The great state of Kentucky is home to several of the largest trucking employers in the United States, which provide its residents with a great opportunity towards pursuing a career in trucking. Obtaining your CDL license can lead to a higher paying job and a promising career with multiple job options.
You will find many truck driving schools in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and other major cities across Kentucky. Their training programs take as little as one month and you may also be able to keep your current job while pursuing your Class A CDL license.
We have listed out the best truck driving schools in Kentucky in our map below. You can reach out to each school by phone using the table provided below the map.
| Name | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland Community and Technical College CDL TRAINING SCHOOL, INC | 4700 Roberts Dr, Ashland, KY 41102 | 606-326-2072 |
| Ashland Community and Technical College | 1400 College Drive, Ashland, KY 41101 | 606-326-2000 |
| Ashland Community Technical | 1897 Oakview Rd, Ashland, KY 41101 | 606-326-0565 |
| Eagle Transport Ashland | 12424 Kevin Ave, Ashland, KY 41102 | 606-929-5521 |
| International Truck Driving School | 421 Greenwood Ln, Bowling Green, KY 42104 | 888-780-5539 |
| Western Kentucky University | 1906 College Heights Boulevard, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101 | 270-745-0111 |
| BiH Express | 111 Kelly Ct, Bowling Green, KY 42101 | 270-782-3999 |
| Wipeout Logistics Llc | 1228 Ashley Cir, Bowling Green, KY 42104 | |
| Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College | 1845 Loop Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101 | 270-901-1000 |
| Merdzic Transportation Services Inc. | 3100 Industrial Dr, Bowling Green, KY 42101 | 270-205-4555 |
| Lake Cumberland CDL School | 3410-3698 New Columbia Rd, Campbellsville, KY 42718 | 877-308-9638 |
| LCD Training | 3644 New Columbia Rd, Campbellsville, KY 42718 | |
| Lake Cumberland CDL Training School | 4284 Campbellsville Rd, Columbia, KY 42728 | 270-866-5717 |
| Adair Co Technology Center | 302 General John Adair Dr, Columbia, KY 42728 | 270-384-3679 |
| Gateway Community & Technical College | 516 Madison Ave, Covington, KY 41011 | 855-346-4282 |
| Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College | 700 College Rd, Cumberland, KY 40823 | 606-589-2145 |
| MYC Licking Valley Campus | 305 Webster Ave, Cynthiana, KY 41031 | 855-469-6282 |
| Maysville Community & Technical College | Licking Valley Campus | 319 Webster Ave, Cynthiana, KY 41031 | 855-469-6282 |
| BGB Trucking, Inc. | 50 Industrial Park Rd, Eddyville, KY 42038 | 270-388-4440 |
| Gateway Community & Technical College Edgewood Campus | 790 Thomas More Pkwy, Edgewood, KY 41017 | 859-441-4500 |
| CDL Training Services & Consltng | 210 Steel Dr, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 | 270-234-0431 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | 600 College Street Rd, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 | 270-769-2371 |
| CDL Training Services & Consltng | 311 Cardin St, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 | 270-234-0431 |
| Rockit Trucking Inc | 800 S Park Rd, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 | 270-737-2825 |
| Gateway Community & Technical College, Boone Campus | 500 Technology Way, Florence, KY 41042 | 859-441-4500 |
| ProDrivers | 73 Cavalier Blvd Suite 213, Florence, KY 41042 | 859-283-2701 |
| Gateway Community & Technical College, Transportation Technology Center | 1051 Dudley Rd, Fort Wright, KY 41017 | 859-441-4500 |
| Federal Motor Carrier Safety | 330 W Broadway St # 264, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-223-6779 |
| Lake Cumberland CDL Training School, Inc. | 164 Ball Park Rd, Harlan, KY 40831 | 877-308-9638 |
| Hazard Community and Technical College | 1 Community College Dr, Hazard, KY 41701 | 606-436-5721 |
| Mothers Against Drunk Driving | 6290 Marlyn Dr, Henderson, KY 42420 | 270-827-2672 |
| Hopkinsville Community College | 720 North Dr, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 | 270-707-3700 |
| Safe Way Auto Transport, LLC | 501 Lake Shore Dr, Kuttawa, KY 42055 | 866-800-7928 |
| Anderson County School Bus | 202 E Woodford St, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342 | 502-839-2507 |
