Becoming a truck driver in Georgia can turn into a successful career for someone skillful.
In order to develop those required skills, you will first need to enroll in a training program, so let’s take a look at the steps you need to take to start your training.
Article Table of Contents
Training Requirements
Before you choose a suitable school, you have to meet the following criteria:
- Be 21 years old
- A driving record that is free of accidents and violations
- Take an alcohol and drug test
- Physical skills to drive
- Proof of previous jobs and references
- Having passed all your previous drug and alcohol tests
Finding The Right Program
Knowing the requirements for getting into a CDL driving school, the first step is deciding what school you will train at.
For this, there are a few things to keep in mind:
CR England Truck Driving School and other similar schools offer career opportunities after you complete the program.
This is a good idea for those who want to find stable employment straight out of school.
Make sure you ask if the chosen school provides job placement.
Some schools will ensure you will get hired by a company in the field upon graduating, which is an important option to keep in mind.
You will also need to decide on how to pay your tuition and while not all schools are expensive, this is an aspect to keep in mind as it could affect you later on.
TDDS Technical Institute CDL, for example, will make sure you understand how the payment plans work.
This will help you make the best financial decision.
If you want to take your career further, consider getting additional certifications.
Some of these include HAZMAT, Doubles/Triples, School Bus, Tanker, etc.
After the above aspects are settled, you can compare schools and find the right one for you.
While there are many CDL schools in Georgia, two of the facilities you can reach out to are CR England trucking school and TDDS Technical Institute truck driver school.
In order to pay your tuition, look into The Georgia HOPE Scholarship.
To get the scholarship, you need to work hard and study to prove your dedication to the career you chose.
CDL School Comparison
The programs can have a different length, so make sure you choose one that you will be able to attend.
Check out Altamaha Technical College, a school providing a diesel equipment technology degree with 48 credits.
This program usually requires 3 or 4 semesters of full-time study.
A simple trucking program like the one at Central Refrigerated Service, Inc. only lasts one month.
You may also want to consider how small or big the class is.
A small class will allow you more personalized training with your coach.
After you enroll in your chosen school, you can also get driving hours.
There are some diesel technology and truck driving programs that offer small-sized classes in Georgia.
School Name | Address |
---|---|
ACE CDL Training Inc | 3001 Sylvester Rd, Albany, GA 31705 |
Albany Technical College | 1704 S Slappey Blvd, Albany, GA 31701 |
Alliance Training Center | 324 Industrial Blvd, MCDonough, GA 30253 |
America's Driving Force of Georgia | 4180 Moreland Ave, Conley, GA 30288 |
Athens Technical College | 1317 Athens Hwy, Elberton, GA 30635 |
Atlanta Truck Driving School | 2251 Sylvan Rd, Atlanta, GA 30344 |
Atlantic CDL Training Center LLC | 350 Oxford Rd, Convington, GA 30014 |
Bainbridge College | 2500 E Shotwell St, Bainbridge, GA 39819 |
CDI Truck Driver Institute | 5300 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 |
CDI Truck Driver Institute | 100 Industrial Park Rd, Forsyth, GA 31029 |
CDL of GA LLC | 846 Jefferson Hwy, Winder, GA 30680 |
Central Georgia Technical College | 243 Warner Robins Hwy Rd., Hawkinsville, GA 31036 |
Central Georgia Technical College | 80 Cohen Walker Dr., Warner Robbins, GA 31088 |
Chattahoochee Technical College – North Metro Campus | 5198 Ross Rd, Acworth, GA 30102 |
Coastal Pines Technical College – Baxley | 1334 Gold Isle, West Baxley, GA 31513 |
Coasta Pines Technical College – Golden Isles | 4404 Glynco Pkwy, Brunswick, GA 31525 |
Commercial Driver Institute | 1601 Pecan Lane, Albany, GA 31705 |
Commercial Driver Training | 3301 Perkins Rd, Augusta, GA 30906 |
CSRA Transportation | 3351 Wrightsboro Road, Bldg. 300, Suite 301, Augusta, GA 30909 |
Cypress Truck Driving School | 4920 Martin Ct, Smyrna, GA 30080 |
Daly's Truck Driving School | 2314 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Buford, GA 30518 |
Diesel Driving Academy | 1414 Blairs Bridge Road, Lithia Springs , GA 30122 |
Georgia Driving Academy | 1448 VFW Dr, Conyers, GA 30012 |
Georgia Driving Academy | 1018 Morris Rd., Columbus, GA 31907 |
