan routes, read maps, track hours of service, spot hazards, handle cargo, drive passengers safely, develop defensive driving habits, and adhere to FMCSA rules and regulations.

The behind-the-wheel training occurs on the road or at our state-of-the-art truck driving range. You'll learn how to conduct pre-trip inspections and basic operating CMV practices, such as backing up, shifting, and executing proper turns.

In our CDL B training, you'll also have the option to choose either Air Brakes or Passenger or School Bus endorsement training. With the Air Brakes endorsement option, you'll learn how to operate vehicles with air brakes and test and maintain the air brake system. In the Passenger and School Bus endorsement options, you'll cover passenger safety, passenger management, sale loading and unloading, and post-crash procedures.

 

Preparing for the CDL B Test

The CDL B test comprises both written and practical driving exams. Consulting your CDL manual will help you study for the written test. The practical portion of your exam includes a vehicle inspection test, a basic controls test, and a road test. Additionally, you'll need to pass written and practical exams for any endorsements you want to add to your CDL B license.

Southwest's CDL B program concludes with a third-party DMV test administered onsite. As an approved ELDT provider, our curriculum meets the national standards. We also coordinate with the relevant state DMV, so our CDL B graduates are cleared to take their exams.

 

Types of Truck Driver Jobs You Can Get with a CDL B

When looking at Class A vs. Class B CDLs, if you're interested in working in the passenger or construction sectors and prefer to drive locally, a Class B CDL training program and license are ideal.

Upon completing your CDL B training, you'll have the skills to operate vehicles like school buses, segmented buses, box trucks, garbage trucks, limousines, delivery vans, parcel trucks, cement mixers, and dump trucks.

The type of jobs you are qualified for as a CDL B holder include:

  • Delivery driver
  • City bus driver
  • School bus driver
  • Fire truck operator
  • Cement truck driver
  • Tow truck driver
  • Snowplow driver

 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), delivery truck drivers made a median salary of $36,660 ($17.62 per hour) in 2021. This job category is expected to grow by 11% through 2031, which is faster than average.

Passenger vehicle drivers, such as bus drivers, earned median salaries of $37,540, or $18.05 hourly. Passenger vehicle driving has a positive job outlook, with positions projected to grow by 12% within the decade.

School bus drivers make average yearly salaries of $38,750, and the career has a 26% projected employment growth through 2030.

Transit bus drivers make around $51,310 annually and have a 21% estimated job growth.

In Arizona and Nevada, transit bus drivers made average annual salaries of $48,530 and $39,320 in 2021, and school bus drivers made $36,030 and $36,820, respectively.

Are you ready to learn more about the Southwest Class B CDL training program? Please fill out the form below or call us at 833-464-0737 to learn about our financing solutions and lifetime job placement assistance program. We can help you get started on the driving career of your dreams!

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