| First Class Services Inc | 9355 US-60, Lewisport, KY 42351 | 270-295-3746 |
| 160 Driving Academy of Lexington | 109 W Loudon Ave, Lexington, KY 40508 | 859-333-4321 |
| Central Transport | 633 Bizzell Dr, Lexington, KY 40510 | 586-467-1900 |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY 40506 | 859-257-9000 |
| Sayre School | 194 N Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507 | 859-254-1361 |
| Bluegrass Community & Technical College | 470 Cooper Dr, Lexington, KY 40506 | 859-246-6200 |
| My School | 690 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40508 | 859-246-6200 |
| American Class Auto Transport | 3347 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington, KY 40502 | 859-237-7370 |
| Old Dominion Freight Line | 427 Transport Ct, Lexington, KY 40511 | 859-281-1309 |
| XPO Logistics | 1753 Jaggie Fox Way, Lexington, KY 40511 | 859-255-7162 |
| Dayton Freight - Lexington | 2451 Leestown Rd, Lexington, KY 40511 | 859-286-3171 |
| Saia LTL Freight | 1003 Whipple Ct, Lexington, KY 40511 | 859-253-0108 |
| Landstar | 5751 Briar Hill Rd, Lexington, KY 40516 | 859-309-2670 |
| Miller Transportation Inc | 325 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507 | 859-255-2707 |
| Federated Transportation Services of the Bluegrass, Inc. | 1713 Jaggie Fox Way, Lexington, KY 40511 | 859-233-0066 |
| Cobb Trucking Co Llc | 442 Cross Country Rd, London, KY 40741 | 606-401-5923 |
| 160 Driving Academy | 8667 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40219 | 502-330-9113 |
| PAM Transport | 4500 Mason Dixon Ln, Louisville, KY 40213 | 800-879-7261 |
| DOT and Safety Consultants | 2400 Cherian Dr, Louisville, KY 40299 | 502-639-2001 |
| Divine Care | 2500 W Broadway, Louisville, KY 40211 | 502-384-3218 |
| ProDrivers | 300 High Rise Dr #101, Louisville, KY 40213 | 502-438-9951 |
| Dayton Freight- Louisville | 4001 Ralph Ave, Louisville, KY 40211 | 502-449-4402 |
| Landstar | 4050 Westport Rd # 204, Louisville, KY 40207 | 502-896-0072 |
| Saia LTL Freight | 3600 Bells Ln, Louisville, KY 40211 | 502-776-4513 |
| J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. | 1901 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219 | 800-452-4868 |
| All Star Trucking | 4619 Astor Rd, Louisville, KY 40218 | 502-500-0604 |
| FedEx Ground | 12900 Plantside Dr, Louisville, KY 40299 | 800-463-3339 |
| Maysville Community & Technical College | 1755 U.S. 68 Business, Maysville, KY 41056 | 855-469-6282 |
| Delta Truck Driving Academy | 50 Fairground Dr, Mt Sterling, KY 40353 | 859-498-9988 |
| Lake Cumberland Cdl Acadamy | Mt Sterling, KY 40353 | 877-308-9638 |
| Paschall Truck Lines Inc | 3443 US-641, Murray, KY 42071 | 800-626-3374 |
| PTL Rentals | 2126 Industrial Park Rd, Murray, KY 42071 | 270-753-7282 |
| Glen Di Inc | 91 Spruce St, Murray, KY 42071 | 270-759-5540 |
| Olive Hill Trucking Inc | 1040 W US. Hwy 60, Olive Hill, KY 41164 | 606-286-8172 |
| Kentucky Career Center | 3108 Fairview Dr, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 270-687-7297 |
| Owensboro Community & Technical College | 4800 New Hartford Rd, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 270-686-4400 |
| First Class Services Inc | 1201 Alsop Ln, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 270-295-3746 |
| Stellar Express Inc | 1117 Ewing Rd, Owensboro, KY 42301 | 270-689-0007 |
| Riverside Transport Inc. | 1700 Ragu Dr, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 913-233-5500 |
| Franey Trucking LLC | 6057 KY-2830, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 270-691-1025 |
| Asmark Institute Ford B. West Center For Responsible Agriculture | 1911 Old Calhoun Rd, Owensboro, KY 42301 | 270-926-4600 |
| Emergency Management Agency | 212 St Ann St #205, Owensboro, KY 42303 | 270-685-8448 |
| American Red Cross | 416 W 3rd St, Owensboro, KY 42301 | 270-683-2438 |
| Peoplemark (Allied Universal Staffing Services) | 5000 Back Square Dr # 2B, Owensboro, KY 42301 | 270-685-0885 |
| CDL Training Services & Consulting, Inc | 1927 Irvin Cobb Dr #2a, Paducah, KY 42003 | 270-444-8005 |
| West Kentucky Community and Technical College | 4810 Alben Barkley Dr, Paducah, KY 42001 | 270-554-9200 |
