CDL Truck Driving

Federal law requires new CDL applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) through a registered training provider. Elgin Community College is an FMCSA-approved training provider that guides you through every step. To prepare for CDL testing, start with your CLP, complete classroom theory, yard training, and 50+ hours of driving.

Ready to get started? Visit our Truck Driving Program Admissions page for information on the requirements and how to sign up for classes.

You can earn your Class A CDL through Elgin Community College in one semester or less. Choose the schedule that works for you:

• Day Program: 8 weeks, Monday-Friday
• Night Program: 16 weeks, Monday-Thursday evenings

Both options include the same number of training hours, covering ELDT classroom theory, skills training, behind-the-wheel driving, and hazmat training. By program’s end, you’ll be ready to take the Illinois CDL exam and begin your career as a professional driver.

You can view course meeting dates and times on the Truck Driving Program Admissions page.

ECC’s Truck Driving Program keeps a 3:1 student-instructor ratio for personalized instruction and more behind-the-wheel training time.

Our licensed instructors offer decades of experience, delivering hands-on training and mentorship to prepare you for success on the road.

ECC's Truck Driving Program instructors are current or former commercial drivers with extensive experience in both local and over-the-road trucking. Many have more than 12 years of hands-on and in-class experience. They bring real-world industry knowledge to class and truck cabs, offering practical insights and hands-on skills beyond textbooks.

Yes. ECC’s Truck Driving Program is FMCSA-approved and listed on the Training Provider Registry as an Entry-Level Driver Training facility.

All instructors meet FMCSA and Illinois Secretary of State requirements to teach ELDT theory (classroom), skills, and behind-the-wheel training. We ensure instruction is fully compliant with federal standards and prepares you to take the CDL tests confidently.

The ECC Truck Driving Program provides 50+ hours of driving on public roads and 150 hours of practice in the skills lot. You can master all of the maneuvers, practice shifting, and experience real-world driving situations before taking the CDL exam.

ECC Truck Driving students take the Illinois CDL test at the West Chicago DMV using ECC trucks. You'll complete the pre-trip, skills, and road test in a familiar truck that you will have practiced during training.

Our skills lot is designed to replicate the DMV test lot, giving you plenty of practice before test day and building your confidence to pass on the first try.

You will train on ECC's fleet of tractors and trailers, giving you hands-on experience with the same type of equipment used across trucking industry. Our fleet includes both sleeper and day cab tractors with 10-speed manual transmissions, paired with dry van trailers ranging from 48 to 53 feet in length.

We do not currently offer training with automatic transmissions. Training and testing with an automatic transmission would place a restriction on your CDL, preventing you from legally operating a manual transmission commercial vehicle.

The goal of the Truck Driving Program is for you to complete our program with the knowledge and credentials to drive any commercial vehicle.