CDL Class A ELDT Full Program

Program to prepare students to take all examinations required to receive a Class A CDL. Students will be well versed in the General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes sections of the CDL manual. Additionally, students will be prepped to pass the Pre-Trip Inspection, Backing Skills, and Road Skills examinations in the yard. This course meets the ELDT Theory and Range/Road Requirements as required by the FMCSA.

CDL Class A training covers both classroom instruction and behind the wheel practice, structured across 40 hours of classroom time and 120 hours of driving. Earning a CDL license for a Class A vehicle will allow you to drive a truck that is 26,001 pounds or more, including most tractor trailers. If you’re towing another vehicle, that vehicle should weigh over 10,000 pounds.

Our Nashville, TN training program is designed to help students gain the knowledge, confidence, and hands-on experience needed to pursue a successful CDL career. Students attending our Nashville, TN location receive practical training focused on safety, driving techniques, vehicle inspections, and CDL test preparation.

Local Schools – Easy Commute. One advantage that our students love is the easy commute to any of our dozens of schools across the USA. Instead of spending money on a motel or crashing with relatives for four weeks, you’ll be able to drive home every night after class.

Instructors Who Care. We don’t just want your money – we’re here to help make you the best driver possible. 160 Driving Academy invests the individual time needed to make sure each student excels in his or her industry.

Job Choice/Variety. Prior to your graduation, our staff will provide numerous resources to help you find a job that meets your specifications. You’ll be able to choose from a number of potential employers as a successful new graduate.

High Graduation Rate. We devote the individual time necessary for each student to perfect his or her skills and pass the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) exam.

Students go through a pre-enrollment interview with the branch manager and tour the institution. After the tour, the student receives the course catalog, enrollment agreement and refund policies, and has time to review the enrollment policies and paperwork and ask questions before completing the pre-enrollment and enrollment agreements, signing up for a start date and scheduling the DOT physical and drug screen.

Training yard hours at the Nashville, TN location: M-F: 07:00am-03:30pm.

Classroom theory is taught online.

Training length at this location is 4–5 weeks.

Classes start every Monday of every week, 52 weeks per year, and run Monday through Friday for four weeks, from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

160 Driving Academy’s enrollment price list gives self-pay tuition of $5,240 for this program at this location (all-inclusive of fees). Prices may differ based on payment type and program sponsorship.

The cost of tuition for the 160 Driving Academy Class A CDL Program in Tennessee is $4,995 (Tennessee residents page and Tennessee catalog).

Tuition includes $18.33 for books and supplies ($13.84 for the Motor Carrier’s Road Atlas and $4.49 for the JJ Keller Green Safety Regulations Book). Additional costs that are the responsibility of the student: permit fee $14.00; valid DOT drug screen and physical $150; CDL testing fee $84.00 per test section after the 2nd testing attempt.

Payment options include self-pay (pay in full, with a self-pay discount at select locations, and short-term payment plans), financing with payments as low as $225 per month based on terms and approval (0% APR financing may be available), funding options for low/no income or government assistance, and company sponsorship contracted with a carrier.

160 Driving Academy works with participating workforce agencies on WIOA funding, and financing through Affirm may be available, subject to Affirm’s approval. 160 Driving Academy is not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, so students are not eligible for federal financial aid programs and the school has no FAFSA code.

Career support at 160 Driving Academy goes beyond graduation. Every student gets access to Truckers Network, our job matching platform, to build a driver profile and connect with hiring trucking companies in their area, often before completing training.

Many trucking companies also offer full or partial tuition reimbursement to new drivers who complete CDL training and commit to driving for them after graduation, helping reduce out-of-pocket training costs.

To qualify for job placement support, you’ll generally need to be at least 21, have a valid driver’s license, and have no felony, DUI, or drug convictions within the past 10 years.

Related occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics code associated with this program is 53-3032 (drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds). Other codes for this training include, but are not limited to, 53-3033, Light Truck or Delivery Services Driver, and 53-3022, Bus Drivers or School or Special Drivers.

Students will be scored daily in the classroom and yard through 160 Driving Academy’s Learning Management System (LMS). Students will take real-time, leader-led quizzes in the virtual classroom throughout the first 40 hours of classroom training and their attendance will be recorded. Each yard instructor is equipped with a 160 Driving Academy tablet to score the student. During range and road training students will receive daily feedback and informal verbal quizzes.

To assist students with their learning, 160 Driving Academy has developed the 160 Driving Academy Student App, downloaded from the Google Play or Apple Store. The app allows students to see their daily attendance and daily performance scoring while they are in school, and to perform practice tests and quizzes for pre-trip, general knowledge, air brakes and combination. There is no cost for the app.

At 160 Driving Academy, safety is foundational to how we train. From classroom theory and vehicle inspections to range maneuvers and on-road training, safety is integrated throughout the student experience.