There’s probably never been a better time to get into trucking! The transportation industry is desperate for drivers, and anyone with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is going to have many work opportunities. Going to an Ontario truck driving school could be a truly excellent investment and a relatively fast way to open the door to an entirely new career.
The question is, what truck driving school should you choose? There are plenty in the area, but they definitely aren’t all equal. These are the most important factors when making your decision.
Four Key Questions When Choosing an Ontario Trucking School
1 – What does it cost?
Obviously, price is a major factor, but perhaps not like you’d expect. Trucking schools are very much a ‘you get what you pay for’ proposition. In particular, cut-rate schools generally only offer limited classroom learning targeted at getting you past the CDL test, but with only the Mandatory Entry-Level training requirements. This will put you at a disadvantage when looking for jobs, especially early on.
If you choose a school that’s more expensive, you’re likely to get a much better and more-rounded education that will pay off.
2 – Where is it located?
Here’s another counter-intuitive factor: The best truck schools are almost always outside the city. Those schools have enough space to put you behind the wheel and let you get experience driving before pulling out onto busy city streets. Schools in the middle of the city tend towards being a classroom-only with minimal or shared training spaces, and again, that’s not going to give you the best trucking education.
3 – Who are their teachers and staff?
You want a truck driving school that pulls its staff directly from the industry, schools are required to do this. But have the instructors received any training to learn how to teach? Ideally, you should be taught by actual truck drivers who can speak from experience, but have also been taught how to properly convey all their experience on to you. This is also another mark of quality since drivers-turned-teachers are going to tend towards working at driving schools that will teach them to teach properly and are well regarded.
4 – Will they help you find a job?
Finally, look into what sort of services and support your Ontario trucking school provides to graduates. The cheaper ones will have minimal options. At the least, they should have some sort of job board listing opportunities. The top-tier schools will even have transportation industry contacts recruiting new drivers directly from the school.
Contact Our Ontario Truck Driving School Today
The 5th Wheel Trucking Institute is one of the top truck driving schools in Ontario, with a long history of success! Click here to learn more about us.
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