Maverick Transportation Trucking School Review – Company Paid CDL Training

If you’re tired of trading hours for a paycheck that never quite stretches far enough, a Class A CDL is one of the few remaining doors into a skilled, in-demand trade you can walk through in a matter of weeks, not years. You don’t need a four-year degree, you don’t need to go into debt, and you don’t need prior experience to get started. What you need is a company willing to pay you while you learn the job, hand you the keys to a truck you’re actually proud to drive, and give you room to grow your income year after year. Maverick Transportation built its student program around exactly that idea.

The Maverick Way began in a one-room office in Texarkana, Arkansas in 1980. Maverick’s growth over the last 46 years has been built on the principles that founder and CEO Steve Williams calls “The Maverick Way”, which is “doing what you say you will do with integrity, respect, and commitment”.

Maverick Transportation, based out of Little Rock, AR – has become an industry leader, building their reputation on safety, technology, innovation, and a progressive mentality of doing things the Maverick Way. Today, almost 2,000 employees back every load they haul. Maverick operates 1,600+ trucks coast-to-coast, in Canada and to Mexico providing customized logistics solutions to some of the nation’s finest corporations. The company now runs out of eight U.S. locations and has logged more than 250 million awarded safe miles, and roughly 40% of its drivers have been with Maverick for four years or more.

Maverick’s student driving opportunities provide the training you need to become a top-earning professional driver. Their innovative student program offers paid hands-on training in flatbed and glass divisions. You’ll work with the best instructors and the safest equipment in the industry to get your new career in gear!

Why Maverick’s Program Costs You So Little to Start

The biggest thing standing between most people and a trucking career isn’t ability. It’s money. Paying out of pocket for CDL school, then living with no income for a month or two while you train, keeps a lot of good candidates stuck where they are. Maverick’s student program is designed to remove that wall.

From the day you arrive, you’re on the clock and getting paid. Your travel to North Little Rock, your lodging, and your breakfast and lunch during training are all covered by the company. You spend your first weeks earning a check and learning the job instead of draining your savings to chase a license.

If you already earned your CDL somewhere else, Maverick’s Tuition Reimbursement Program can help you recover part of what you spent, so you’re not penalized for having taken initiative. And because Maverick is approved for on-the-job training under the GI Bill®, veterans can put their earned benefits to work while they train and draw a paycheck at the same time.

Compare that to the traditional route, where a private CDL school can cost several thousand dollars up front and offers no income while you study. Maverick flips the math: the paychecks start early, the major training expenses are handled, and you walk out with a job instead of a loan balance. For someone supporting a family or rebuilding after a rough stretch, that difference is the whole ballgame. It’s the reason so many people who assumed a new trade was out of reach end up behind the wheel within a couple of months.

How the Training Actually Works, Step by Step

Maverick’s process is built to move you from applicant to solo, self-supporting driver without any guesswork about what comes next. Here’s how the road unfolds.

Getting Pre-Qualified and Applying

If you prefer, call a Maverick recruiter first. They will ask a few questions and “pre-qualify” you to make sure that you’re a good fit for the company. After you’ve been pre-qualified by a recruiter, you can submit your application. Maverick will process your application up front, completing all background reports and previous employment verifications. Processing typically takes 3 to 5 business days.

Paid Pre-Employment Evaluation (PRE)

Once your application is approved, Maverick invites you to a paid Pre-Employment Evaluation, or PRE, at its headquarters in North Little Rock, Arkansas. This is the step that used to be called orientation, and it’s where the company confirms you’re ready for the road while you get to know how Maverick operates.

During PRE you’ll complete your DOT physical, which includes a DOT urinalysis and a non-DOT hair follicle test, along with the paperwork that gets you set up as a Maverick driver. Maverick pays for all applicable testing during this stage. Travel, lodging, breakfast, and lunch are provided, and if you’d rather drive yourself in, the company will reimburse your mileage.

