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If you’re looking for a new career and are considering becoming a commercial truck driver, you’ll first need to become licensed. At Mike’s Driving School in Clayton, New Jersey, we offer training for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) that can help you prepare for your licensure exam. Here, we share more information about the essential lessons of CDL training.

What Is a CDL?

A CDL is a commercial driver’s license, which is required to drive any type of commercial vehicle, including trucks and buses. There are two main types of CDLs, including:

• Class A CDL: This license allows drivers to operate vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, including a towed vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 10,000 pounds.
• Class B CDL: This license allows drivers to operate a truck or truck/trailer with a maximum gross weight of up to 26,000 pounds, or to tow a vehicle that’s less than 10,000 pounds.

Driving a commercial motor vehicle requires specific skills, knowledge, and training since they often carry hazardous materials or other passengers. To receive a CDL, an applicant must complete detailed training to ensure they can operate the vehicle properly and safely while keeping other drivers out of harm’s way.

What Do You Learn in CDL Training?

Aspiring CDL drivers need to be alert, reliable, patient, and dedicated to operating their vehicles safely. CDL training helps provide the lessons and takeaways that they need to succeed on their exam and on the road. CDL training programs vary from state to state and school to school, but they generally involve both in-classroom instruction and on-road driving practice. Some of the common lessons include:

• Road safety tips, including obeying speed limits and traffic signs, switching lanes safely, braking early, etc.
• Inspecting commercial vehicles before and after trips, including checking the lights, engine, brakes, etc.
• Maneuvering commercial vehicles, including parallel parking, backing up, turning, shifting
• Defensive driving tips and how to drive safely around other vehicles
• Coupling and uncoupling trailers
• Logging hours and trips

These skills are some of the most essential that commercial truck drivers need to know so they can pass their licensure exams and start driving a commercial vehicle safely.

What Does CDL Training Involve at Mike’s Driving School?

At Mike’s Driving School, we offer comprehensive CDL training programs for both Class A and Class B licenses at our location in Clayton, NJ. Our qualified instructors help students learn in the classroom, in our tractor-trailer training yard, and on the road. Our CDL training courses include topics like:

• CDL general knowledge
• Defensive driving
• Air brakes
• Pre-trip and post-trip procedures
• Parallel parking
• Combination vehicles
• Shifting and turning
• Forklift operations
• Hours of service rules for logbooks and eLogs
• Yard and road skills
• Driving with passengers
• Driving on rural roads, city roads, and highways

Students get thorough lesson plans for all courses and a copy of the CDL manual. Our instruction prepares students to pass the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) CDL written test and skills test. Certain courses also offer the opportunity to earn an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) forklift certification.

Explore Your CDL Training Options at Mike’s Driving School Today

If you’re ready to learn the essentials of CDL training and start working toward your commercial driver’s license, look no further than Mike’s Driving School. Based in Clayton, NJ, Mike’s Driving School is a family-run business that has been training safe and competent drivers since 1993. Our professional and knowledgeable instructors are here to help you get started. To learn more about our requirements or enrollment, contact us today.