Truck Driving Schools in Texas|CDL Training Options

Truck driving schools in Texas are big business, and with good reason.

According to statistics:

• Texas has more than 170,000 truck drivers – the most of any state
• The Texas economy is the country’s second largest behind California, contributing about 9% to US GDP
• The average truck driver salary in Texas is about $53,000

In addition, nearly all of the country’s big carriers have at least one terminal in Texas, and few states offer more diverse job opportunities.

CDL Training in Texas – Big Business

There are also more truck driving schools in Texas than just about anywhere else.

But before we jump in – A WARNING.

Except for community colleges and company sponsored (paid) CDL training schools, most truck driving schools are for-profit businesses. 

And sadly, some are more worried about churning out new “drivers” and profitability than they are about providing adequate thorough training. 

Some schools prey on those with little or no industry experience, and it’s these people that usually have the worst experiences and end up paying way more than they should have. 

Bar none, the best way to avoid becoming a victim is by learning as much about the industry as you can and researching prospective schools using – 

• Better Business Bureau (BBB)
• Glassdoor.com 
• Indeed.com

Need CDL Training in Texas? Do Your Homework!

To be clear, we’re not recommending the truck driving schools on this list.

• We haven’t attended any of them
• We’re not affiliated with any of them
• and we’re definitely not getting kickbacks from any of them. 

That said, we have found that they’re among the largest and most well-known Texas CDL schools and worthy of a closer look. 

Just remember to do your homework before committing and signing on the dotted line for ANY truck driver training school.

Texas Trucking Schools Worthy of Further Investigation

1. Roadmaster Driver’s School

Featuring two locations in Dallas and San Antonio, Roadmaster Driving School has –

• Been in business for nearly three decades 
• Helped more than 100,000 men and women become professional truck drivers

Roadmaster says that students can get their Class A CDL in as little as 3 or 4 weeks. 

It’s important to note however, that after graduation most students will need to spend 2 to 6 weeks with a driver trainer from the company they hire on with. 

Roadmaster also offers

• in-house financing
• job placement assistance
• help for veterans making the transition to civilian life,
• and a tuition reimbursement program with the following big carriers who hire most of their graduates – 

• Werner
• May Trucking
• U.S. Express
• Covenant Transport
• Stevens Transport

In addition to their two Texas locations, Roadmaster also operates more than a dozen schools in cities like – 

• Phoenix, AZ
• Jacksonville, FL
• Kansas City, MO
• Memphis, TN 
• Columbus, OH

Their online reviews on Yelp, Glassdoor and Indeed range between about 2.3 and 3.1 out of 5 stars, which is mediocre at best.

However, they are an established chain of CDL schools, with a job placement program and various forms of financial assistance.

2. CONTINENTAL TRUCK DRIVER TRAINING AND EDUCATION SCHOOL

Continental Truck Driver Training and Education School is a Class A CDL training school located in Dallas, TX.

This school has been in business since 2000 and has helped over 6,000 students get their Class A commercial drivers licenses. 

During their 4-week course students learn with experienced trainers in the classroom, in the yard, and behind the wheel.

After graduation, Continental staff helps place students with the company that best suits their needs, and their partners include – 

• Maverick Transportation
• Roehl Transportation
• Paschall Truck Lines 
• Werner Enterprises 

Continental also supports both active military personnel and veterans and helps them navigate benefits programs like

• the Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Montgomery GI Bill
• and the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (DEA).

Other benefits of learning at Continental include – 

• Class A CDL refresher course
• Discount for paying cash
• Housing available for out of town students (at additional cost)

A number of financing options are available with multiple down payment options, one of which requires a credit check. 

In addition, students who pay upfront or finance their training are eligible for tuition reimbursement provided by partner carriers.  

Carriers generally pay $75 to $200 per month toward tuition reimbursement, but the terms vary from company to company.

Just remember, some Texas trucking schools provide minimal information on their websites, because they’d much rather applicants call so they can give them the hard sell. 

3. STEVENS TRANSPORT DRIVING SCHOOL

For those looking to make a career change, there’s no better way to do it than by taking advantage of paid CDL training in Texas. 

When it comes to getting a CDL, the best way to keep out-of-pocket expenses low and minimize debt is by attending paid CDL training. 