| Big Sandy Community And Technical College- Mayo Campus | 513 3rd St, Paintsville, KY 41240 | 606-789-5321 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College | 1 Bert Combs Dr, Prestonsburg, KY 41653 | 606-886-3863 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 521 Lancaster Ave, Richmond, KY 40475 | 859-622-1000 |
| Truck America Training of KY | 1800 E Blue Lick Rd, Shepherdsville, KY 40165 | 502-955-6388 |
| Usher Transport Inc | 3801 Shanks Ln, Shively, KY 40216 | 502-449-4000 |
| Somerset Community College | 808 Monticello St, Somerset, KY 42501 | 606-679-8501 |
| Somerset Community College | 1, 230 Airport Rd, Somerset, KY 42501 | 606-451-6719 |
| Hidden Creek Transportation | 595 Enterprise Dr, Somerset, KY 42501 | 606-679-1001 |
| Tim Johns Trucking | 770 Waller School Rd, Sturgis, KY 42459 | 270-333-2173 |
| Kentucky Community and Technical College System | 300 N Main St #1245, Versailles, KY 40383 | 877-528-2748 |
| Walton-Verona Independent Schools - Central Office | 16 School Rd, Walton, KY 41094 | 859-485-4181 |
| Walton-Verona Early Childhood Center | Walton, KY 41094 | 859-485-4181 |
| Taylor Trucking Inc | 80 Walnut Grove School Rd, Waynesburg, KY 40489 | 606-379-2342 |
| Bluegrass CDL Academy | 120 Beau Dr, Winchester, KY 40391 | 859-229-9070 |
| Bluegrass Community & Technical College Winchester-Clark County Campus | 2020 Rolling Hills Ln, Winchester, KY 40391 | 859-737-3098 |
| Hogan Truck Leasing & Rental: Winchester, KY | 2800 Corporate Dr, Winchester, KY 40391 | 859-737-3700 |
Tips while choosing a trucking school
Unfortunately, not all CDL schools provide the same level of training. While cost is a very important factors, you should try to select a school that provides excellent training and can help out your career once you have obtained your Class A CDL license.
Job placement
All truck driving schools will help prepare you for operating an 18 wheeler and passing your CDL test. However, a good school will provide some level of assistance with finding you a job after graduating from their program. Truck driving schools will let you pursue jobs at any trucking company around the country, but they may also have close connections with Kentucky area transportation companies. While interviewing with these schools, you should ask them where many of their students end up after completing their program, their job placement rate, and if they are well connected with any particular companies.
Training equipment
Before enrolling in a truck driving school, you will want to know what types of trucks that they have on-hand that you will be using for training purposes. You can ask questions like “how many trucks do you have available to students” and “how old are your trucks”. You will want to A. make sure that their equipment is relatively new and up to date and B. is similar to what you would be operating in your future job.
Understand that free CDL training isn’t really free
Some trucking schools offer “free” CDL training as a part of joining their company. While this option makes sense for many people, it’s important to know that there are hidden costs associated with receiving free training.
Upon joining the company, you will likely enter into an employment agreement in which you are expected to work for a set period of time for the company or meet certain expectations. For example, you may be required to work for the trucking company for a minimum of two years, take a reduced pay cut, or work undesired routes or hours as a part of the employment contract. There could also be financial penalties that would come out of your pocket if you do not fulfill your end of the bargain.
Some companies offer better “free” training programs than others, so be sure to read all of the fine print and talk with other truckers who have gone through the program before signing anything.
It’s always a good idea to research scholarship and grants that could be used towards your training program.
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority website lists out current scholarships and grants that can be applied towards various CDL programs. If you are an active or former a member of the military, there are likely many financial aid options available for you to take advantage of. Ask your program about financial aid options that have been used to pay for their tuition in the past – many schools are more than happy to help you locate these options.