Why You Shouldn’t Go to Online Truck Driving School

If you’re considering going to truck driving school and wondering if you can do it virtually, we’re here to tell you to think twice about online truck driving school. While you can attend online truck driving school, you shouldn’t. Trucking is a very hands-on profession, and you simply cannot get the experience you need without getting behind the wheel.

With the pandemic being virtual was a must. It was safer and more convenient for many to work from home. However, important industries, like the trucking industry, did not have that same luxury. Truck driving requires hands-on experience. Learning how to drive and operate heavy equipment such as an 18-wheeler is simply not feasible. To learn more about online truck driving school and why it pales in comparison to the real deal, keep reading.

How Does Online Truck Driving School Work?

Learning how to drive a semi-truck and operate heavy machinery is all about getting behind the wheel and honing your driving skills. So how does online truck driving school work?

Short Videos

Most online truck driving schools train their prospective drivers using short video segments. In lieu of engaging, in-person instruction, these videos are supposed to teach students not only how to operate a truck, but also how to deal with obstacles and other roadblocks. With curriculum options for a wide variety of career paths, these videos can be tailored to school bus training, semi-truck training, or anything in-between. But while these videos may help expedite the training process, faster is not always better, especially when it comes to heavy machinery.

Interactive Test Questions

Many online truck driving school programs also use interactive test questions in an effort to engage their students. It’s notoriously difficult to keep students engaged when all of the learning occurs in front of a screen, and these interactive exams are one of the ways that online truck driving schools try to address this deficit. These interactive test questions are often pulled directly from CDL exams, helping students to ace their test (though they might not have the motor skills necessary to safely operate a truck).

Why is Online Truck Driving School Less Effective?

Speed Over Quality

Many online truck driving school programs boast that drivers can finish their training in less than 24 hours. While this may sound speedy and convenient, this expedited process can be risky. A good trucking school curriculum values quality over speed (or quantity), working to shape students into safe and responsible drivers. And while an online truck driving school may help you to get your CDL faster, they won’t be invested in your career.

Half-Baked Education

By covering only the information you need to pass your exam and not how to deal with all manner of accidents, engage with other motorists on the road, or take good care of your truck, online truck driving school gives you a half-baked education. But at Truck Driver Institue, we go into the minutiae of each subject, ensuring that you are equipped to not only pass your exam, but to succeed in the workforce. 

On-the-Road Training Is Not Always Included

While an online truck driving school course can help you get your commercial drivers licenese, the benefits stop there. Online truck driving school does not require you to complete any permit training within their program, meaning that you don’t get any time behind the wheel of a real semi-truck unless you go to an in-person trucking school at the same time. While this may make things easier on the front-end, this expediency breeds irresponsible and under-qualified drivers. These programs are interested primarily in making money, not in training capable truck drivers. Though online truck driving school seems like a cheaper option, you’ll have to go to an in-person truck driving school or certified training program in order to prepare for the skills portion of the exam. So why not just go to a real truck driving school in the first place rather than splitting time between the computer and the truck cab?

No Job Placement Assistance

While in-person truck driving schools like TDI build relationships with a wide variety of partner carriers, helping you to secure a job right out of school, online truck driving schools are not as invested in your long-term career goals. Online schools do not have the student support infrastructure necessary to help you meet your career goals in a one-on-one setting. TDI, however, has an admissions team dedicated to helping you succeed before and after training, connecting you with scholarship opportunities and helping you find post-CDL employment opportunites. When you complete your education with TDI, you leave with the opportunity to be employed by Schneider, Amazon, DOT Transportation, or one of our other illustrious partners.

TDI Is ELDT Certified at All Locations

ELDT stands for Entry Level Driver Training. This new federal regulation went into effect on February 7th, 2022. It created a national standard for obtaining your CDL. If you received your CDL before this you are not affected, however, when choosing a truck driving school now, you’ll want to make sure they are ELDT Certified or your new career could be at risk.

Skip Online Truck Driving School and Experience the Real Deal with Truck Driver Institute

While online truck driving school may be a good option for students with previous heavy machinery and on-the-road experience who just need to brush up on the rules and regulations, online truck driving school does not offer a holistic trucking education. Without built-in time behind the wheel, engaging in-person instruction, and comprehensive training on a wide variety of subjects, your trucking career may suffer. So while you may be able to secure a commercial driver’s license more quickly with an online truck driving school, your education will not be as thorough or reliable. And because you’re learning through a screen rather than behind the wheel or in the field, the information won’t stick as well.

But thanks to Truck Driver Institute, you don’t have to sacrifice quality or affordability, because we do both! With excellent financial aid options such as military benefits, carrier-paid tuition, student financing, and a $1,000 scholarship for self-paying students, TDI helps get you behind the wheel for a reasonable price. And with an 80% job placement rate, you can rest assured that you’ll be highly employable once you finish our program. To learn more about CDL programs and how to begin your trucking career today, connect with the experts at Truck Driver Institute!