Celadon Trucking School Review – Company Paid CDL Training

Disclaimer: Since 2017, Celadon no longer offers paid CDL training. We’ve left this review up in case the information is still useful for anyone who is searching for information about Celdon Trucking School.

If you are still interested in paid CDL training, please visit our Paid CDL Training page for a list of 26 other trucking companies that still offer paid CDL training in different areas of the country.

Founded in 1985, Celadon has grown since then, employing over 4000 workers worldwide and operating over 5,500 tractors and more than 12,000 trailers. Not only is Celadon Group, Inc. publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, they have become one of the largest transportation and logistics companies in North America, with over 110,000 border crossings each year, making them the leader of international truckload deliveries in the U.S.

Most long-haul truck drivers want to operate newer late-model equipment. With Celadon Trucking, that’s exactly what you get. With an average tractor age of less than 2 years, Celadon goes above and beyond the industry average of 7 years.

Celadon is a three-time winner of the prestigious National Fleet Safety Award, given to the trucking company with the most outstanding safety record each year. If you want to train with and work for a great trucking company that has a proven safety record, then Celadon is the place for you.

With a Celadon Trucking School located in Indiana, Texas, and Alabama, you’re bound to find the school that’s right for you, especially since Celadon Driving Academy has no up-front costs and offers free meals and lodging on site every day of the week, as well as free busing to and from the training facility. Of course, if that wasn’t enough, Celadon’s state-of-the-art Indianapolis driving academy also comes equipped with a gym, a workout room, a brand new cafeteria, a student lounge, and a fully staffed medical center.

The paid CDL training program at Celadon Trucking School is unique in that they require you to team drive for a minimum of 120,000 miles after graduating. This is three times the mileage required by most other trucking companies.

Once you have driven the required 120,000 miles in a team, you’ll then be required to drive solo in your own company truck for at least 1 year in order to pay back the cost of your tuition. It is during this first year as a solo driver that Celadon will deduct $50 from your paycheck each week until you have paid back a total of $2600.

You also have the option of paying for your training up front. The out-of-pocket cost is $2600.

During the first week of school, you’ll spend most of your time in the classroom. You’ll learn about the components of a truck, truck systems, basic logging, driver safety, and most importantly, state and federal laws and regulations.

Once you’ve gone through 40 hours of classroom instruction, you’ll then be ready to take the CDL written exams. After you pass the written exams and obtain your commercial learner’s permit (CLP), you’ll move on to the next phase of training which is practice various maneuvers on the range and driving on local roads.

During this next phase of training, you’ll split your time between the driving range and the road. One downside of Celadon Trucking School ’s paid CDL training program is that you are forced to share a truck with 4 to 8 other students. This is higher than average when compared to most other company sponsored truck driving schools that group you with 1 to 3 other students per truck.

Since you have to share a single truck with 4 to 8 other students, you’ll only receive about 30 total minutes of actual “behind-the-wheel” training time on the driving range each day. You’ll practice various maneuvers like backing and lane positioning, as well as basic control and gear shifting.

The rest of your time inside the truck will be spent driving on the road with an instructor. You’ll experience real-life driving situations, operating a full-size rig on city streets, rural roads, highways, and expressways, both in light and heavy traffic. It’s here, on the public roadways, that you’ll put into practice the commercial driving laws and regulations that you learned inside the classroom.

While most students are in school for an average of 4 weeks, your actual time in CDL school will vary based on your own personal skill level. After approximately 4 weeks of schooling, you’ll graduate from Celadon Trucking School and start working for Celadon as a team driver. You’ll be paired up with a personal trainer for 5 to 6 weeks in a team driving situation for your over-the-road (OTR) training.

During your over-the-road training, your personal trainer will observe your driving skills and mentor you as you drive and drop loads as a “solo operation”. You’ll get paid as a Celadon trainee at a rate of 25 cents per mile for a required minimum of 10,000 miles, averaging between $400 to $500 per week.

Once you complete the required 10,000 miles of OTR training with your personal trainer, you’ll then graduate to the next level of OTR training. It is during this phase of the paid CDL training program that you’ll be paired up with an experienced Celadon driver and drive as a team for the next 6 to 8 months, racking up the required 120,000 miles. During this phase of the training program, you’ll earn 42 cents per mile split, averaging about $500 to $600 per week.

