Your Future in Trucking
 The US. Department of Labor report regarding truck drivers states the following: "Job opportunities should be favorable for truck drivers through 2014." This industry has among the greatest number of job openings each year.
From the US Dept. of Labor: "Overall employment of truck drivers and driver/sales workers is expected to increase about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014 due to the growth in the economy and in the amount of freight carried by truck. Competing forms of freight transportation --rail, air, and ship -- still require trucks to move the goods between ports, depots, airports, warehouses, retailers, and final consumers. The demand will remain strong..."
Truck drivers are a constant presence on the nations highways and interstates, delivering everything from automobiles to canned foods. Firms of all kinds rely on trucks for pickup and delivery of goods from doorstep to doorstep. Even if goods travel in part by ship, train or airplane, trucks carry nearly all goods at some point in their journey from producer to consumer. -US Bureau of Labor and Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Commercial Driver Servicesoffers a comprehensive and well-structured, 4 week truck driver training course where you will graduate with your Class 'A' Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and job placement assistance preparing you for a future in this growing career field.
 One of the many unique aspects of this career field is that a commercial truck driver with formal training and a good record is a valued asset to trucking companies throughout the nation. These companies include local as well as over-the-road employers. Companies are competitive to sign new drivers and compete by increasing pay and benefit packages plus providing the most modern, driver-friendly equipment available.
Most over-the-road companies offer tuition reimbursement plans as an incentive. This means they will reimburse directly to you the cost of truck driving school. Call our office and ask more about tuition reimbursement.
No matter where you may decide to move, your CDL is transferable. Commercial truck drivers are in demand everywhere, and it is great to know you can find employment even if you decide to relocate. Graduating from a qualified school, such as Commercial Driver Services, gives you what you need to start on the road to this productive and truly unique career.
Why must I attend school to get a CDL?
As of January 2, 2009, mandatory CDL training is required in the state of Washington. The minimum training requirements are as follows:
CDS can provide the training you need to successfully obtain your commercial drivers license and get started in your new truck driving career!
Course Outline
A new class begins every three weeks. The Class 'A' CDL course is offered in day (6:00 AM - 3:00 PM) and evening (3:00 PM to midnight) classes. Our comprehensive, 160-hour, four week program includes one week in the classroom and three weeks of field training (driving/backing/pre-trip and in-cab inspections).
Dump Truck, Class 'B', Class 'C', Bus/Passenger endorsement training and CDL Skills Testing as well as equipment rental for testing are also available.
If you would like to get a head start on the course, stop into our office for a FREE copy of the Washington State Commercial Driver Study Guide.
First Week--Classroom: In the first week of our course, you will study for your written endorsement tests. These endorsements are:
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General Knowledge
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Air Brakes
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Combination Vehicles
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Tanker
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Doubles and Triples
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Hazardous Materials
In the classroom, you will study log book, pre and post trip inspections, brake adjustment, map reading, trip planning, hours of service and much more. In addition to our hands-on approach, CDS provides a complete film library to aid in teaching.
Field Training-Weeks 2, 3 and 4: Following the classroom instruction week, students spend the next three weeks in driver training. Each student receives 50 plus hours of individual behind the wheel training time. (note: 50 hours are in addition to the many hours in the yard spent practicing techniques such as backing.)
During our course you will learn hands-on:
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Pre and post-trip inspections
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Brake adjustment
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Situational awareness
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Shifting techniques
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Angle and straight back parking
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Cornering and intersections
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Lane keeping during straight driving and on curves
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Speed and space management
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Starting and stopping on hills
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Driving up and down grades
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Winter driving (chaining up)
...and much more!
During the fourth and final week of class, you will take your CDL Road Skills Test onsite in the same trucks you trained in for the past three weeks. On the final day of class, we celebrate by holding a graduation ceremony where you will receive your diploma, grade transcript, and certificate of attendance showing successful completion of the state-mandated 160 hours of Class 'A' truck driver training.
(The Passenger and School Bus Endorsements are for those who also want a bus license).
We want our graduates to have all of the CDL endorsements so that no job is out of reach. If you wish to qualify for even more jobs, you have the option of taking the Passenger test (bus) along with the CDL truck test at the end of the course. This way, you graduate with both your truck and bus license.
Then what you ask?
Professional job placement assistance...that's what!
Where else can you find lifetime job placement assistance? As long as you remain employable, Commercial Driver Services will be here to offer assistance in your job search regardless of how much time has passed since your graduation date.
All the major trucking companies recruit Commercial Driver Services' graduates and it is possible to be pre-hired even before starting school. If you have questions about being pre-hired just call our office anytime for information.
As you can see, job placement is a very high priority at Commercial Driver Services. Each student receives individual attention and classroom instruction from our Placement Specialist for their job search. Students will have the opportunity to meet privately with our Placement Specialist and express specific goals for employment. After a review of the driving record, work history, and background information, our Placement Specialist can make recommendations as to which companies may be most compatible and meet the needs of the student.
As part of our course, students are instructed on how to properly complete a trucking company job application. Commercial Driver Services has some company job applications onsite for the convenience of our current students and graduates.
Placement assistance is available for long haul, regional, western, and local job opportunities. While Commercial Driver Services makes no guarantee of employment, assisting each student in becoming employed following graduation is of the utmost importance to us.
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