What CDS Tractor Trailer Training does

CDS Tractor Trailer Training is a Virginia-based, for-profit commercial driver license (CDL) school founded in 1999 that delivers Class A (160-hour) and Class B (120-hour) tractor-trailer training programs, along with shorter refresher and ELDT-aligned courses. The company operates four owned training sites across the state's principal freight corridors — Fredericksburg/Woodford, Chester/Richmond, Roanoke, and Chesapeake/Norfolk — and extends delivery through community-college partnerships with Germanna Community College and New River Community College. Program tuition ranges from approximately $3,700 to $7,600 depending on course type and location, with carrier-sponsored tuition (notably Stevens Transport underwriting up to $4,000 per student) materially lowering consumer out-of-pocket cost for sponsored cohorts.

The underlying training infrastructure is built around late-model tractors and trailers and a truck driving simulator, and the school is FMCSA-registered for the post-2022 Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) mandate, VA DMV-approved, and a CVTA member. CDS carries a BBB A+ rating and reports a milestone of 1,000+ graduates placed with Stevens Transport, alongside additional placement relationships with Werner, Roehl, Melton, and US Xpress, among other carriers.

The business model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer tuition and carrier-subsidized enrollment. Individual students pay tuition for self-directed placement, while sponsored students enter carrier pipelines where the carrier offsets a portion of tuition in exchange for a placement funnel — effectively converting marketing dollars into a co-funded student acquisition channel. This structure diversifies demand across consumer cyclicality and carrier hiring intensity, both of which are structurally elevated by the persistent U.S. truckload driver shortage. The school operates as a private, independent operator with no disclosed funding events, no disclosed headcount, and no disclosed revenue.

Name

CDS Tractor Trailer Training

Legal name

CDS Tractor Trailer Training

Website

https://cdscdltraining.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CDS Tractor Trailer Training, founded 1999 in Virginia, is a for-profit CDL school operating four owned training sites plus two community-college partnerships, delivering Class A and Class B programs with carrier-sponsored tuition led by Stevens Transport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Driver Training

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Automobile Driving Schools (611692)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Driving & Heavy Transport (CDL) (EDAOANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM)

Keywords

• Commercial driver training
• CDL certification programs
• Truck driver school
• Class A CDL training
• FMCSA ELDT training

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. CDL Training Tuition: Students pay tuition for CDL training programs including Class A CDL (160 hours), Class B CDL (120 hours), CDL Refresher courses (40 hours), and Company Training. Multiple financial assistance options are available including grants, loans, and carrier sponsorship programs.
2. Carrier Sponsorship / Tuition Reimbursement: Trucking companies sponsor students by covering a portion of tuition in exchange for employment commitments. Companies including Stevens Transport offer tuition coverage programs ($4,000 coverage for qualified students) and monthly tuition reimbursement programs for employed drivers.
3. Government Grant Programs: CDS participates in state and federal workforce development programs including the Virginia Fast Forward Grant (covering 2/3 of tuition) and WIOA grants (covering up to 100% of tuition for eligible individuals).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDS Tractor Trailer Training is a Virginia-based commercial driving school that trains individuals to obtain Class A and Class B Commercial Driver's Licenses through classroom instruction, driving range practice, and on-road experience on late-model trucks with automatic and 10-speed manual transmissions. Programs span a 160-hour Class A course, a 120-hour Class B course, a 40-hour Refresher course for returning drivers, and customized company training, all delivered at four Virginia campuses and two community college partner sites. Tuition is supported by grants (Virginia Fast Forward, WIOA), veteran GI Bill benefits, and carrier sponsorship/reimbursement programs, with lifetime job placement assistance connecting graduates to 15+ national and regional trucking carriers.

