Want to get into trucking? Well, I’ve got some awesome news for you:
ANYONE can pursue trucking.
You don’t need some fancy 4-year degree to get into the industry. All you need is some training and a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License).
But here’s the big question:
What are the best trucking schools in Philadelphia, PA?
Because while any trucking school can get you a CDL, the experience is completely different if you go for a good school vs. an unknown, shabby school.
That’s why today, we’re going to go over the best trucking schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so that you can be sure you’ll get a good experience getting into the trucking world.
Let’s dive in!
Best Trucking Schools in Philadelphia, PA (Private)
While many large truck driving companies offer free CDL training, many people prefer to sign up for a private, locally owned truck driving school. After you complete truck driving school, you will have many entry-level trucking companies to apply to.
The vast majority of these truck driving companies will reimburse you for your training over the first year or two of employment, so in the end, your training will still be paid for. The only difference is you’ll need to pay for your schooling upfront.
Below we have listed some of the best truck driving schools in Philadelphia.
1. Global CDL School
(1) 9430 State Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114
(2) 8501 Hegerman St, Philadelphia, PA 19136
Global CDL Driver Training School is one of the more popular truck driving schools in Philadelphia. This is a smaller, locally owned truck driving school. The course is 170 hours in total which includes classroom instruction.
You will begin your training in their small classroom at their State Road facility. In the classroom, you’ll have access to computer-based video learning as well as instructor lead lectures from experienced truck drivers and trainers.
Once you’ve completed the classroom training, you’ll then head 2 miles down the road to their Hegerman St. location where they have a 10-acre training lot. In addition, you will receive real-world behind-the-wheel training on public roadways with a certified CDL driving instructor.
Here are some of the things that set Global CDL Driver Training School apart from its competition:
- The student to instructor ratio is 1:1, so you will get very personalized training.
- The skills test can be taken at their in-house testing facility.
- Classes begin on the first Monday of each month.
- Financing options are available.
Global CDL Driver Training School receives excellent reviews, including 5-star reviews on Google Reviews, Indeed, and Yelp.
If you like the idea of personalized instruction from a CDL school that has positive reviews from former students, check out the Global CDL School’s website.
Contact: 215-995-3031 / Email: info@globalcdlschool.com
2. Smith & Solomon Commercial Driver Training
4201 Tacony Street, Philadelphia, PA 19137
If you would rather go with a large industry leader in the CDL training industry, Smith & Solomon Commercial Driver Training may be a better option for you. Smith & Solomon is a larger corporate-owned truck driving school that operates throughout the country and they have a location right here in Philadelphia.
This is a 160-hour course, so it is a bit shorter than Global CDL Driver Training School, but the basics are the same. You will spend the first-week training in a classroom so that you can pass your permit exam. Then, you will spend the remainder of your time in their training lot or on public roadways receiving instruction from certified CDL instructors.
Here are some things that set Smith & Solomon apart from their competition:
- Very experienced with over 50,000 truck drivers successfully trained.
- Higher quality equipment than most other truck driving schools.
- Advanced job placement & partnerships with truck driving companies for easier employment after graduation.
- Free supplemental training to help you prepare for the real world.
You can check out some of their overwhelmingly positive reviews from former truck driving students on Google Reviews here.
Contact: +1-800-622-0355 / Submission Slip
3. Start CDL
9300 Ashton Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19114
Start CDL is another great option if you want to go with a locally owned CDL School. Even though this is operated by a small business, they have trained over 6,000 students since 2015.
As with the first two options, this course will be approximately 160 hours of total training, starting in a classroom setting then moving onto their training yard and public roadways. You will learn to drive both manual as well as automatic transmission trucks so you’ll be prepared to drive any truck once you get hired on with a trucking company.
Here are some things that set Start CDL apart from its competition:
- 100% guaranteed employment after graduation.
- Online course options are available.
- High-quality equipment with both automatic and manual transmissions.
- Flexible course schedules.
As with the other options listed above, Start CDL receives overwhelmingly positive reviews from former truck driving students.
Contact: +1-844-227-2162 / Email: info@cdlstart.com
Additional Truck Driving Schools In Philadelphia, PA
While we believe the above truck driving schools in Philadelphia are the best, here are a few additional options you can also consider:
442 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19125
+1-267-324-5957
7930 State Rd, Philadelphia, PA, 19136
+1-215-391-8262
K.V. Express CDL Training & School
6801 New State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19135
+1-267-632-3653
Free Company Sponsored Truck Driving Schools
In order to take one of the above truck driving schools in Philadelphia, you’ll either need to have the money upfront or secure financing options. If you don’t like those options, there are ways you can get your CDL training for free.
While not based in Philadelphia, many large truck driving companies will pay for your transportation and housing to their own training facilities and provide you CDL training at no upfront cost to you. Here are some of the best free truck driving schools you can consider:
TMC – If you desire to drive a flatbed truck, TMC will pay for your CDL training. They will pay for your transportation to either their Des Moines, IA or Columbia, SC training facilities, then give you immediate employment after graduation.
Pam Transport – If you prefer to drive a dry van truck, Pam Transport offers a free CDL training program. In addition, they may be willing to work with local truck driving schools in Philadelphia where they will pay for all of your training and give you an immediate job offer upon graduation.
Swift Transportation – Swift is the largest trucking company in the country and offers the “Swift Academy” for those seeking free CDL training. This is a great option for those who want to go with a large carrier that offers many different career paths including OTR, local, flatbed, dry van, reefer, dedicated, and regional positions upon graduation.
Prime Inc. – Prime, Inc. is a very well-regarded OTR trucking company that primarily operates refrigerated, tanker, and flatbed trucks. This CDL program is unique in that it offers a 1:1 student/instructor ratio and most training is done in real-world conditions actually making deliveries with your instructor.
Roehl – This is considered one of the best trucking companies to begin your truck driving career, and they operate their own academy. They have multiple CDL training locations around the country and will pay for all costs including the cost of transportation and housing as you go through their truck driving school.
Knight Transportation – As one of the largest truck driving companies in the country, Knight has many different training locations. While none are located in Philadelphia, they will pay for all costs to attend one of their on-site training facilities and even pay you while you obtain your CDL.
Stevens Transport – While Stevens Transport operates their own CDL training facility in Dallas, Texas, they also work with many other truck driving schools around the country and may be willing to cover any truck driving school costs for you upfront. So, you might be able to attend a local truck driving school at no cost with guaranteed employment upon graduation.
Conclusion
So there you have it! Whether you decide to sign up for a truck driving school in Philadelphia, PA or attend a free company-sponsored truck driving school through a major carrier, you have plenty of options available to start your truck driving career. Now it’s time for you to take action and get trucking!