After 6 months of OTR training, your pay will increase from 42 cents per mile split, to 50 cents per mile split, averaging $600 to $800 per week. During this time, you’ll also have the ability to make 60 cents per mile split which would put you in the $800 to $900 per week pay range.

After you accumulate the required 120,000 miles, you’ll finally be assigned your own truck and work as a solo driver. You’ll be required to drive for Celadon full-time for at least 1 year in order to pay back your tuition amount of $2600. During this 52-week period, Celadon will deduct $50 from your weekly paycheck.

Based on your own performance as a driver, you could earn up to $60,000 your first year, which is above average compared to the first-year salary of the other trucking companies we reviewed.

Compared to the other paid CDL training programs we reviewed, Celadon Trucking School ’s tuition cost of $2600 is lower than average, making Celadon Driving Academy a good place to pursue your CDL. Plus, at the Indianapolis school, Celadon provides you with free meals, lodging, a cafeteria, a weight room, a student lounge, and a fully staffed medical facility, all conveniently on-site. Add that to the higher than average first-year salary of $60,000 that Celadon Trucking advertises on their company website and you’ve got yourself a triple whammy winner.

Benefits:

• You’ll receive 8 months of comprehensive paid CDL training for $2600 with no up-front costs.
• You can pay the full $2600 tuition amount up-front, if you wish.
• You’ll get free meals and lodging 7 days a week and free busing to and from the training facility.
• The Indianapolis school has lodging, a cafeteria, a weight center & a medical facility, all on-site.
• You have 3 schools to choose from in Indiana, Texas, and Alabama.
• Celadon Trucking School will work with you at your own speed to graduate & obtain your CDL.
• You’ll get paid $400 to $500 per week as a Celadon trainee during your first 10,000 miles.
• You’ll get paid $500 to $600 per week your first 6 months as a Celadon team driver.
• You’ll get paid $600 to $800, possibly up to $900, per week your last 2 months as a team driver.
• You can request a personal trainer who doesn’t smoke during your OTR training.
• You’ll have the potential to earn up to $60,000 your first year as a Celadon solo driver.
• You’ll get a pay increase of 1cpm for every 120,000 miles driven as a solo driver with no limit.
• You’ll receive 1 day of home time for every 7 days out with 1 travel day to get back home.
• While there is no fuel bonus, you will be offered a safety bonus of 5 cents per mile.
• HazMat drivers receive a HazMat bonus of 3 cents per mile on all HazMat loads.
• You are guaranteed Dock Detention pay.
• After 60 days of employment you’ll get benefits: medical, dental, vision, life insurance & 401(k).
• As a driver you’ll receive paid vacation time: 1 week added each year, paid out at $500.
• Certain drivers can join the WageLock program: A minimum salary guarantee during slow times.
• You are allowed to have 1 pet on board.
• You can have 1 immediate family member on board for a max of 3 months with permission.
• 95% of all freight is “no-touch”, drop and hook.
• All trucks are late-model International, Peterbilt, and Kenworth trucks younger than 2 years.
• All trucks are equipped with electronic logs and APU units.
• Trucks are governed at 63 mph.

Requirements:

• You must be at least 21.5 years old to apply.
• You must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• You must possess an original Social Security card, not a copy.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or legally be allowed to work in the United States (Green Card).
• You must have no current parole, probation status, or warrant for your arrest.
• Any felony convictions on your criminal record must be older than 10 years.
• Any DUI/DWI, reckless driving, or careless/neglect driving offenses must be older than 5 years.
• You must have a clean motor vehicle report for the last 3 years.
• You must not have a suspended driver’s license.
• You must have a good verifiable employment record going back the past 3 years.
• You must pass a DOT medical exam and a DOT drug and alcohol test.
• You must be able to read, write, and speak the English language according to federal regulation.
• You must graduate from the truck driving training program and obtain your CDL in order to be hired.
• You must work as a full-time driver for Celadon Trucking for at least 1 year to pay back your tuition.
• $50 will be deducted from your weekly paycheck for 1 year in order to pay for your tuition.
• You must drive in a 2-person team for at least 120,000 miles before going solo.
• You must be physically and mentally able to do your job in a complete and competent manner.
• You must be physically and mentally able to stay away from home for 7 to 14 days at a time.

