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Free CDL training finder
How to get your CDL for free or cheap, state by state
A Class A CDL can lead to a $60,000 to $120,000 job, but private truck schools often charge thousands. Here are the four ways drivers get training paid for, plus 159 public college programs we checked across the country.
Pick your state
Number of verified public programs on each state page.
Alabama7Alaska1Arizona3Arkansas6California1Colorado1Connecticut0Delaware0District of Columbia0Florida7Georgia5Hawaii2Idaho0Illinois1Indiana4Iowa4Kansas2Kentucky1Louisiana4Maine3Maryland5Massachusetts0Michigan4Minnesota4Mississippi4Missouri2Montana0Nebraska6Nevada2New Hampshire4New Jersey1New Mexico3New York1North Carolina2North Dakota3Ohio4Oklahoma4Oregon4Pennsylvania4Rhode Island0South Carolina5South Dakota4Tennessee5Texas5Utah6Vermont4Virginia7Washington2West Virginia3Wisconsin6Wyoming3Puerto Rico0
Four ways to get CDL training paid for
| Option | Cost to you | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Company-paid training (Prime, CRST, Roehl, Swift, C.R. England and others) | $0 upfront, often paid while training | Work commitment, usually 6 to 12 months. Leave early and you may owe $3,000 to $8,000. |
| WIOA grant through an American Job Center | Often $0 if you qualify | You must qualify and pick a school on your state’s approved list. Apply before you enroll. |
| Community or technical college | Usually less than private truck schools | Classes fill up; some have waiting lists or set start dates. |
| Paid Class B training (school bus, transit, some beverage and waste routes) | $0, and you’re paid while you train | You work for that employer, often part-time at first. |
Veterans can also use GI Bill benefits for truck driving school at approved programs.
Trucking companies that train new drivers
Swift TransportationCompany CDL training available (work commitment required) · Nationwide; terminals in most statesSchneider NationalTuition reimbursement for CDL school · Nationwide (HQ Green Bay, WI)Prime Inc.CDL training paid back through a work commitment · Nationwide (HQ Springfield, MO)Werner EnterprisesPartners with CDL schools · Nationwide (HQ Omaha, NE)J.B. HuntDriver academy in some areas · Nationwide (HQ Lowell, AR)Roehl TransportPaid CDL training with commitment · Midwest, Southeast, Northeast (HQ Marshfield, WI)Old Dominion Freight Line$0 · Nationwide service centers (HQ Thomasville, NC)Estes Express Lines$0; school available to employees · Nationwide (HQ Richmond, VA)FedEx Freight$0 · NationwideSaia$0 · Nationwide, growing fast (HQ Johns Creek, GA)Stevens TransportSponsored training with commitment · Nationwide (HQ Dallas, TX)TMC Transportation$0 · Nationwide (HQ Des Moines, IA)C.R. EnglandCDL school cost repaid through employment · Nationwide (HQ Salt Lake City, UT)CRSTTraining ($3,000–$7,000) paid by CRST with a 6–12 month commitment · Nationwide (HQ Cedar Rapids, IA)Averitt Express$0; paid training · Southeast and South Central (HQ Cookeville, TN)Maverick Transportation$0; paid orientation · Nationwide (HQ North Little Rock, AR)XPO$0; earn-while-you-learn school · NationwideABF Freight (ArcBest)$0 · Nationwide (HQ Fort Smith, AR)
Local jobs that pay for your CDL
Foodservice Delivery$0 · NationwideBeverage Route Driver$0 · NationwideSchool Bus Driver$0; training usually paid · Every school districtCity Transit Bus Operator$0; paid training · Cities with public transitZūm$0; CDL training usually paid · School districts in CA, WA, IL, TX, NE and other states
The steps to a CDL
- Get a DOT medical card from a certified medical examiner.
- Pass the written tests for your commercial learner’s permit (CLP) using your state’s CDL manual.
- Finish Entry-Level Driver Training with a school on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.
- Pass the skills test: pre-trip inspection, basic control and road test.
- Start driving. Compare first-year pay, home time and safety records in our company profiles and trucking safety rankings.
See every school on a map
Open the driver mapCDL colleges, fuel prices and freight corridors across the U.S.
We list public colleges, technical schools and career centers we checked on their own websites, plus official state links. We don’t list private truck schools. Know a public program we missed? Email askus@driveformoney.com.