Safety Reset: Choosing the Right CDL School

Read more:

- Full List of 550+ CDL Schools to Close: Where to Find the Names - What Students Should Do

- How Penalty Points Can Damage Your U.S. Driving Record

On February 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that more than 550 commercial driving schools must close after investigators found major safety failures such as unqualified instructors and inadequate skills testing.

That crackdown has made one thing clear: choosing a CDL school is now as much about compliance and safety culture as it is about price and speed.

Below is a curated list of 10 well-known, established CDL training providers across the U.S. (independent schools and carrier academies). Because the government has not published a full public list of the 550+ schools affected, the most reliable way to confirm any program’s status is to verify the school in the FMCSA Training Provider Registry (TPR) before you pay a deposit.

How this “Top 10” list was selected

These picks emphasize: longevity, multi-campus scale, transparent locations/contact info, ELDT/TPR awareness, equipment access, and job placement or direct-to-employer pipelines. (Always verify current status in TPR before enrolling.)

Read more: U.S. Driving Record: How to View and Reduce Penalty Points

The Top 10 CDL & Commercial Driving Schools in the U.S.

More than 550 driving schools aimed at truckers and bus drivers must close because of safety failures

1) 160 Driving Academy

• Website: https://www.160drivingacademy.com/

• Head office (public contact address): 500 Davis Street, Evanston, IL 60201

• Founded: 2012 (reported in company profiles)

• Scale: 150+ locations nationwide

• Why it’s top-tier: Massive footprint makes it easier to find a nearby campus; brand explicitly positions itself around FMCSA compliance and nationwide operations.

2) Roadmaster Drivers School

• Website: https://www.roadmaster.com/

• Headquarters: 11300 4th St N Ste 200, St. Petersburg, FL 33716

• Founded: 1992

• Scale: 20 training locations nationwide (recent corporate announcement)

• Why it’s top-tier: Long operating history, large national network, and strong focus on standardized training and career services across campuses.

3) SAGE Truck Driving Schools

The Sage Endicott, NY crew is pausing for a quick photo during truck labs

• Website: https://sageschools.com/

• HQ (listed in directories): 3500 Market Street, Suite 201, Camp Hill, PA 17011

• Founded: 1989

• Scale: “More than 20 locations nationwide”

• Why it’s top-tier: Multi-decade reputation, broad geographic coverage, and a large campus network with published location details.

4) NETTTS (New England Tractor Trailer Training School)

• Website: https://nettts.com/

• Primary location listed: 304 Victory Rd, Quincy, MA 02171

• Founded: 1965

• Scale: Multiple campuses across MA, CT, and RI

• Why it’s top-tier: One of the longer-running regional providers in the Northeast, with multiple campuses and a long track record in hands-on training.

Read more: U.S. Driving Record: How to View and Reduce Penalty Points

5) Truck Driver Institute (TDI)

• Website: https://www.drivebigtrucks.com/

• Example main campus address (TN): 6201 Epps Mill Road, Christiana, TN 37037

• Founded: 1973

• Scale: 10 campuses serving 7 states

• Why it’s top-tier: Multi-state scale plus explicit messaging around structured training environments and campus availability for students who need location flexibility.

6) Western Pacific Truck School (California)

• Website: https://www.wptruckschool.com/

• Corporate office: 2111 W March Lane, Suite A-5, Stockton, CA 95207

• Founded: 1977

• Scale: Locations in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto (plus additional listed sites)

• Why it’s top-tier: Deep California footprint and long operational history, with published location-level details that make verification and campus visits easier.

7) Western Truck School (California)

Western Truck School (California)

• Website: https://westerntruckschool.com/

• Addresses (campus examples):

  • West Sacramento: 2742 Industrial Blvd, West Sacramento, CA 95691

  • Santee (San Diego area): 10541 Prospect Ave, Santee, CA 92071

  • Bakersfield: 5800 State Rd, Ste 7, Bakersfield, CA 93308

• Founded: 1976

• Scale: 3 campuses; “40,000 graduates since 1976”

• Why it’s top-tier: Transparent campus footprint, long-running operation, and clear “how to reach us” information—useful in a compliance-focused era.

8) Prime Inc. CDL Training (Carrier Academy)

• Website: https://www.primeinc.com/

• Headquarters / main hub: 2740 North Mayfair, Springfield, MO

• Founded: 1970

• Scale: Company size listed as 5,001–10,000 employees

• Why it’s top-tier: A direct-to-carrier pathway where training connects to immediate on-the-road experience; publicly describes structured training and ongoing cohorts.

9) Roehl Transport Paid CDL Training (Carrier Program)

• Website: https://www.roehl.jobs/

• Corporate HQ: 1916 E 29th Street, Marshfield, WI 54449

• Founded: 1962

• Scale: Company size listed as 1,001–5,000 employees

• Why it’s top-tier: Paid-training model appeals to students who want a clearer employment runway; well-established carrier with public corporate details and an explicit training pathway.

10) C.R. England CDL Training (Carrier Academy)

• Website: https://www.crengland.com/

• Headquarters: 4701 W 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84120

• Founded: 1920

• Scale: Large, long-running carrier; known for multi-site operations and driver pipeline programs (verify current training locations via official site).

• Why it’s top-tier: One of the longest-operating names in U.S. trucking, with a long-established training pipeline and clear HQ/contact documentation.