Becoming a truck driver gives a lot of benefits than you would think. Aside from being able to earn at least $64,000 a year, you also get great benefits.
But it’s not just the financial stability it gives that makes it a job to consider. Becoming a truck driver is also relatively easy.
All you need is a CDL and a four-week truck driving training.
Sounds doable, right?
To help you get started, we made a list of the places where you can get training in Mesa, AZ.
At the end of this post, you’ll have a lot of places to choose from so you can start your driving journey and hit the road.
Best Trucking Schools in Mesa, AZ (Private)
What does a private trucking school mean?
A private trucking school is a type of trucking school that requires you to pay for the training fees from your pocket. It’s a third-party company that has its vehicles and training facilities and is usually not under any trucking service company.
Think of it as a regular driving school, but for trucks.
The other type of trucking school is what’s called a free company-sponsored trucking school. It’s company-sponsored which usually means that the trucking company sponsors your training.
This is also why it’s called “free”.
But like any other type of employment, these training sessions will require you to work with the company where they will get a portion of your salary to repay the investment they made in you.
Don’t worry, though, if you stay for more than a year, those deductions are often returned to you.
1. Roadmaster Drivers School
2350 S. 48th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85043
While Roadmaster Drivers School isn’t in Mesa, it’s a great trucking driving school to consider that’s near the city.
Roadmaster Drivers School has been training aspiring commercial drivers for 3 decades – that’s at least 160,000 drivers! Needless to say, they’re a company whom you can trust to be experts in the field.
Their Class A CDL Training is their primary offer where you will learn a mix of hands-on training and classroom instruction. You will also be able to practice on a 53-foot trailer for advanced driving techniques.
Roadmaster Drivers School has a huge facility, so there’s a lot of room to practice in.
Other than the hands-on experience, this trucking school also has these benefits:
- Emergency training for skids and other accident situations
- Intense preparation for the CDL exams
- Financial assistance through their own financing or trucking partners
If you need social proof to convince you of how effective this trucking school is, take a look at its Google and Indeed reviews.
Want to enroll at Roadmaster Drivers School? You may apply online here or call them at (602) 233-1898.
2. Southwest Truck Driver Training
2323 S 51st Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85043
Another Phoenix trucking school is Southwest Truck Driver Training. This trucking school, although not found in Mesa, is just a city away and has one of the newest facilities you’ll see.
Opened a few years ago, Southwest Truck Driver Training offers a four-week CDL training to help you kickstart your career. They offer Class A, Class B, school bus, or RV training.
Whatever training you choose, you’ll have equal instruction in the classroom and on the field. You’ll be allowed to learn from trailers and trucks and use the most advanced digital tools.
Even if Southwest Truck Driver Training feels like they’re newbies, there are a few things that make them stand out from the competition:
- Option to have one-on-one training
- Military and experienced trainers on tanks, oversized loads, and temperature units
- Holds an orientation to the office for those who are recruiting truck drivers
We were expecting them to have few reviews but based on Yelp, Glassdoor, and Indeed, they’re anything but newbies.
You can contact them at (833) 464-0743 or you can inquire on their website.
3. Phoenix Truck Driving Institute
2621 S 51st Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85043
If there’s one trucking school that gives you the flexibility to complete your CDL training, that would be Phoenix Truck Driving Institute.
This trucking school has been around for at least a decade and offers night, weekend, and weekday classes. They also have an accelerated CDL training that is only for four weeks.
During the start of classes, you’ll be spending more time in the classroom understanding concepts and techniques. However, it won’t be long before you get hands-on experience with former truck drivers.
We’ve already mentioned flexibility, but here are a few things why Phoenix Truck Driving Insitute is a great choice:
- Be trained using in manual transmission trucks so you don’t have any restrictions on your license
- Get help with funding your training
- Retired or retiring military can be instructors
You can check out the reviews of past students at Indeed and Yelp, but if you’re ready to enroll, you can apply on their website or contact (877) 205-5372.
Additional Trucking Schools in Mesa City
We’ve mentioned our top three choices, but if you need more options, here are other trucking schools near the city that you might want to check out.
1313 N. 25th Ave. Phoenix, Arizona 85009
(602) 278-9159
9005 N 29th Ave Suite 8, Phoenix, AZ 85051
480 210-7757
6251 S. Wilmot Road Tucson, AZ 85756
877 205-2141
Free Company Sponsored Truck Driving Schools
Private trucking schools are usually the first choice if you want to have the flexibility to pick the trucking company you want to work on.
However, it can be expensive and it might not be the most practical option if your priority is to get a job right away and reduce your fees.
With that said, here are our recommendations for company-sponsored trucking schools.
Schneider – Easily comes to mind because its training center is only in Phoenix. Schneider is a reputable company that has a prestigious trucking training program. Their program lasts 5-6 weeks and your lodging, meals, and transportation to the training facility are covered. Once you finish this program, you are oriented and automatically hired as a Schneider driver.
Roehl – Another Phoenix paid CDL training is in Roehl. Here, you are hired when you pass their application. The training comes after the hiring process so it’s more of you being paid to learn how to become a truck driver.
Knight Transportation – Knight Transportation hires those even with no experience but has a license that has been active for a year. At this company-sponsored training, you are trained mostly on hands-on skills and will have a minimum of 80 hours of trucking education.
Stevens Transport – Located in Glendale, Stevens Transport has a very generous benefits package for those who will be paid to learn. You will have over 240 hours of hands-on training and will be given benefits such as paid vacation leaves, insurance, lodging, and career opportunities.
Conclusion
Depending on your preference and your priorities, you can choose between a private trucking school and a company-sponsored trucking training. There are pros and cons to either, but it’s up to you to decide which is a better fit.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any trucking schools in Mesa, so you have to go to the nearby cities to train.
Nonetheless, the whole training takes more or less a month, so it’s not a difficult process!