What to Bring With You

Don’t forget to bring:

• Valid driver’s license
• Social Security card
• Birth certificate
• Passport or Passcard (or receipt of application) – if you’ll be going into Maverick’s glass division
• Emergency contact information
• Rand McNally Motor Carrier Atlas
• 25ft tape measure
• Pen/pencil and paper
• Calculator
• Alarm clock
• Social security numbers and birth dates of everyone you want covered by your insurance

Business Unit Training and One-on-One Road Mentoring

Drivers with less than six months of over-the-road experience go through roughly six weeks of training. After four days of paid PRE, you’ll spend about seven days in paid Business Unit Training in North Little Rock, where you learn the specific skills of the division you’re joining, whether that’s flatbed or glass.

From there you’re paired one-on-one with an experienced Maverick driver trainer for your trainer-truck time. This mentor rides with you through real freight, real routes, and real deadlines, coaching you until you’re ready to test out and take a truck of your own. Maverick’s trainers bring well over a hundred years of combined industry experience to the seat next to you.

What You’ll Learn: Classroom, Range, and Road

Good training moves in a logical order. You start with the rules and the “why,” you practice the physical skills in a controlled space, and then you put it all together on real highways with a coach beside you. Maverick’s program follows that same arc.

In the Classroom

During your time at CDL School, you’ll be in class/training Monday thru Friday. Here’s some of the skills you’ll learn:

• Basic commercial driving skills
• Arkansas commercial driving laws
• Federal commercial driving regulations
• Drivers logs
• Industry-specific safety practices

Classroom work is where the language of the job stops being intimidating. You learn how federal Hours of Service rules govern how long you can drive and when you have to rest, how to keep an accurate electronic log, and how weight limits and inspections keep you legal at every scale. None of it is complicated once someone explains it plainly, and that’s the point of starting here.

On the Driving Range

The range is where theory becomes muscle memory. In a controlled yard, away from traffic, you’ll practice the maneuvers that make or break a new driver: straight-line backing, offset backing, and the parallel and dock parking you’ll do every working day. You’ll also learn the pre-trip inspection cold, walking a tractor and trailer and calling out every component until it becomes second nature.

Because Maverick runs open-deck freight, range work also covers what most dry-van schools never touch. You’ll get hands-on reps with load securement, chaining, strapping, and tarping, learning how to lock down freight so it arrives exactly the way it left. These are the skills that set flatbed and glass drivers apart, and they’re a big part of why those drivers earn more.

Behind the Wheel on the Road

The final stretch of training happens on live routes with your driver trainer. This is where you build real confidence: shifting through grades, handling mountain descents, backing into tight customer docks, and planning a trip so your drive time, fuel, and delivery windows all line up.

You’ll also learn the rhythm of the job. Trip planning, communicating with your fleet manager, managing fuel stops, and pacing your day around Hours of Service rules become routine long before you go solo. By the time you test out of the trainer truck, you’ve already done the work you’ll be doing on your own.

The Flatbed Division Student Program

Flatbed is the backbone of Maverick’s business, and it’s where a large share of new students start their careers. If you like being physically involved with your freight and want to build a skill set that pays a premium, this is a strong fit.

What Flatbed Hauling Looks Like at Maverick

Maverick made its name in the open-deck and flatbed world, and it’s regarded as one of the best in that space. Flatbed drivers haul freight that won’t fit in a box: steel, building materials, machinery, and other oversized or irregular loads carried on an open trailer.

The job asks more of you than dry van work. You’ll secure and tarp your own loads, which means you’re out of the seat, working with your hands, and staying active through the day. Maverick’s extended training program exists for drivers who arrive with no flatbed background, so you’re never expected to already know how to do it. The company teaches you the proper securement techniques from the ground up.

Flatbed Student Pay and Home Time

Maverick rolled out a flatbed pay increase for 2026, and the student numbers reflect it. As a flatbed student driver, you can expect to earn $73,000 to $80,000 in your first year, with a weekly average landing in the $1,400 to $1,600 range once you’re rolling on your own.

