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If you live in Tennessee and want to start a career in the truck driving field, you first need some info regarding the job.
Check out the info below to find out more about schools you can train at and career prospects.
Article Table of Contents
How to Choose a School
This state has some 30 schools, which gives you plenty of options to choose from.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| CCS Professional Truck Driver Training Center | 134 Joe R McCrary Rd, Fall Branch, TN 37656 |
| Chattanooga State Community College - Commercial Truck Driving - Dayton | 200 N. 4th Avenue, Dayton TN 37321 |
| Chattanooga State Community College - Commercial Truck Driving - Hixson | 4913 Adams Road, Hixson, TN 37343 |
| Chattanooga State Community College - Commercial Truck Driving - Cleveland | Cleveland State Community College 3535 Adkisson Dr Cleveland, TN 37312 |
| Drive-Train | 119 E.L. Morgan Dr., Jackson, TN 38305 |
| Drive-Train | 6711 Reese Road, Memphis, TN 38134 |
| Fortis College | 1025 Hwy 111 Cookeville, TN 38501 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute | 1524 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206 |
| Mesilla Valley Training Institute | 3750 Stewarts Lane, Nashville, TN 37218, USA |
| Miller-Motte Technical College – Chattanooga | 6397 Lee Highway, Suite 100, Chattanooga, TN 37421 |
| Miller-Motte Technical College – Clarksville | 1820 Business Park Dr., Clarksville, TN 37040 |
| Miller-Motte Technical College – Madison | 1515 Gallatin Pike North, Madison, TN 37115, USA |
| Oak Ridge Truck Driving School | 1990 Oak Ridge Tpke, Ste E Oak Ridge, Tennessee |
| Peak Technical Institute | 235 S. Old Glory Rd., Maryville, TN 37801 |
| Roadmaster Drivers – Chattanooga, TN | 3800 Cummings Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37419 |
| RoadRunner Driving Academy | 106 Industrial Pk Rd, Sharon, TN 38255 |
| Smokey Mountain Trucking Institute | 3173 Newport Hwy., Sevierville, TN 37876 |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134 |
| Superior Drivers Institute | 302 Rutherford Ln, Columbia, TN 38401 |
| Swift Driving Academy | 7965 Veterans Pkwy Ste 107, Millington, TN 38053 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Crossville | 910 Miller Avenue, Crossville, TN 38555 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Crump | 3070 Hwy 64 W, Crump, TN 38327 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Huntsville | 355 Scott High Dr., Huntsville, TN 37756 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Jackson | 2468 Technology Center Drive, Jackson, TN 38301, USA |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Knoxville | 1100 Liberty St., Knoxville, TN 37919 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Nashville | 100 White Bridge Road, Nashville, TN 37209 |
| Tennessee Truck Driving School - TTDS | 4401 Singleton Station Road, Louisville TN 37777 |
| Transportation Training Centers | 901 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, TN 37087 |
| Truck Driver Institute (TDI) | 6201 Epps Mill Rd, Christiana, TN 37027 |
| United Truck Driving School Inc. (UTDS) | 819 Park Avenue, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 |
| Vatterott College CDL Certificate | 6991 Appling Farms Parkway, Memphis, TN 38133 |
Maybe you are interested in applying for a scholarship to cover your tuition costs.
If so, you can become a member of the Tennessee Trucking Association.
Joining them allows you to apply for one of the $10,000 worth scholarships which they fund on an annual basis.
You can choose a school based on the time you want to invest in training.
For example, a diesel technology program can last up to 2 years if you want to get an Associates’s degree.
However, some schools also offer diplomas for which the course only lasts one year.
If you opt for a truck driving program, you should know these are generally much shorter.
Such course only lasts for 8 weeks at most, and after finishing it you can apply for a Class A, B or C license.
Before getting the license, a written exam and a skill test are required.
United Trucking Driving School provides a Class A program that lasts for 4.5 weeks, a Class A basic training course that lasts 4 weeks and a Class B training course with a duration of 3 weeks.
Consider looking for a school that offers small class sizes, such as Smokey Mountain Truck Driving School and CCD Professional Driver Training.
Attending a small class gives you more time to interact with your instructor and deepen your knowledge, as well as increased driving hours.
Not all schools offer only traditional daytime courses, and if you are busy you can attend weekend and evening classes.
Job Outlook And Salaries In Tennessee
After finishing your program, the next step is getting hired to start your career.
If your training program provides job placement, this is a good way to get a job fast and without the additional search.
However, you can also find a job at a repair shop, leasing center ore trucking company.
In Tennessee, the biggest companies are C.R. England, MCT Transportation LLC, and Beacon Transport.
Below you can find a table with the median salaries for truck drivers in the state’s largest cities.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nashville | $41,089 |
| Memphis | $41,060 |
| Knoxville | $40,963 |
| Chattanooga | $39,947 |
| Clarksville | $39,829 |
| Murfreesboro | $40,779 |
| Franklin | $40,944 |
| Jackson | $40,750 |
| Johnson City | $38,563 |
| Hendersonville | $41,027 |
Regional Salary in Tennessee
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 5,570 | $52,920 | $25.44 | $75,310 | $37,450 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 1,130 | $47,750 | $22.96 | $60,410 | $33,420 |
| Cleveland, TN | 880 | $54,980 | $26.43 | $100,410 | $32,640 |
| Jackson, TN | 1,450 | $51,280 | $24.66 | $65,370 | $36,430 |
| Johnson City, TN | 740 | $46,210 | $22.22 | $60,630 | $30,520 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 1,680 | $46,940 | $22.57 | $64,980 | $31,990 |
| Knoxville, TN | 7,070 | $52,040 | $25.02 | $76,610 | $35,420 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 16,990 | $58,770 | $28.25 | $83,230 | $37,180 |
| Morristown, TN | 1,430 | $55,920 | $26.89 | $68,720 | $37,160 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 18,360 | $54,550 | $26.23 | $77,070 | $38,810 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
O*Net estimates an 18% growth for truck driver jobs up to 2012, while diesel mechanics will see a 13% increase within the same time period.
Conclusion
The state’s trucking industry is on the rise, so you can be sure to secure a stable job after you get a license.
This career path can bring you many years of lucrative work on the road.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Truck Driver
CDL Schools by State