Some of the best trucking companies in the United States are located right here in Oregon. These schools prepare you for both your written CDL test and the road demonstration section of the test by teaching you important skills like basic maneuvering, skid avoidance, emergency actions, logging, trip planning, and much more.
You can find many high quality truck driving schools in major Oregon cities like Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, and Hillsboro. Use the map below to locate a CDL school near you, then reach out to each of the programs by using the table below the map.
Choosing a good truck driving school
While the options of schools may seem overwhelming, there are a few basic guidelines that you can follow when researching schools.
Reputation
You will want to attend a truck driving school that provides excellent value for your money, and schools with a good reputation often provide great value. Truck driving schools can also help you with job placement immediately after completing their program. Many good schools will showcase their high job placement rates and good standing with trucking companies in Oregon.
Quality of equipment
Trucking companies will often use very modern tractor trailers with new features, and you will want to use equipment during training that is similar to what you will be using on the job. It’s a good idea to check student reviews online to get a sense of the quality of equipment as well as ask the school to describe the tucks that you will be using in their training yard.
Classroom size
You will want as much one-on-one time with instructors as possible to ensure that you are learning as much information as you can to help pass your CDL test. It’s difficult to gauge the quality of a school’s instructors, as they often have several and you will not know which one you end up spending the most time with. However, most schools cap their classroom size to a certain number. Asking about the typical size of their classrooms, and the maximum number that they allow will give you some insight as to how much time you will be able to interact with the school’s instructors.
Cost
The cost of truck driving schools in Oregon is approximately $3,000 – $7,000. While this is a large range, costs vary based on level of CDL certification provided, additional endorsements to your CDL license that you wish to pursue, and additional provisions provided by the school. Always ask about scholarships and grants that could be used towards their program. Truck driving schools often accept money from federal and state of Oregon grants and scholarships and may be willing to point you towards financial aid options that their students have used in the past.