Here’s how the flatbed student pay package breaks down:

• Starting pay of $.59 per mile on Regional and OTR flatbed lanes
• $1,000 paid PRE (Pre-Employment Evaluation) with travel, lodging, breakfast, and lunch provided
• $1,000 Flatbed Business Unit Training pay
• $15 per hour Detention Pay and $50 Tarp Pay
• A weekly guarantee once you go solo
• Pay-for-Performance bonus program worth up to an extra $.06 per mile
• Scheduled pay increases through your first five years
• $1,000–$2,000 CDL-A driver referral bonus (rehires are not eligible)

Home time is one of the flatbed division’s strongest selling points. Most flatbed drivers get home weekly or most weekends, and regional, OTR, and dedicated options let you match your route to the kind of home life you want. Weekly averages run around 2,000 to 2,300 miles.

The Glass Division Student Program

Maverick’s glass division is a specialty within a specialty, and it pays accordingly. If you want a challenge that keeps the job interesting and a paycheck to match, glass is worth a serious look.

What Glass Hauling Looks Like at Maverick

Maverick is one of the largest and most reputable glass carriers in North America. It takes a specific kind of driver to haul the largest glass moving on America’s highways, and the company builds an exceptional pay package around that skill.

A major perk of the glass division is how the freight is handled. Around 89% of glass loads are pre-loaded, so you spend less time loading and more time driving and earning. Glass drivers run all 48 states and Canada, which means the routes stay varied and the miles keep coming. Because several glass lanes cross into Canada, you’ll want the proper documentation, which is why a passport belongs on your packing list for this division.

No glass experience? Don’t worry. That’s expected. Maverick provides focused, detailed securement training with some of the best instructors in the industry, and its extended training program is available to anyone who needs extra time to get comfortable.

Glass Student Pay and Home Time

As a glass student driver, you can expect to earn $76,000 to $85,000 in your first year, one of the highest starting ranges available to a brand-new driver in the industry.

The glass student pay package includes:

• Starting pay of $.62 per mile
• 89% pre-loaded freight
• $750 paid PRE (Pre-Employment Evaluation) with travel, lodging, breakfast, and lunch provided
• $700 Glass Business Unit Training pay
• $100 Live Load Pay and $100 Canada Border Crossing Pay
• $50 Tarp Pay and $30 Glass Rack Pay
• $15 per hour Detention Pay
• Pay-for-Performance bonus program worth up to $70 per week
• Scheduled pay increases through your first five years
• $1,000–$2,000 driver referral bonus (rehires are not eligible)

Glass drivers get home every other weekend or every 12 to 14 days, running around 2,000 to 2,300 miles a week. You earn paid time off you can use in half-day or full-day increments, and the division treats family time as a genuine priority even with its longer runs.

First-Year Earnings and What Happens After Five Years

One of the fairest questions any career-changer can ask is simple: what will I actually make now, and what can I make later if I stick with it? Maverick’s numbers give an honest answer on both counts.

Your First Year on the Road

A first-year student driver at Maverick earns between $73,000 and $85,000 depending on division, with a typical weekly average of $1,400 to $1,600. Flatbed students start around $.59 per mile and glass students start around $.62 per mile, and both divisions add a weekly guarantee after you go solo so a slow week doesn’t gut your paycheck.

On top of base mileage pay, the Pay-for-Performance bonus program rewards safe, efficient driving with up to an extra $.06 per mile. Accessorial pay for tarping, detention, live loads, and border crossings stacks on top of that, so the drivers who lean into the work tend to land at the higher end of the range.

Pay Growth Through Year Five and Beyond

Maverick builds in scheduled pay increases across your first five years, so your rate climbs as your experience does. You’re not stuck at your starting number waiting on a raise that never comes; the raises are part of the program.

By the time you’ve put in several years and moved into Maverick’s experienced ranks, the ceiling rises considerably. Experienced flatbed drivers earn $84,000 to $96,000 a year, with starting rates in that group running $.63 to $.675 per mile. Experienced glass drivers earn $85,000 to $100,000 and up, starting around $.69 to $.745 per mile, and Maverick’s top glass drivers clear $105,000 a year. Drivers who move into dedicated, final-mile, or marine lanes can reach similar territory, and experienced drivers coming in with six months or more behind them can qualify for a $3,000 sign-on bonus.