Georgia Northwestern Technical College | 265 Bicentennial Trail, Rock Spring, GA 30739 |
Georgia Piedmont Technical College (formerly Dekalb Technical College) | 495 N Indian Creek Rd, Clarkston, GA 30021 |
Great Southern Driving Academy, LLC | 329 Cottonwood Mill Rd, Tunnel Hill, GA 30755 |
Katlaw Corporation Inc | 5000 Austell Powder Springs Rd Ste 226, Austell, GA 30106 |
Miller-Motte Technical College – Augusta, GA | 621 Frontage rd NW, Augusta, GA 30907 |
Miller-Motte Technical College – Columbus, GA | 1800 Box Road, Columbus, GA 31907 |
Millis Training Institute | 60 Carson Loop, Cartersville, GA 30120 |
Moultrie Technical College | 52 Tech Drive, Tifton, GA 31794 |
North Georgia Technical College - Clarkesville Campus | 1500 Hwy 197 N, Clarkesville, GA 30523 |
Oconee Fall Line Technical College – Hancock County Center | 10571 Highway 15, Sparta, GA 31087 |
Oconee Fall Line Technical College – Jefferson County Center | 1257 Warrior Trail, Louisville, GA 30434 |
Oconee Fall Line Technical College – South Campus | 560 Pinehill Road, Dublin, GA 31021 |
Oconee Fall Line Technical College – Transportation Center | 1678 Kaolin Rd, Sandersville, GA 31082 |
Ogeechee Technical College - Evans Technical Education Complex | 625 Cedar Avenue, Hagan, GA 30429 |
Okefenokee Technical College | 1701 Carswell Ave, Waycross, GA 31503 |
Savannah Tech Truck Driver Training | 100 Technology Drive, Hinesville, GA 31313 |
Savannah Tech Truck Driver Training | 2890 Hwy 21 South, Rincon, GA 31326 |
South Georgia Technical College | 900 South GA Tech Pkwy, Americus, GA 31709 |
Southeastern Technical College | 346 Kite Rd, Swainsboro, GA 30401 |
Southeastern Technical College | 3001 East First Street, Vidalia, GA 30474 |
Southern Crescent Technical College | 1578 Highway 16 West, Jackson, GA 30233 |
Southern Crescent Technical College | 1533 Highway 19 South, Thomaston, GA 30286 |
Southern Crescent Technical College | 112 Industrial Park Dr, Monticello, GA 31064 |
Super Service Truck Driver Training | 2665 Campbell Blvd, Ellenwood, GA 30049 |
Truck Driver Institute | 100 Industrial Park Dr., Forsyth, GA 30129 |
TTT Truck Drivers School | 131 Debbie Court, Macon, GA 31206 |
West Georgia Technical College | 997 S Hwy 16, Carrollton, GA 30116 |
West Georgia Technical College | 1 College Cir, LaGrange, GA 30240 |
West Georgia Technical College | 160 MLK Jr Dr., Newnan, GA 30263 |
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | 706 W Baker Hwy, Douglas, GA 31533 |
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | 4089 Val Tech Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602 |
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | 4089 Val Tech Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602 |
Income
Heavy truck drivers in Georgia earn on average about $42,788 per year, while those in the top 10% earn about $49,588 per year.
The median salary at a national level, for these drivers, is $44,225 per year, while those in the top 10% make around $51,254 per year.
Annual Salary Range:Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
---|---|
Atlanta | $43,747 |
Augusta | $41,119 |
Columbus | $39,956 |
Macon | $41,080 |
Savannah | $41,341 |
Athens | $43,437 |
Roswell | $43,582 |
Warner Robins | $40,956 |
Albany | $40,652 |
Alpharetta | $43,520 |
Regional Salary in Georgia
Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany, GA | 1,520 | $54,130 | $26.03 | $64,860 | $36,090 |
Athens-Clarke County, GA | 940 | $56,510 | $27.17 | $85,670 | $36,490 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 41,790 | $57,770 | $27.78 | $77,130 | $37,420 |
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 4,910 | $53,580 | $25.76 | $64,260 | $38,080 |
Brunswick, GA | 520 | $54,460 | $26.19 | $89,170 | $35,080 |
Columbus, GA-AL | 1,210 | $52,250 | $25.12 | $72,490 | $33,800 |
Dalton, GA | 1,640 | $52,160 | $25.08 | $71,320 | $35,620 |
Gainesville, GA | 1,880 | $59,560 | $28.63 | $91,170 | $37,130 |
Hinesville, GA | 180 | $57,970 | $27.87 | $82,210 | $37,720 |
Macon, GA | 1,140 | $53,910 | $25.92 | $81,340 | $35,800 |
Rome, GA | 460 | $51,600 | $24.81 | $75,020 | $36,730 |
Savannah, GA | 3,800 | $55,880 | $26.86 | $78,950 | $35,660 |
Valdosta, GA | 1,280 | $52,880 | $25.42 | $80,200 | $36,030 |
Warner Robins, GA | 740 | $56,270 | $27.05 | $76,080 | $35,500 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this info will help you decide where you can train as a truck driver in Georgia.
All you need to do is enroll in a program, and you will start a successful career in your field of choice.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Truck Driver