Celadon Trucking School Locations:

Celadon Trucking School – Texas
8401 Killam Industrial Blvd
Laredo, TX 78045

Get Paid While You Train and Make $45,000 or More Your First Year with Paid CDL Training!

Are you ready to take the next step and begin your career as a well-paid professional truck driver? We’ve partnered with some of the best trucking companies in the nation and have helped thousands of people just like you get into a high quality paid CDL training program. You can get your CDL in as little as 3 weeks and start making good money as a professional truck driver. Plus, you can make up to $500 per week while you train!

Here’s what you can expect from the paid CDL training programs in our network:

Just click the green button below and fill out the quick 1-minute application on the next page to get started. Hurry! Classes are filling up fast!

The paid CDL training program at Celadon Trucking School is unique in that they require you to team drive for a minimum of 120,000 miles after graduating. This is three times the mileage required by most other trucking companies. Once you have driven the required 120,000 miles in a team, you’ll then be required to drive solo in your own company truck for at least 1 year in order to pay back the cost of your tuition. It is during this first year as a solo driver that Celadon will deduct $50 from your paycheck each week until you have paid back a total of $2600.

You also have the option of paying for your training up front. The out-of-pocket cost is $2600.

During the first week of school, you’ll spend most of your time in the classroom. You’ll learn about the components of a truck, truck systems, basic logging, driver safety, and most importantly, state and federal laws and regulations.

Once you’ve gone through 40 hours of classroom instruction, you’ll then be ready to take the CDL written exams. After you pass the written exams and obtain your commercial learner’s permit (CLP), you’ll move on to the next phase of training which is practice various maneuvers on the range and driving on local roads.

During this next phase of training, you’ll split your time between the driving range and the road. One downside of Celadon Trucking School ’s paid CDL training program is that you are forced to share a truck with 4 to 8 other students. This is higher than average when compared to most other company sponsored truck driving schools that group you with 1 to 3 other students per truck.

Since you have to share a single truck with 4 to 8 other students, you’ll only receive about 30 total minutes of actual “behind-the-wheel” training time on the driving range each day. You’ll practice various maneuvers like backing and lane positioning, as well as basic control and gear shifting.

The rest of your time inside the truck will be spent driving on the road with an instructor. You’ll experience real-life driving situations, operating a full-size rig on city streets, rural roads, highways, and expressways, both in light and heavy traffic. It’s here, on the public roadways, that you’ll put into practice the commercial driving laws and regulations that you learned inside the classroom.

While most students are in school for an average of 4 weeks, your actual time in CDL school will vary based on your own personal skill level. After approximately 4 weeks of schooling, you’ll graduate from Celadon Trucking School and start working for Celadon as a team driver. You’ll be paired up with a personal trainer for 5 to 6 weeks in a team driving situation for your over-the-road (OTR) training.

During your over-the-road training, your personal trainer will observe your driving skills and mentor you as you drive and drop loads as a “solo operation”. You’ll get paid as a Celadon trainee at a rate of 25 cents per mile for a required minimum of 10,000 miles, averaging between $400 to $500 per week.

Once you complete the required 10,000 miles of OTR training with your personal trainer, you’ll then graduate to the next level of OTR training. It is during this phase of the paid CDL training program that you’ll be paired up with an experienced Celadon driver and drive as a team for the next 6 to 8 months, racking up the required 120,000 miles. During this phase of the training program, you’ll earn 42 cents per mile split, averaging about $500 to $600 per week.

After 6 months of OTR training, your pay will increase from 42 cents per mile split, to 50 cents per mile split, averaging $600 to $800 per week. During this time, you’ll also have the ability to make 60 cents per mile split which would put you in the $800 to $900 per week pay range.

After you accumulate the required 120,000 miles, you’ll finally be assigned your own truck and work as a solo driver. You’ll be required to drive for Celadon full-time for at least 1 year in order to pay back your tuition amount of $2600. During this 52-week period, Celadon will deduct $50 from your weekly paycheck.

Based on your own performance as a driver, you could earn up to $60,000 your first year, which is above average compared to the first-year salary of the other trucking companies we reviewed.