The Path From Graduate to Company Driver

Maverick’s student program isn’t training that leaves you to fend for yourself afterward. The whole structure exists to feed Maverick’s own fleet, which means finishing the program and meeting the company’s hiring requirements puts a driving job directly in front of you.

Once you test out of the trainer truck, you’re assigned your own truck and set loose on real freight with a weekly guarantee backing your paycheck. From that point, advancement is built into the culture. Milestone recognition kicks in at your six-month mark and again through your first year, and standout performers can earn Maverick Ace status by hitting rigorous targets four quarters in a row.

Drivers who prove themselves through all four seasons, keep a clean safety record, and take pride in their equipment can eventually become Road Trainers themselves, mentoring the next wave of students and opening another lane of income and respect. The company also runs Driver of the Month and Driver of the Year honors, giving its best drivers a real voice with leadership through the Driver Advisory Council.

The OTR Lifestyle: An Honest Look at the Trade-Offs

Over-the-road driving changes your life, and it’s only fair to talk about both sides of that. The rewards are real, and so are the adjustments.

On the reward side, the income is dependable, you’re your own boss for most of the day, and you get paid to see parts of the country most people only drive through on vacation. There’s a quiet pride in hauling freight that keeps factories running and job sites moving, and a lot of drivers describe the work as giving them a sense of purpose they never got from an office or a warehouse.

The honest challenge is time away from home. OTR runs can keep you out for two to three weeks at a stretch, home two to three days, and the road rewards discipline with your sleep, your meals, and your money. It isn’t for everyone, and Maverick doesn’t pretend otherwise.

What makes the difference is choice. Maverick runs OTR, regional, dedicated, local, and final-mile lanes, so the amount of home time you get can flex with your life. Regional drivers are home most weekends, dedicated routes can put you home daily, nightly, or weekly, and final-mile positions can have you sleeping in your own bed every night. You’re guaranteed to be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the passenger program lets a rider aged 13 or older come along at no cost so you don’t have to travel alone.

The Equipment, Safety Technology, and Life in the Truck

The truck you drive is your workplace and, on longer runs, your home. Maverick puts serious money into making both comfortable and safe.

Every truck comes loaded with driver-assist safety technology: a collision safety system with active braking, roll stability control, tire pressure monitoring, and Stoneridge MirrorEye camera mirrors that widen your view and cut blind spots. Automatic transmissions are standard, which flattens the learning curve for new drivers and takes strain off long days.

Trucks are governed at 65 mph, and Maverick’s PasSmart technology lets you push up to 70 mph for one hour within an eight-hour driving period when you need to make a pass or a delivery window (divisions running into Canada don’t carry the PasSmart option). Paid weigh station bypass and tolls keep you moving instead of waiting in line.

Inside the cab, you get in-truck WiFi, a refrigerator, an APU or EPU to keep the truck comfortable without idling, and a spot to mount a flat-screen television. You’re assigned your own truck rather than sharing, and you can take it home during your home time as long as it’s parked somewhere safe.

The Maverick Life After You Go Solo: Choosing Your Lane

One of the underrated advantages of starting at a carrier the size of Maverick is that your first driving job doesn’t have to be your only kind of driving job. As your life changes, the company has lanes that can change with you, and moving between them doesn’t mean starting over somewhere new.

Over-the-Road and Regional

OTR runs cover the most ground and tend to produce the biggest mileage checks, keeping you out for longer stretches and home for a few days in between. Regional lanes tighten that radius so you’re home most weekends, which appeals to drivers who want strong pay without weeks away at a time. Both are open to students once you complete training, and both carry a weekly guarantee.

Pay in these lanes scales with your division and your time on the road. Flatbed drivers start around $.59 per mile as a student and step up to $.63–$.675 per mile with experience, while glass students begin near $.62 per mile and experienced glass drivers run $.69–$.745 per mile. In annual terms, a first-year OTR or regional driver earns roughly $73,000 to $85,000, and experienced drivers in these lanes climb to about $84,000–$96,000 in flatbed and $85,000 to $100,000 or more in glass, with the top glass earners clearing $105,000 a year.

