July 28, 2026
The Real Cost of Waiting Another Year to Get Your CDL
Many people think about earning their CDL for months—or even years—before taking the first step.
Learn MoreApril 15, 2016
Our culture romanticizes the job of over-the-road trucking.
Many of us have memories of traveling in the family car across the country and sharing
the road with big rigs. Many of us remember looking out the window at the truck
driver and signaling for them to blow their horn. And of course, with our smiling
faces looking at them, it’s hard for them to refuse.
There is a certain level of freedom associated with
over-the-road truck driving, otherwise known as interstate or long-haul
trucking. But to have that sense of freedom takes responsibility, and that
responsibility comes about with over-the-road truck driving training.
With free trade being supported all over North America,
there are plenty of opportunities for over-the-road truck driving jobs. There
is a shortage of excellent drivers, so those who go complete long-haul truck
driving training will have a tremendous advantage. However, you have to be
willing to put in the work to reap the benefits of that commercial driver’s
license (CDL).
Our over-the-road truck driving classes
are intensive and comprehensive, with much information to be learned in a short
amount of time (many schools have four to six weeks of training). Long-haul
trucks, also known as rigs, are powerful, heavy machines that take extra
training to master. And often you have to learn some different state and federal
highway regulations in order to be an effective over-the-road truck driver.
The training provided to you at 160 Driving Academy can be
vital in helping you get licensed in Illinois or any of
its several neighboring states. You are put through 40 hours of intense
classroom instruction and another 120 hours of practice behind the wheel of a
rig before you are ready to pass the CDL exam. For a month, this training
becomes your full-time job. But one benefit is that many trucking companies are
so short on drivers that they may offer you a strong first-year salary AND pay
for your over-the-road trucking training tuition.
For more information about over-the-road trucking jobs and driver
training, check out 160 Driving Academy in Illinois. Give us a call or register for classes
through our online form!
July 28, 2026
Many people think about earning their CDL for months—or even years—before taking the first step.
Learn More
July 27, 2026
Graduating from CDL school is a major accomplishment. You’ve earned your Commercial Driver’s License, completed hands-on training, and are ready to begin your career. But landing your first trucking job takes more than simply having a CDL. Every day, trucking…
Learn More
July 21, 2026
Truck driving is about much more than shifting gears, backing into a dock, or passing your CDL exam.
Learn More