Product overview

CDS Tractor Trailer Training is a truck driver training school offering a portfolio of CDL training programs at multiple Virginia locations. The core offerings include Class A CDL Training (20-day/160-hour program for tractor-trailer operation), Class B CDL Training (15-day/120-hour program for straight trucks and buses), and CDL Refresher Courses (40-hour recertification). The company also provides Individualized Company CDL Training for enterprise clients and operates Entry-Level Driver Training compliant with FMCSA ELDT regulations. Supporting services include Tuition Assistance Programs (covering grants, loans, and GI Bill benefits) and Job Placement Assistance that connects graduates with carrier employers. Training is delivered through classroom instruction, driving range practice, and on-road experience using late-model trucks with both automatic and manual (10-speed) transmissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• New drivers earn $700-$1,200 weekly in their first year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stevens TransportcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCDS has partnered with Stevens Transport, one of the top trucking companies in the country. Under this partnership, qualified students pay $2,000 out-of-pocket while Stevens Transport covers the remaining $4,000 of tuition. Stevens Transport has hired over 1,000 CDS graduates and offers modern fleet, paid training, and strong first-year pay.
• Germanna Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS provides CDL training for Germanna Community College students. The community college is located ten minutes from the CDS Fredericksburg Training Center. Students can choose Class A CDL, Class B CDL, or Passenger Bus training programs. Classes begin every other week for full-time and monthly for part-time weekends.
• New River Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS Roanoke provides CDL Training for New River Community College students. Students travel from the New River campus to the CDS Roanoke Training Center for both classroom and driving instruction. Classes begin every other week for full-time and monthly for part-time weekends.
• Werner EnterprisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational trucking carrier that recruits CDS graduates for over-the-road and regional driving positions. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Roehl TransportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational trucking carrier recruiting CDS graduates for dedicated and regional driving opportunities. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Melton Truck LinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlatbed carrier recruiting Class A CDL graduates from CDS. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• US XpressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational carrier recruiting CDS graduates for various driving positions. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Covenant TransportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrucking carrier recruiting CDS graduates. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Chaney EnterprisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding materials supplier recruiting Class A and Class B CDL graduates. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Boyd BrothersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlatbed carrier recruiting CDS graduates. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Maverick TransportationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlatbed carrier recruiting Class A CDL graduates from CDS. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• Lawrence CompaniesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrucking and logistics company recruiting CDS graduates. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.
• TMC TransportationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrucking carrier recruiting CDS graduates. One of many carrier partners listed on CDS carrier partners page.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Stevens Transport: Stevens Transport is a key CDS partner that runs its own CDL training sponsorship program ($4,000 coverage for qualified students) and has hired 1,000+ CDS graduates. It is both a customer/partner and a partial competitor offering subsidized in-house training alternatives.

Direct peers

• Roadmaster Drivers School: Roadmaster is a national CDL training school operating multiple campuses across the U.S. It directly competes with CDS in the Class A CDL training market, offering similar 160-hour ELDT-compliant curricula, late-model equipment, and job placement partnerships with national carriers.
• National Tractor Trailer School: National Tractor Trailer School is a dedicated CDL training provider with similar program length, ELDT-compliant curriculum, and on-site job placement assistance. Comparable in offering to CDS but with a different geographic footprint.
• 160 Driving Academy: 160 Driving Academy is a multi-state CDL training school with a comparable vocational program structure, tuition assistance programs (including WIOA), and direct-to-consumer recruitment model targeting career starters and veterans. Overlaps directly with CDS in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast.
• TDI - Truck Driver Institute: TDI is a multi-campus CDL training school offering Class A and Class B programs with carrier-sponsored tuition arrangements and job placement pipelines. Direct competitor to CDS in the commercial driver training category.

Broad incumbents

• Prime Inc. Prime operates one of the largest private CDL training programs in the U.S. on its corporate campus, with tuition reimbursement tied to employment. Comparable training offering to CDS but operated as an internal pipeline by a national carrier.
• Werner Enterprises: Werner is a national carrier that operates its own CDL training programs (Werner Logistics Academy) and is also one of CDS's recruiting partners. Provides a comparison point for vertically integrated training-and-employment models.
• Schneider National: Schneider operates a paid CDL training program as part of its broader logistics and trucking business, producing drivers primarily for its own fleet. Comparable in that it offers CDL training, but as part of a much larger carrier-incumbent model rather than as a standalone vocational school.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: J.B. Hunt operates 360° Trucking School, a CDL training program tied to its intermodal and dedicated contract services fleets. Comparable as a competitor in the CDL training space, anchored by one of the largest U.S. carriers.
• CR England: CR England operates a CDL training school and paid apprenticeship program to feed its national refrigerated trucking fleet. Overlaps with CDS in the Class A CDL training market but is integrated with a single carrier's hiring needs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cds4acdl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CDSTractorTrailerTraining
• Facebookfacebook.com/CDSTTT
• Instagraminstagram.com/cds4acdl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cds-tractor-trailer-training

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDS Tractor Trailer Training