Dedicated and Final Mile

Maverick’s dedicated division runs steady, predictable freight for specific customers, which usually means more consistent home time and a schedule you can plan your life around. Some dedicated accounts get you home weekly, and final-mile positions can have you home every single night, with several routes paying in the $75,000 to $96,000 range. A number of dedicated openings welcome students with no prior experience, since Maverick trains you on the securement techniques the account requires.

Starting pay in the dedicated fleet is friendly to newcomers, since many accounts accept students and coach you on site. New dedicated flatbed and glass drivers generally land in the $68,000 to $85,000 range in their first year, with entry rates in the same neighborhood as OTR, near $.59 per mile for flatbed and $.62 per mile for glass. Experienced drivers on the stronger accounts, including home-daily and home-nightly final-mile routes, earn from the mid-$70,000s up to roughly $96,000 a year once you factor in stop pay, load bonuses, and weekly performance pay.

Marine and Specialized Freight

Maverick is currently the largest boat hauler in North America, and its marine drivers are a respected part of the fleet. Marine runs typically involve minimal securement and no tarping, average around 2,500 miles a week, and travel across the 48 states and Canada. These lanes generally call for open-deck experience first, so they make a natural goal to work toward after you’ve built your foundation in flatbed or glass.

Because marine is a lane you grow into rather than start in, the pay reflects a driver who already has a foundation. Drivers moving into marine typically earn $70,000 to $95,000 a year, and seasoned boat haulers on high-mileage runs reach the upper end of that range. A weekly guarantee backs the paycheck, and $100 Canada border-crossing pay stacks on top for the runs that head north.

Coming to Trucking From Another Career

You do not need a trucking background to belong at Maverick. The company regularly hires drivers coming out of food service, the military, healthcare, warehousing, towing, the oil field, IT, farming, and construction. The traits that make someone good at those jobs, showing up reliably, working hard, and taking pride in a job done right, are exactly what makes a good professional driver.

If you’re a veteran, the transition can be especially smooth. Maverick’s structure and standards tend to feel familiar to people with military experience, and the company’s GI Bill® on-the-job-training approval means you can draw your benefits while you train and earn. For anyone who has spent years being told their work doesn’t come with a real future, a Class A CDL and a seat at a stable carrier can reset that story quickly.

The point isn’t that trucking is easy. It’s that the barrier to entry is far lower than most people assume, the training is designed for beginners, and the income shows up faster than almost any other skilled trade you could pick up at this stage of life.

Common Questions About Maverick’s Student Program

Get the answers you need about Maverick’s Student Program below, including training timelines, locations, experience requirements, passenger eligibility, and CDL reimbursement opportunities. Whether you are a new driver or already hold a Class A CDL, these frequently asked questions will help you understand what to expect as you begin your career with Maverick.

How long does training take?

If you have less than six months of over-the-road experience, plan on roughly six weeks. That’s four days of paid PRE, about a week of paid Business Unit Training in North Little Rock, and the balance spent one-on-one with a driver trainer on real routes until you’re ready to run solo.

Where does training happen?

Maverick’s main training facility sits at its corporate headquarters in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and the glass division trains there as well. You’ll get to know that campus during PRE and Business Unit Training before you ever hit the highway on your own.

Do I need glass or flatbed experience first?

No. Maverick’s extended training program exists for drivers who arrive with no open-deck background at all. The instructors teach securement, tarping, and the rest of the specialty skills from scratch, so a total newcomer can succeed in either division.

Can my family ride along?

Once you’re eligible, the Passenger Authorization Program lets one rider aged 13 or older travel with you at no cost. Pets aren’t permitted in the trucks, but a spouse, a teenager, or a friend along for a stretch of road can make the miles feel a lot shorter.

What if I already have my CDL?

If you already hold a valid Class A CDL, you can apply directly and move through PRE into paid Business Unit Training and road mentoring. And if you paid for that CDL at another school, Maverick’s Tuition Reimbursement Program may help you recover part of the cost once you qualify.

Pay, Benefits, and Perks at a Glance

Beyond mileage pay, Maverick’s benefits package is built to give a new driver stability from the first month forward.