Compared to the other paid CDL training programs we reviewed, Celadon Trucking School ’s tuition cost of $2600 is lower than average, making Celadon Driving Academy a good place to pursue your CDL. Plus, at the Indianapolis school, Celadon provides you with free meals, lodging, a cafeteria, a weight room, a student lounge, and a fully staffed medical facility, all conveniently on-site. Add that to the higher than average first-year salary of $60,000 that Celadon Trucking advertises on their company website and you’ve got yourself a triple whammy winner.

Benefits:

• You’ll receive 8 months of comprehensive paid CDL training for $2600 with no up-front costs.
• You can pay the full $2600 tuition amount up-front, if you wish.
• You’ll get free meals and lodging 7 days a week and free busing to and from the training facility.
• The Indianapolis school has lodging, a cafeteria, a weight center & a medical facility, all on-site.
• You have 3 schools to choose from in Indiana, Texas, and Alabama.
• Celadon Trucking School will work with you at your own speed to graduate & obtain your CDL.
• You’ll get paid $400 to $500 per week as a Celadon trainee during your first 10,000 miles.
• You’ll get paid $500 to $600 per week your first 6 months as a Celadon team driver.
• You’ll get paid $600 to $800, possibly up to $900, per week your last 2 months as a team driver.
• You can request a personal trainer who doesn’t smoke during your OTR training.
• You’ll have the potential to earn up to $60,000 your first year as a Celadon solo driver.
• You’ll get a pay increase of 1cpm for every 120,000 miles driven as a solo driver with no limit.
• You’ll receive 1 day of home time for every 7 days out with 1 travel day to get back home.
• While there is no fuel bonus, you will be offered a safety bonus of 5 cents per mile.
• HazMat drivers receive a HazMat bonus of 3 cents per mile on all HazMat loads.
• You are guaranteed Dock Detention pay.
• After 60 days of employment you’ll get benefits: medical, dental, vision, life insurance & 401(k).
• As a driver you’ll receive paid vacation time: 1 week added each year, paid out at $500.
• Certain drivers can join the WageLock program: A minimum salary guarantee during slow times.
• You are allowed to have 1 pet on board.
• You can have 1 immediate family member on board for a max of 3 months with permission.
• 95% of all freight is “no-touch”, drop and hook.
• All trucks are late-model International, Peterbilt, and Kenworth trucks younger than 2 years.
• All trucks are equipped with electronic logs and APU units.
• Trucks are governed at 63 mph.

Requirements:

• You must be at least 21.5 years old to apply.
• You must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• You must possess an original Social Security card, not a copy.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or legally be allowed to work in the United States (Green Card).
• You must have no current parole, probation status, or warrant for your arrest.
• Any felony convictions on your criminal record must be older than 10 years.
• Any DUI/DWI, reckless driving, or careless/neglect driving offenses must be older than 5 years.
• You must have a clean motor vehicle report for the last 3 years.
• You must not have a suspended driver’s license.
• You must have a good verifiable employment record going back the past 3 years.
• You must pass a DOT medical exam and a DOT drug and alcohol test.
• You must be able to read, write, and speak the English language according to federal regulation.
• You must graduate from the truck driving training program and obtain your CDL in order to be hired.
• You must work as a full-time driver for Celadon Trucking for at least 1 year to pay back your tuition.
• $50 will be deducted from your weekly paycheck for 1 year in order to pay for your tuition.
• You must drive in a 2-person team for at least 120,000 miles before going solo.
• You must be physically and mentally able to do your job in a complete and competent manner.
• You must be physically and mentally able to stay away from home for 7 to 14 days at a time.

Celadon Trucking School Locations:

Celadon Trucking School – Texas
8401 Killam Industrial Blvd
Laredo, TX 78045

Get Paid While You Train and Make $45,000 or More Your First Year with Paid CDL Training!

Are you ready to take the next step and begin your career as a well-paid professional truck driver? We’ve partnered with some of the best trucking companies in the nation and have helped thousands of people just like you get into a high quality paid CDL training program. You can get your CDL in as little as 3 weeks and start making good money as a professional truck driver. Plus, you can make up to $500 per week while you train!

Here’s what you can expect from the paid CDL training programs in our network:

Just click the green button below and fill out the quick 1-minute application on the next page to get started. Hurry! Classes are filling up fast!

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