Part 1: Getting Started

Working for the trucking industry, I spend a lot of time talking with motor carriers, professional drivers, safety professionals and others who keep our industry moving. But there’s a BIG difference between talking about trucking and climbing into the driver’s seat of a Class A vehicle.

That’s why I decided to take on the challenge and opportunity of earning my Class A CDL through CNS Driver Training Center.

CNS has given me the opportunity to experience the CDL training process firsthand, while also documenting the journey on video. I’m still early in the process, but I’ve already gained a new appreciation for professional drivers and what it takes just to get to the point where you’re ready to climb behind the wheel.

Step One: Getting the Permit

My journey started with CNS’s two-evening CDL permit preparation class.

To receive my Class A Commercial Learner’s Permit from PennDOT, I needed to pass three knowledge tests: General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles and Air Brakes.

There’s a lot of information packed into those tests. You’re learning everything from vehicle systems and inspections to braking distances, air brake operation and how combination vehicles behave differently on the road.

After the classes and plenty of studying, it was time to put that knowledge to the test.

I passed all three.

Getting that Class A permit in my hand was the first big milestone of this experience—and the point where this whole idea started feeling very real.

I also completed my DOT physical and received my medical card, checking another requirement off the list.

Learning What Happens Before the Truck Moves

With my permit secured, training shifted toward the truck itself.

My first two classes covered Class A pre-trip inspection and load securement.

Pre-trip has probably been one of the biggest eye-openers so far.

Before a professional driver moves a tractor-trailer, there is an incredible amount he or she needs to know about that vehicle. You’re inspecting components, looking for defects, understanding the air brake system and learning not only what to check, but why you’re checking it.

It’s not just kicking the tires and checking the lights.

Load securement reinforced that same idea. Driving the truck is only one part of a professional driver’s responsibility. The driver also must understand how cargo is secured and how the load can affect the safety of the vehicle and everyone else on the road.

And I haven’t even started driving yet.

Now Comes the Fun Part

Next week, that changes.

I’ll begin two weeks of behind-the-wheel training at CNS Driver Training Center, building the skills I’ll eventually need to demonstrate during my Class A CDL test.

This is the part I’ve been looking forward to since I started.

I’m excited, I’m nervous, and I’m pretty sure there are going to be moments when I realize that making a tractor-trailer do what you want it to do is a lot harder than professional drivers make it look.

CNS will continue filming throughout the process, so some of those moments—good and bad—may end up on camera.

That’s part of what I like about this project. We’re not just talking about what it takes to earn a CDL. We’re documenting what the experience actually looks like for someone going through it.

A Different View of the Industry

Part of my motivation for doing this is simple: I want to better understand the people and the industry I work for every day.

I can visit trucking companies, attend industry events, talk about regulations and discuss issues like driver recruitment and retention. But actually going through CDL training gives me a perspective I couldn’t get from sitting behind a desk.

And I’m only getting started.

The permit is in my pocket. I’ve passed my knowledge tests. The DOT physical is complete. Pre-trip and load securement training has begun.

Now it’s time to learn how to drive the thing.

Next up: Behind the Wheel.