CDL College
CDL College is a US-based online education platform, operated by Tall Oak Learning, LLC, that provides free CDL permit preparation courses and paid ELDT-compliant driver training courses to aspiring commercial drivers across Class A, Class B, and all major endorsement categories.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersCommerce City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CDL College does
CDL College, operated by Tall Oak Learning, LLC, is a US-based online education platform providing free Commercial Driver's License (CDL) permit preparation courses and paid Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) courses. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company serves aspiring commercial drivers pursuing Class A and Class B CDL permits, plus endorsement-specific training across Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Passenger, Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Hazardous Materials, and School Bus categories. The product is a web-based e-learning platform delivering structured video lessons, practice quizzes, a 100-question MEGA Quiz, and free course tracking; users complete coursework independently and then take official knowledge and skills tests at their local DMV.
The business operates on a freemium model with two properties: cdlcollege.com hosts free permit preparation courses that function as a top-of-funnel acquisition asset (no ads, no catch, free course tracking), while the successor platform CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM hosts paid ELDT-compliant courses that generate subscription revenue under the FMCSA regulatory framework. Distribution is fully self-serve and product-led, with users arriving via organic search, YouTube, and Facebook channels, navigating structured lesson paths without sales intervention. A lightweight partnership ecosystem (CDL Jobs, Online Safety Training, Driver Training System) extends the value chain into employment and adjacent safety training.
Corporately, CDL College is a privately held LLC with 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding rounds, no app, no API, and no public ownership or institutional investors. The firm has been continuously operating since 2004, recently executed a domain migration to CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM for its ELDT offering, and operates exclusively in the US market.
CDL College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CDL College
- Legal name
- Tall Oak Learning, LLC
- Website
- https://cdlcollege.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CDL College is a US-based online education platform, operated by Tall Oak Learning, LLC, that provides free CDL permit preparation courses and paid ELDT-compliant driver training courses to aspiring commercial drivers across Class A, Class B, and all major endorsement categories.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CDL College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Driver License Education
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Driving & Heavy Transport (CDL) (EDAOANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Driver Staffing, Training & Compliance (CDL, Background Checks) (EDAEADAE)
Keywords
Where CDL College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Commerce City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CDL College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Free Permit Courses: Free CDL permit preparation courses that serve as lead generation for paid ELDT services. Courses are provided at no cost with free course tracking to attract aspiring CDL drivers.
- ELDT CDL Courses (Paid): Paid Online Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) CDL courses offered on CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM, the successor platform to the free permit courses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Permit Courses - Class A CDL, Class B CDL, and Class B CDL-Bus Training |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CDL College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CDL College operates an online e-learning platform that delivers free CDL permit preparation courses for Class A and Class B licenses, plus standalone endorsement modules (Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Passenger, Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Hazardous Materials, School Bus). The company has expanded to a paid Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) course offering on a dedicated domain (CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM), with users studying at their own pace through video lessons, practice quizzes, and tracked progress before sitting official tests at their DMV.
Product overview
CDL College, operated by Tall Oak Learning, LLC, offers a free online CDL permit preparation platform primarily hosted at CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM. The core offering is the Free Online CDL Permit Courses, which includes Class A CDL Training and Class B CDL Training (with separate tracks for delivery, tank, and dump trucks). The curriculum also includes multiple endorsement modules: Air Brakes, Combination Vehicle, Passenger (with dedicated Class B + Passenger track), Tanker Vehicle, Doubles/Triples, Hazardous Materials, and School Bus endorsements. Additional supplementary courses cover General Knowledge, Vehicle Inspections, Basic Control of Your Vehicle, Railroad Crossings, and Transporting Cargo. Students complete the online coursework for free, then take the knowledge test at their local DMV. A 100-question MEGA Quiz is available for comprehensive practice.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Free Online CDL Permit Courses Free online CDL permit preparation course bundle covering Class A and Class B general knowledge plus endorsement modules, with video lessons, practice quizzes, and free course tracking; targeted at aspiring commercial drivers in the U.S. who need to pass the CDL written permit test at their local DMV.
- Class A CDL Training Online course to prepare individuals for the Class A CDL written permit test, covering operation of combination vehicles such as tractor-trailers with a GVWR of 26,001+ pounds.
- Class B CDL Training Online course to prepare individuals for the Class B CDL written permit test, covering single-vehicle operation over 26,001 lbs including delivery, tank, and dump trucks.
- Class B CDL with Passenger Endorsement Course Combined online Class B CDL and Passenger Endorsement training for drivers operating vehicles designed to seat 16 or more passengers, including transit and intercity buses.
- Air Brakes Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required to operate commercial vehicles equipped with air brakes, covering system components, gauges, emergency and parking brakes, and inspection procedures.
- Combination Vehicle Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required for operating combination vehicles including tractor-trailers, doubles, triples, and straight truck-with-trailer configurations, covering rollover risk, railroad crossings, trailer skids, and coupling procedures.
- Passenger Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required for drivers transporting 16 or more passengers, covering passenger safety, vehicle inspection, loading, on-road procedures, and prohibited practices.
