Safety First: Commercial Driver’s License is a Promising Career Pathway for Adult Ed Learners

When you were young, did you take the bus to school? Did you feel safe? Riding a school bus is by far the safest way for students to get to school, about 8 times safer than riding in a car with a parent. Despite 26 million kids riding buses each day, there is only about one fatality per 500 million miles driven each year.

You probably didn’t know (or care) that school bus drivers must have a Class B Commercial Driver’s License with Passenger and School Bus endorsements. In order to get that, the driver had to pass at least three knowledge tests, complete many hours of theory, practical, and behind the wheel training, and pass a pre-trip inspection test, basic skills test, and a road test. This may sound challenging, but Metro South is one place students can get help preparing for these tests and a promising career as a driver of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV).

High-Demand Field

The need for CMV drivers is very large and growing. About 91% of school leaders nationwide say there is a shortage of drivers in their district. More than half of those drivers are aged 55 and over. Garbage and recycling companies, delivery companies, and city bus companies are also facing driver shortages. Many companies are offering signing and retention bonuses, as well as paid training.

Other opportunities include driving large vehicles for the construction industry, driving snow plows and street sweepers, towing, and many others. There are jobs with a lot of overtime available, as well as part-time positions. Pay is competitive (often $25 to $30 to start), and most full-time positions offer full benefits.

Barriers to employment are low when compared to many other careers. There is generally no extra education requirement, no trade school or college courses. Only an intermediate level of English is required. Free classes and paid training make it easier to access this career field. This makes it a great opportunity for short-term work as well.

Teaching CDL in ABE

Metro South’s CDL preparation course helps students study for the knowledge (permit) tests. Class B employers generally don’t help with this, but take over training once the tests are passed. Other WIOA training providers require a reading level of ABE 4 to enroll their students, but Metro South has adapted the curriculum to suit ESL students from NRS levels 4 and up or ABE students level 2 and up.

Time is spent covering the important parts of the CDL manual, especially focusing on safe driving. A licensed teacher with CDL experience highlights the most important information for students, and teaches the needed vocabulary. Many videos are used to help students understand the concepts. These supports make it much easier for English learners to succeed. They are given many opportunities to test their knowledge with quizzes and practice tests. A field trip to a school transportation department gives them a chance to see first hand what the job entails.

Once someone has a CDL permit, their options grow. School bus companies, city bus companies, and others will hire applicants with just a permit. These companies will then give new hires paid training to complete their class B license. Those who are interested in driving semi trucks (class A) can also use this opportunity to gain experience. Training for a Class A license is expensive, between $5,000 and $9,000, and takes many months, usually full time. It is also difficult to find work as a class A driver with no experience. Insurance rates for new drivers can be prohibitive for employers, so paid training is rare. However, after a couple of years driving with a class B, insurance rates usually drop to reasonable levels and their options expand. Some Class A drivers who own their vehicles can earn over $100,000 per year.

Once per year Metro South has been hosting this class as a statewide online course. We also partner with our school district’s transportation department to connect students with a local employer. Our goal is to help interested students take the first step into this career field with low barriers to entry and plentiful opportunities. The need for drivers is high and will continue to grow.