Is free CDL training really free? Read this first
By the Steady Ground team ·
You've seen the ads. "Free CDL training!" "Get paid while you learn!" It sounds great, and for some people it is. But free CDL training is rarely free. Most of the time, it's a deal with strings. Here's how it works, so you can choose with your eyes open.
How company-paid training works
A trucking company pays for your training. You don't pay tuition up front. In return, you agree to drive for that company for a set time.
If you stay the whole time, you owe nothing. If you leave early, you may have to pay some or all of it back. Sometimes right away.
A real example
Let's look at one big trucking company, Roehl. Here's what its own terms say:
- Roehl calls its training "in effect a loan."
- You must drive 120,000 solo miles. That's about 15 months.
- If you leave before that, you could owe about $7,000.
- Your first pay comes at the end of week 3. Roehl pays $616 for each full training week.
That can be a fair deal if you plan to stay. It's a bad deal if the job isn't right and you feel stuck.
Why this matters
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a federal agency that looks out for consumers. It found some trucking companies charging more than $6,000 to drivers who left. Yet those same companies paid schools only $1,400 to $2,500 for the training.
A debt like that can make it hard to leave a bad job. That's why you need to know your number before you start.
Get these 4 things in writing
Before you sign any training deal, ask for these in writing:
- How much you would owe if you leave at any time.
- Any interest added to that amount.
- How long you have to stay.
- What happens if they fire you. Would you still owe the money?
Company training or a private school?
Neither one is always better. Here's the trade-off.
- Company training: no tuition up front, but you're tied to one company.
- A private school: about $3,000 to $12,000, but you're free to work anywhere. Some companies will help pay you back for tuition after they hire you, with their own rules.
Make sure your training counts
Since 2022, your CDL training must come from a provider on a federal list. It's called the Training Provider Registry. If your school isn't on it, your training won't count toward your driving test.
Look up the exact name of the school or company yourself. Officials have removed more than 110 providers from the list. So check again right before you pay.
Watch out for lease-purchase deals
Some companies offer you a truck to "own." They pay you as a contractor, and you pay for the truck out of your earnings. A federal task force told Congress to ban these deals. It said they are often set up to help the company at the driver's cost. The trucking industry's trade group disagrees. Either way, have someone you trust read any offer before you sign.
What truck drivers really earn
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the median pay is $58,640 a year. That's about $1,130 a week, or $28.19 an hour. It counts drivers of all experience levels, so your first year will likely be lower.
Be careful with ads that promise $1,800 to $2,500 a week. Also ask how you'll be paid when the truck isn't moving. Waiting at loading docks is often unpaid or paid less.
So, is free CDL training worth it?
It can be. If you find a company you'd want to drive for anyway, and you read the terms, it can be a good way in. Just never sign something you don't understand.
Our truck driver guide has every step, from your permit to your first job. Want to stay closer to home? Look at construction work. Or take the career quiz to compare your options.
Quick answers
Is company-paid CDL training really free?
Not exactly. It's often more like a loan that's forgiven if you stay long enough. Roehl, for example, says you could owe about $7,000 if you leave before 120,000 solo miles.
What happens if I quit company-sponsored CDL training?
You may owe the training cost, sometimes right away. Ask for the exact amount in writing before you sign.
How do I know if a CDL school is real?
Look it up by its exact name on the federal Training Provider Registry. Training from a school that isn't listed won't count toward your skills test.
Where these facts come from
We checked these sources when we wrote this post. Rules and fees change, so check them before you pay for anything.