- Tanker Vehicle Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required for operating tanker vehicles transporting liquids or gases in cargo tanks rated 119+ gallons (permanent) or 1,000+ gallons (portable), covering tank inspections, surge control, and safe driving rules.
- Doubles/Triples Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course for operating double and triple trailer vehicles, covering coupling/uncoupling procedures, inspection, rollover prevention, and managing the crack-the-whip effect.
- Hazardous Materials Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required for transporting hazardous materials, covering hazmat regulations, placarding, shipping papers, loading/unloading, and emergency response procedures per 49 CFR 171-180.
- School Bus Endorsement Course Standalone online endorsement course required for operating school buses transporting pre-primary, primary, or secondary students, covering danger zones, mirror use, student loading/unloading, emergency evacuation, and student management.
- Online ELDT CDL Courses (CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM) Paid online Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) courses delivered through CDL College's successor domain CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM, providing FMCSA-compliant training required before new drivers can take the CDL skills test, with free course tracking.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free CDL permit preparation eliminating cost barrier for aspiring commercial drivers
Companies that use CDL College
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CDL College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CDL College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CDL JobsminorReferral partnership connecting CDL College students with job board resources for employment opportunities in the trucking industry.
- Online Safety Training (safetyasaservice.com)minorPartner site linked from CDL College offering additional online safety training resources beyond CDL permit preparation.
- Driver Training System (driverlms.com)minorPartner site linked from CDL College providing driver training system resources as complement to CDL permit courses.
- School DistrictscoreRecommended employment pathway for school bus driver graduates. CDL College advises contacting local school districts directly for employment opportunities. School districts typically train and administer CDL Skills Tests for their bus drivers.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CDL College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CR England CDL Training: Major trucking carrier that runs its own paid CDL training school with employment pathway after graduation. Comparable because it competes for the same entry-level driver pool and offers an integrated train-to-hire model that online prep sites like CDL College cannot match.
- Roadmaster Drivers School: Multi-state CDL training school offering Class A and Class B programs with job placement assistance. Directly comparable as a CDL training provider targeting the same persona of aspiring commercial drivers, with overlapping endorsement coverage.
- 160 Driving Academy: Largest commercial driving school network in the US offering Class A and Class B CDL training with online permit prep plus behind-the-wheel instruction. Highly comparable because it serves the same aspiring CDL driver segments across the same endorsement categories.
- Prime Inc CDL Training: Large carrier-sponsored CDL training program offering paid training with tuition reimbursement and direct employment. Comparable because it targets the same aspiring Class A driver demographic and bundles training with job placement, raising the competitive bar for online prep providers.
- Swift Academy: Carrier-operated CDL training academy from Swift Transportation, combining classroom, behind-the-wheel, and direct hire. Comparable because it serves the same driver candidate funnel and competes for the same freemium-style 'free training if you work for us' positioning.
- TruckingSchool.com: Online directory and resource hub for CDL training schools across the US, offering permit practice tests and school matching. Comparable because it overlaps with CDL College's content-led, SEO-driven approach to reaching aspiring CDL candidates.
- CDL Test Prep: Online CDL permit and endorsement practice test provider offering free and paid study resources. Directly comparable to CDL College's free permit prep and endorsement modules, competing for the same organic-search-driven learner audience.
Emerging players
- DMVCheatCodes: Aggregator of free DMV practice tests and cheat sheets, including CDL permit prep. Comparable because it competes for the same free-study organic traffic and could siphon learners away from CDL College's free permit courses.
Others
- AllTrucking.com: Trucking industry resource site offering driver career information, school listings, and training guidance. Adjacent peer because it competes for the same aspirational driver search traffic and could monetize lead generation in CDL training referrals.
Broad incumbents
- CDL.com: Long-running CDL information and training resource site covering permit prep, endorsements, and career guidance. Comparable because it sits in the same free-content plus lead-gen niche as CDL College, with broader category coverage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CDL College social profiles
Digital presenceCDL College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CDL College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CDL College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CDL College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CDL College
What does CDL College do?
CDL College operates an online e-learning platform that delivers free CDL permit preparation courses for Class A and Class B licenses, plus standalone endorsement modules (Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Passenger, Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Hazardous Materials, School Bus). The company has expanded to a paid Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) course offering on a dedicated domain (CDLTRAININGONLINE.COM), with users studying at their own pace through video lessons, practice quizzes, and tracked progress before sitting official tests at their DMV.
Is CDL College a public or private company?
CDL College is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CDL College founded?
CDL College was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CDL College based?
CDL College is headquartered in Commerce City, United States, in the North America region.
How does CDL College make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Free Permit Courses are the primary driver. The others are ELDT CDL Courses (Paid).
Who are CDL College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CR England CDL Training, Roadmaster Drivers School, 160 Driving Academy, Prime Inc CDL Training, Swift Academy, TruckingSchool.com and CDL Test Prep. DMVCheatCodes is listed as an emerging player. AllTrucking.com is listed as an others. CDL.com is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does CDL College have an API?
No public API is recorded for CDL College.
What industry is CDL College in?
CDL College's product category is Commercial Driver License Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOANAK, Commercial Driving & Heavy Transport (CDL), with a secondary code of EDAEADAE, Driver Staffing, Training & Compliance (CDL, Background Checks). Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 8200.