In Dallas and Houston, Stevens Transport runs a few of the state’s largest company sponsored truck driving schools. 

Stevens’ website says new drivers can earn $50,000 in their first year (take their claims with a grain of salt) and that students can get their CDL in just a few weeks. 

Requirements for new Stevens Transport students include –

• Must be at least 22 years old
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Don’t need any experience

Stevens also just announced an across the board 14% pay raise. (January 2021)

To get the ball rolling on your application, you’ll need to answer 17 quick questions here, after which you’ll be contacted by a recruiter.

Keep in mind that many large carriers operate paid CDL training schools because they have huge driver turnover (not driver shortage), which is generally caused by poor working conditions, insufficient home time and low pay. 

4. ATDS TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOL

ATDS Truck Driving School has CDL training centers in Ardmore, Oklahoma and the following Texas locations – 

• Killeen
• Lubbock
• College Station 
• Elm Mott

The tractor-trailer driver training program at ATDS focuses on:

• safe driving skills
• professionalism
• classroom session training
• yard time
• and behind-the-wheel driving on public highways. 

ATDS has been in business for more than two decades, and offers students the option of learning on trucks with either automatic or manual transmissions. ( A real perk!)

Their program is 4 weeks long, and new classes begin every Monday. 

Hours during training are 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with multiple short breaks and an hour long lunch each day. 

For those who’ll be studying to get their CDL licenses while holding down another job, ATDS also offers an intense 9 week weekend course as well. 

Upon completing ATDS’ program, students will get –

• Their Class A CDL license
• A defensive driving certificate
• A certificate from the community college they partner with

ATDS also advertises that they have a number of financing options available to help students pay for their training, but they stress that it’s important to speak with an admissions representative before filling out an online application. 

ATDS claims to have a 95% success rate in finding graduates’ jobs, and positions include over-the-road, regional and local. 

Of more than 120 Google reviews, ATDS averages about 4.5 out of 5 stars. Pretty admirable, compared to other state schools.

Their phone number is (254) 829-1694 

Christopher Bauer, Trucker, January 2021. I went to ATDS near Waco, Texas in Elm Mott. The instructors there were really great and especially know how to work with students that struggle with learning. I had an amazing experience there and would definitely recommend people to go there. I would just not recommend anyone that goes there to not go to the hotel they send students. Personally, I loved it and loved the time I spent there.

5. ACTION CAREER TRAINING

Like some of the other schools on this list, Action Career Training (ACT), is an accredited CDL training school with training facilities in a number of Texas locations, including – 

• Abilene
• Big Spring
• Cisco
• Ranger
• Stephenville 
• Brownwood 

Action Career Training has been in business since 1987.

Their training program lasts 4 weeks, during which time their primary goals are providing new drivers with the knowledge, skills and experience they’ll need to make the most of their new careers. 

For those who already have their Class A CDL licenses but haven’t driven for a while, ACT offers a 40 hour refresher course at their Abilene location. 

Refresher course requirements include – 

• Must already have a valid Class A CDL
• Need to pass a DOT physical
• And pass a road assessment test

ACT’s website has a great FAQ section that’s worth checking out before giving them a call at (325) 677-2444.

6. SAGE TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOLS

SAGE Truck Driving Schools operates more than 20 CDL training schools across the country, one of which is in San Antonio, Texas.

As one of the nation’s largest trucking driving school operators, SAGE has graduated more than 40,000 students over the past three decades, 

SAGE’s programs:

• last between 4 and 5 weeks
• include 150 hours of instruction, of which nearly 45 are one-on-one driving time with a highly qualified instructor
• they’re the only national school to have a 1:1 student to trainer ratio.

Depending on school location and the student’s background, SAGE offers training to those with no prior experience as well as drivers who’ve previously had a CDL but have been out of the industry temporarily. 

SAGE’s website is easy to use, and includes lots of helpful information on the following relevant topics – 

• Locations 
• Admissions and tuition
• Available CDL training programs
• Veterans services and programs
• Trucking jobs and employment assistance

On multiple online review sites, SAGE’s rankings are between 4.2 and 4.5 out of 5 stars, so they seem like a solid option that you may wish to consider.

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