Roadmaster Truck Driving School
When pursuing a career as a truck driver, you want to make sure you have proper theoretical and practical knowledge, not just to be better at your future job, but to also be a more desirable candidate for one of the more prominent truck companies. Completing your training at a well-known, respected training facility can greatly help your case.
With 11 locations throughout the United States, including San Antonio, Tampa, Orlando, Cleveland, and Memphis, Roadmaster Truck Driving School is one of the leading CDL training schools in the country. All of these locations have different facilities with different training options. For example, the Tampa location has a simulator training lab, while the Ohio location offers Class B CDL Training.
Let’s see why Roadmaster could be a good place to complete your training and kick start your new career.
Practical Approach
One of the things Roadmaster is known for is their hands-on approach. They take pride in their combination of CDL classes and behind-the-wheel time, giving every student advanced tips and detailed practical advice. Their practical training includes the following:
- Truck driver training both in their training facilities and on the road. You can choose between a manual and an automatic transmission truck, or both
- Backing, turning and hooking/unhooking a 53-ft. trailer (an industry standard)
- Map reading, trip planning, and a strong insight into Department of Transportation laws
- Detection of possible mechanical problems, as well as preventive maintenance of tractor-trailer vehicles
- Advanced driving techniques like truck recovery or skid avoidance
- Driving in emergency situations – hydroplaning and break away trailer
As you can see, these are some skills you’ll need in the real world, in addition to knowledge about rules of the road, traffic laws, and industry-specific information.
Locations
Roadmaster has 11 locations across the United States.
- Atlanta, GA – located in Lithia Springs in Douglas County
- Fontana, CA – approximately 50 miles east of LA, close to the Auto Club Speedway if you’re a NASCAR fan
- Jacksonville, FL – located around 8 miles west from downtown Jacksonville. Beautiful beaches and historic St. Augustine sites are definitely a plus
- Orlando, FL – Eight miles north from downtown Orlando. After classes you can visit Disneyworld or watch the Orlando Magic
- Tampa, FL – located on the Florida State Fairgrounds. The school has a 27-acre training facility, as well as a simulator training lab which simulates road-like conditions and helps you get used to the wheels
- Dunn, NC – around 15 minutes south of downtown Raleigh. When you’re not in classes, you can enjoy North Carolina’s beautiful weather and local festivals
- Cleveland, OH – located between Interstate 271 and Interstate 77. This school offers an 80-hour Class B CDL training, if you’re interested in driving smaller vehicles like school buses or delivery trucks
- Columbus, OH – just west of downtown Columbus. Like the Cleveland location, the Columbus school also offers Class B CDL training
- Bethlehem, PA – five miles northeast of downtown Bethlehem. The landscape of this area makes it a perfect practice facility for city and mountain driving
- Memphis, TN – located in Millington, 10 minutes north of downtown Memphis. Authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission as a postsecondary educational institution
- San Antonio, TX – approximately 10 miles east from downtown San Antonio. After classes, you can enjoy the rich Texas cuisine and watch the San Antonio Spurs
Tuition and Financing
The Roadmaster Truck Driving School offers financial aid to applicants who qualify. Other than that, you can often get tuition reimbursements from on-site truck company representatives looking for new employees. Some of these companies are willing to provide prospective employees with up to 100% tuition reimbursement.
The amount of the reimbursement varies from company to company, but they all break it down over several monthly payments. The carrier usually deducts the payment directly from your check, so you don’t have to make any payments or carry around payment slips.
Opportunities for Veterans
As many truck driving schools, Roadmaster does its best to provide veterans with training opportunities. The school is approved for veterans’ training and you’re eligible for post-9/11 GI benefits if you qualify. If you’ve had a lot of practical experience operating similar vehicles in the military, you may be eligible for a veteran CDL skills test waiver. This can enable you to skip the skill tests that all civilians have to pass before getting a Class A CDL.
To obtain a veteran CDL skills test waiver, you have to prove:
- Your safe driving experience
- That you haven’t held more than one driver’s license in the past two years (military driver’s license excluded)
- You haven’t had your DL suspended, revoked, or canceled
- You haven’t had any convictions in any motor vehicles
However, even if you do get this waiver, we recommend taking the classes, as you may be unfamiliar with standard transmissions. Use the waiver only to skip the testing you don’t need, but attend the training so you can learn to drive in accordance with industry requirements.
Employment Opportunities
From your first day at Roadmaster Truck Driving School, you will work with their job placement department. They let you choose between some of the carriers they work with and teach you how to fill out job applications so that you’re more likely to get hired by some of the big names.
It’s not unusual for a student to get hired even before completing their training. If you stand out during training, chances are some of the carriers will notice you and respond to your application with a job offer. No one wants to miss out on a good driver, so you can easily end up with the next step in your career already planned out during your second week at Roadmaster.
Post-graduation Training
After you complete your course and get your Class A GDL, you will spend a few hundred hours training on-site with a carrier of your choice. During this training, you will teach from a certified, experienced company trainer and receive a training salary. Once you’re finished, you become a professional truck driver.
You can choose from several big names to work with, including Werner Enterprises, Covenant Transport, and U.S. Xpress.
Additional Information
Here is some more information to help you decide if Roadster is the right choice for you:
Weekend classes
Finding the time for truck driving classes can be hard if you’re trying to hold down to a full-time job. That’s why Roadster provides weekend classes on all locations. The time of the classes can vary by location but is usually between 7am and 6pm.
Refresher course
If you want to sharpen your skills or you need help passing your CDL exam, you can sign up for a refresher course. These are available in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Dunn, and Fontana facilities.
State CDL requirements
Each state has its own CDL requirements, so take these into consideration when choosing which facility you want to complete your training in.
Conclusion
Training at a school that is well-connected and has plenty of big-name employers on site can be a great way to start your truck driving career and get a stable, well-paid job. This is exactly one of the main selling points of Roadmaster Truck Driving School.
If you like Roadmaster’s strong focus on practical knowledge and driving skills, you can fill in their application form in a couple of seconds. Good luck!