CDL School Inc. Marks Five Years of Quality Truck Driver Training

CDL School Inc. started in 2020 with a simple goal: train drivers on trucks in real conditions so they can get hired quickly. Five years later, we’ve learned what actually works.

Our state-licensed facilities in Tennessee and Florida follow all FMCSA standards, and in the last five years we’ve built relationships with over 50 major trucking companies who actively recruit our graduates. Most of our students complete training in 3 to 6 weeks and start working within days of passing their CDL exam.

Here’s what we’ve figured out after five years of training professional drivers – and what it means for your career.

How Real Experience Built a School

CDL School Inc. was founded in 2020 by Shawn and Priscilla Davis. Shawn spent years as a flatbed truck driver, operations manager, and instructor at other truck driver training schools in Tennessee – he knows what actually works on the road. Priscilla started as a student driver before moving into administrative and HR roles. They built this school because they understand firsthand what new drivers need to succeed.

But the story goes deeper than credentials. “We saw a gap,” they explain. “Not in some big, corporate way… just in real life. People in Nashville wanted to become truck drivers, but the path felt confusing, expensive, or tied to contracts they didn’t fully understand. And it didn’t make sense to us. This is a city with interstates running everywhere, opportunity all around, but people still getting left out.”

They kept asking themselves: “There has to be a better way.” So they tried to build one.

“We didn’t have it all figured out,” they admit. “We didn’t have some big financial backing. We just had grit… and a strong feeling that this mattered. There were a lot of moments where we questioned ourselves. A lot of moments where this felt bigger than us. And honestly—there were times people believed in us more than we believed in ourselves. But we kept going.”

We started with one campus in Tennessee. Today, we’re also training drivers in Jacksonville, Florida. Our partnerships have grown to include Werner Enterprises, Schneider, Covenant Transport, and dozens of other carriers. This isn’t just paperwork – recruiters visit our campuses regularly, meet with students, and extend job offers. Many students receive employment offers before they even finish training.

That School Partner of the Year recognition from Covenant Transport? It happened because our graduates show up prepared. They know their equipment, they follow safety protocols, and they understand what it takes to succeed as professional drivers. Companies notice the difference, which is why they keep coming back to recruit here.

“And then… we did it again,” Shawn and Priscilla say about expanding to Florida. The same commitment to quality training. The same focus on preparation. The same results.

When you train with people who’ve actually done the job, you learn what really matters on the road.

What Actually Works for CDL Training

Class A CDL training at both locations starts multiple times throughout the year. You can begin training as soon as next Monday, whether you choose weekday, weekend, or evening programs.

Here’s how our training works:

Online Classroom Instruction: During the first week you’ll be able to learn at your own pace, focusing on passing the test for the commercial learner’s permit (CLP). These online courses prepare you with information about the pre-trip and post-trip inspections, vehicle maintenance and rules of the road.

Hands-On Practice: You’ll practice on actual Class A trucks in actual driving conditions – not simulators or videos. Our students drive on highways and local roads around Nashville and Jacksonville, building confidence in conditions they’ll actually face as professional drivers. Small class sizes mean you get significant behind-the-wheel time, not just watching someone else drive.

Direct Access to Hiring Companies: Recruiters from Covenant, Schneider, Werner, and other major carriers visit our campuses regularly. They meet with students during training, explain job opportunities, discuss pay packages, and sometimes conduct interviews on-site. Many students receive job offers before graduation.

Career Support That Continues: We help with resume writing, interview preparation, and connecting you with companies that match your goals. After you graduate, you can still reach out for job leads, application help, or connections to new opportunities.

Our Honest Approach: We can’t guarantee employment, but we do something most schools don’t – we give you direct access to companies that are actively hiring. Our job is preparing you to succeed and connecting you with opportunities. Your job is showing up ready to work.

Why Industry Standards Matter for Your Training

Shawn and Priscilla serve on the Board of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), where they work to improve training standards across the trucking industry. This isn’t just professional involvement – it’s about protecting students from schools that cut corners.

The numbers tell the story. A federal review found that nearly 44% of the country’s 16,000 truck driving programs could lose their certification for failing to meet basic training requirements. The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to remove roughly 3,000 CDL programs from the FMCSA registry, with another 4,500 on notice for potential violations.

What were these schools doing wrong? These schools:

• Falsified training records
• Ignored curriculum standards
• Used unqualified instructors
• Kept poor documentation during federal audits.

CVTA executive director Andrew Poliakoff called the USDOT crackdown a “moment of vindication” for legitimate schools. These CDL mills don’t just provide poor training – they exploit students and damage the reputation of professional driving.

Students deserve better than diploma mills. Through CVTA, we push for consistent enforcement of training standards so every new driver gets instruction that prioritizes safety. When you choose a school, you’re choosing your foundation as a professional driver.

Ready to Start Your CDL Training?

Five years taught us that quality training means preparing drivers who companies actually want to hire. Our students get job offers because they show up ready to work.

If you’re thinking about a career change, now’s the time. Our major carriers are actively hiring, and we can connect you with opportunities that match your lifestyle – whether you want to be home every night or explore the country.

Most students can start classes within days of their first contact with us. Ready to take the first step? Apply now or call our admissions team. We’ll walk you through your options and help you get started.