Benefits:

• If you are a veteran and qualify for GI Bill™, Maverick is OJT approved.
• Maverick will pay for travel to your Pre-Employment Evaluation in North Little Rock, AR, or reimburse you if you choose your own form of travel.
• Your lodging and meals (breakfast/lunch) are covered during PRE and training.
• You’ll be paid throughout PRE, Business Unit Training, and your one-on-one road training.
• Affordable, industry-leading health and dental insurance that goes into effect the first of the month, 60 days after your first date of employment. Weekly premiums run $42 (single), $112.50 (employee + spouse), $101.50 (employee + children), and $120 (family), with a tiered prescription plan and 100% wellness care coverage.
• Free $30,000 paid life insurance policy. Additional coverage is available for dental, vision, disability, accident, and cancer.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match: Maverick matches 100% of your contributions up to 3% of your weekly pay, up to a maximum of $3,000 annually.
• Paid time off earned weekly beginning in your 3rd month of employment, unless you reside in IL, NY, MN, MI, or work in the city of Chicago, IL, in which case you earn it weekly upon hire. Vacation pay is based on your 52-week average and can be used in half-day or full-day increments.
• Holiday Pay of $100 per day for six holidays each year once you go solo.
• If you are a Dedicated Driver, you’ll enjoy more home, whether daily or weekly.
• If you are a Regional Driver, you’ll be home most weekends.
• If you are an OTR Driver, you’ll be out 2-3 weeks, home 2-3 days.
• You can take your truck home with you during home time as long as it’s parked in a safe spot.
• Modern, well-maintained late-model equipment with air-ride suspension, APU/EPU, electronic logs, roomy sleepers, in-truck WiFi, and a monthly technology stipend.
• Paid weigh station bypass and tolls, with your own assigned truck.
• You’re guaranteed to be at home on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Passenger Authorization Program – no cost to you (13 years of age and older, 1 rider at a time).
• Per Diem available.
• Maverick offers tuition reimbursement if you’ve already obtained your CDL through another school and qualify.
• DRIVER REFERRAL BONUS: $1,000–$2,000 for CDL-A referrals, plus a $500 non-CDL referral bonus that includes securement, technician, and office positions.

Requirements:

• You must be at least 21 years of age to apply.
• You must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• A valid Class A CDL is required to join the student program, and new CDL-A holders are welcome to apply. If you still need your license, Maverick can point you toward accredited, state-licensed CDL schools through the CVTA and NAPFTDS.
• You must bring your original Social Security Card and your birth certificate.
• You must bring your Passport (or receipt of application) if you’ll be going into Maverick’s glass division.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or have legal right to work in the United States (Green Card).
• You must have a good driving record. (Maverick has their own pre-hire MVR Evaluation point system).
• You cannot have any DUI/DWI in the last 3 years.
• You must pass a DOT Physical, which includes a DOT urinalysis and non-DOT hair follicle test. Maverick will pay for all applicable testing during your Pre-Employment Evaluation.
• You must have a good work history.
• Any felonies in your criminal background check will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis but must be at least 7 years old to apply.
• You must live within the designated hiring area.
• You must obtain a New York Metal Coil (M) endorsement if you live in the state of New York.
• If you are a Maverick Sponsored CDL student, you must work for Maverick for 12 months. For every month of employment, your debt is reduced by $350. If you quit before the 12 months, you will owe remaining balance of tuition.

Compared to the other company-sponsored training programs in the industry, Maverick’s stands out because it pays you from day one, covers the cost of getting you road-ready, and hands you a clear ladder to climb once you’re solo. For a career-changer who wants stability without going into debt, it’s a genuinely strong place to start. The equipment is late-model and safety-first, the home-time options are real rather than theoretical, and the pay grows on a published schedule instead of a vague promise. Add in the recognition programs, the benefits, and a culture that keeps four out of ten drivers around for years, and you’re looking at a career you can actually build a life on, not just a job that gets you through the next few months.

Maverick Transportation Trucking School Locations:

Maverick Transportation Headquarters
13301 Valentine Road
North Little Rock, AR 72117