Students who want to become professional truck drivers must earn a Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Preparation programs can be found at community colleges and technical schools and they can last anywhere from five to twenty weeks, depending on the program. Some programs distinguish between local commercial driving programs and long-haul commercial driving training.

Applicants must be 18 years old (21 years old for long-haul trucking training), and they must have a valid driver's license in the state in which they are training. They must also submit driving records from the past three to five years, and some schools reject applicants with recent DUIs, reckless driving records or too many moving violations within a certain time period. In addition, applicants must pass a drug screening, physical examination and background check.