Breaking

Georgia Driver Launches CDL School With Intensive Training Model

A 17-year veteran trucker is opening a commercial driver training facility in Dalton, Georgia, targeting gaps he says exist industry-wide beyond regulatory crackdowns on noncompliant schools. Shawn Gresham, who has logged over 1 million miles, plans to launch Trucking Life Academy in October pending state approval. The school will cap classes at six students and operate over eight weekends, emphasizing hands-on instruction and manual transmission training. Gresham cites a systemic problem where trainers prioritize their own rest requirements over actively teaching new drivers. He advocates paying trainers higher wages to ensure they remain engaged in instruction rather than sleeping while trainees operate vehicles. The program's Class A CDL tuition is set at $3,795. Gresham previously oversaw trainer operations at Rosedale Transport, implementing stricter standards that required trainers to complete their mandatory 10-hour breaks.