160 Driving Academy Blog: 160 Driving Academy

160 Driving Academy succeeds because of the people inside each location—and Magdalena S.’s review of our Niles campus makes that clear. In her own words, “I am so grateful to everyone at the Niles location.” From the start, Magdalena felt fully supported, calling out Marta as “amazing” and “so...

The Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule was introduced to improve safety and raise standards for new commercial drivers. The intent was right. The execution wasn’t. Since ELDT went into effect, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has relied heavily on self-certification, allo...

Across the country, state and federal regulators are cracking down on illegal and non-compliant trucking schools. These operations promise fast, cheap CDL training—but cut corners, ignore safety standards, and leave students with invalid training, wasted money, or worse: a CDL that can be revo...

A renewed push by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to strictly enforce English-language proficiency for CDL drivers is already reshaping the trucking industry. According to recent reports, drivers who cannot properly communicate in English are being placed out of service durin...

You’ve read that the trucking industry is undergoing a massive shift — with capacity dropping and demand for certified drivers rising. Now that you’ve made the decision to get your CDL through 160 Driving Academy, here’s what comes next — and why timing, strategy and the right training w...

Steven came to 160 Driving Academy’s Peoria location with a clear goal: earn his CDL and pick up part-time work in retirement. What he didn’t expect was how quickly the opportunities would stack up—or how much he’d enjoy the journey getting there. A Strong Start in the Classroom Steven’s first...

The trucking industry is heading toward one of its biggest shifts in decades. According to recent reporting by FreightWaves, the U.S. could soon experience the largest capacity purge in modern freight history, with as many as 600,000 drivers and carriers exiting the market as freight rates remain lo...

Earning a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) opens the door to one of America’s most essential and rewarding careers—but how you earn it makes all the difference. At 160 Driving Academy, certified training is more than just preparation for an exam; it’s the foundation for a safe, confident, and...

What the Industry Is Facing The recent article from FreightWaves highlights a stark reality: the explosion of low-quality training providers—commonly called “CDL mills”—is eroding highway safety across the U.S. Among the findings: Roughly 100,000 truck crashes annually are tied to drive...

From the moment Alfredo A. walked into 160 Driving Academy, he knew he’d found the school that would help him achieve his goals. “From day one I knew this was the school to help me achieve my goals! The rep Victoria R. was instrumental in allowing me to stay focused on each step.” Alfredo’s journey...