Michigan Truck Driving Schools

Becoming a truck driver in the state of Michigan is simple with the assistance of a truck driving school. There are many different organizations across Michigan that offer Class A CDL certification. Most are located around metro-Detroit, and other large cities like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Ann Arbor.

Finding a school near you is easy with the help of our chart and map. Enter your city or use our map to find a qualified training center near you.

Choosing a good truck driving school

There are two options that you get to choose between when pursuing your Class A CDL license: paid training programs and private truck driving schools. Both have their pros and cons, which we will outline below.

Paid Training Programs

Several of the large truck driving companies offer paid training programs for their new employees in which they will employ (and pay) you while you obtain your class A license. They will provide all of the classes and on the job training to help you prepare for and pass your CDL exam. These are often advertised as free truck driving schools.

Sounds pretty good right? Unfortunately there’s a bit of a catch: You are tied to the company for a set period of time. If you don’t like working for the company, you can leave but you will likely owe the company quite a bit of money for the training that they provided for you. Your salary may also be substantially lower than other employees at the company for a set period time, you may not receive any benefits, no paid vacation or sick time, etc.

The terms and conditions are different between trucking companies and will constantly change, so it’s important that you get the details you need directly from the company. Be sure you fully understand everything that you will be signing up for (quite literally) before you commit to using their paid training program.

Private Truck Driving Schools

Private truck driving schools are companies that provide necessary training for a price. They offer training for a wide range CDL license types, which makes sense if you are seeking a specific license class or endorsement. There is an upfront cost, but you are rarely required to pay everything up front. You may need to pay the first 20% to start classes and then create a payment plan to cover the remaining balance. Classes are typically flexible, so you can either keep your current job and train at a slower rate or quickly take classes to obtain your license as soon as possible.

Some private truck driving schools have great connections with employers across Michigan and beyond, while others do not. Be sure to ask about their job placement rates and where specifically many of their students end up working.

Because you will not owe anything to your future employer, you will likely earn a higher salary and have the freedom to find a different employer compared to going the paid training program route. This is where the upfront costs of paying for a private truck driving school may balance out when you make a higher income over a longer period of time. When the demand for truck drivers is strong and it is easy to get multiple job offers, there is an advantage to paying the upfront cost of using a private truck driving school to find a job that offers the best salary or fits well with your lifestyle.

Price of Truck Driving Schools

Michigan Truck driving schools cost anywhere from $2,000 – $10,000. Prices vary based on a number of factors:

• Type of certification provided. For example, Class A CDL training takes longer than Class B
• Amenities provided. Some schools offer food and lodging as a part of their tuition while others do not
• Amount of time spent in classes and one-on-one training.
• Difference in facilities and training equipment offered

When choosing the right truck driving school for you, it’s important to keep all of these factors in mind. While cost is important, it’s also important to make sure that you are choosing a school that provides good value for the money spent.

CDL Category Practice Tests

• General Knowledge Test
• Combination Vehicles Test
• Passenger Vehicles Test
• Pre-Trip Inspections Test
• Double-Triple Trailers Test
• CDL School Bus Test
• CDL Air Brakes Test
• Hazardous Materials Test
• CDL Tanker Vehicles Test