Safety & Standards Matter: Why Progressive Truck Driving School Is the Smart — and Responsible — Choice for CDL Training

With growing awareness around fraudulent, low‑quality CDL schools and a national push to raise training standards, many aspiring drivers and their families are asking: Which CDL training programs are truly safe, legitimate, and preparing drivers to be responsible, professional truck operators? The answer comes down to one thing — quality matters, and not all schools are created equal.

At Progressive Truck Driving School, safety, compliance, and professionalism aren’t just marketing slogans — they’re embedded in everything we do. As a fully accredited CDL training provider serving in Chicago, in Cicero, in Lansing, and beyond, we hold ourselves to rigorous training standards that deliver real skills, real preparedness, and real opportunities for students and employers alike.

In a climate where too many programs cut corners with minimal classroom time or rushed behind‑the‑wheel hours, Progressive stands out as a trusted, safe, and high‑integrity choice. We train drivers to move beyond simply earning a license — we train them to be responsible drivers who can be counted on in any environment.

A National Climate of Concern — and Why It Matters

Recently, federal regulators and industry leaders have sounded alarms about the prevalence of substandard CDL schools that fall short of basic educational and safety standards. These so‑called “CDL mills” often:

  • Short‑change classroom instruction
  • Skimp on behind‑the‑wheel training time
  • Manipulate or misreport training hours
  • Fail to prepare students for real road conditions

This pattern doesn’t just harm students — it can put motorists at risk and hurt the reputation of the industry as a whole.

Progressive responses to this issue emphasize accountability, transparency, and measurable training outcomes. When the bar has been raised — including stricter reviews of programs nationwide — quality training providers like Progressive are recognized as part of the solution, not the problem.

What Makes a “Good” CDL School — and Why Progressive Stands Out

In a training landscape crowded with uninspired options, Progressive differentiates itself by championing quality, safety, compliance, and professionalism at every stage of instruction:

State‑Authorized and Fully Compliant

Progressive Truck Driving School operates under all applicable state regulatory oversight, ensuring our CDL programs meet or exceed legal educational standards.

Industry‑Validated Training Standards

We build our curriculum around proven best practices that include structured classroom learning and rigorous behind‑the‑wheel coaching, giving students a comprehensive foundation in:

  • Hazard recognition
  • Defensive driving
  • Pre‑trip and post‑trip inspections
  • Safe handling of commercial vehicles

This structure ensures training isn’t just quick — it’s effective.

Transparent, Structured Instruction

Progressive rejects the “quick cert” philosophy used by low‑quality programs. Our students receive significant hands‑on driving time, real‑world scenario practice, and guided instruction that prepares them for the challenges of modern trucking — not just a test.

Real‑World Preparedness

Students aren’t rushed through minimal training. They learn to navigate everything from urban traffic to highway conditions, perform professional inspections, secure cargo correctly, and handle adverse weather — all essential skills for life on the road.

Ethics, Accountability, and Record Integrity

Progressive maintains meticulous academic records, verified curriculum compliance, and high standards for instructor qualifications — the very things regulators emphasize when evaluating training programs.

Because of all this, Progressive offers employer‑respected CDL training — not a shortcut to a license.

Why This Matters for Students, Families, and the Public

With increased scrutiny on the quality of CDL programs nationwide, the difference between a reputable program and a superficial one is no longer academic — it’s practical, economic, and sometimes even a matter of road safety.

  • Students need assurance they’re investing time and money in training that prepares them for a lifelong career, not just a license.
  • Families deserve confidence that their loved ones are learning to drive safely and responsibly.
  • Employers want graduates who can step into professional roles without remedial training, lowering onboarding costs and increasing retention.
  • The general public benefits when every commercial driver has been trained to high safety standards, reducing accidents and increasing trust on shared roadways.

If you’re serious about a trucking career — and serious about training that prepares you to be a skilled, safe professional — choosing the right school matters now more than ever.

Why Progressive Truck Driving School Is the Smart Choice for Your CDL Journey

If you are looking for a CDL training provider that offers:

  • State‑authorized, regulated training
  • Structured classroom and hands‑on instruction
  • Emphasis on safety, professionalism, and real‑world readiness
  • Career support and industry relevance

Then Progressive Truck Driving School stands out above the rest. Especially now, as training standards tighten and fraudulent programs fall under scrutiny, choosing Progressive isn’t just smart — it’s responsible.

Ready to Start the Right Way?

If your goal is to build a respected, long‑term career in trucking — not just obtain a piece of plastic — reach out to Progressive Truck Driving School today. Learn about our next class start dates, training philosophy, and what real preparation looks like.

Because in today’s CDL training landscape, safety isn’t optional — it’s essential.

The YWCA / Progressive Truck Driving School 2017 Graduating Class

For over 5 years, Progressive Truck Driving School and the YWCA have partnered to help train YWCA program participants to get their CDL license.

The YWCA works every day to eliminate racism and empower women. Through advocacy and local programming, they create real change for women, families and communities.

In 2017, the YWCA worked with ComEd to help people obtain jobs – for some of these jobs a permit is required. Progressive Truck Driving School helped these job-seekers start new careers by training them to earn their license. In addition, Progressive Truck Driving School directs prospective students to our school to complete full training. Progressive has been successful every year helping people obtain their permit.

Progressive Truck Driving School is very proud to partner with the YWCA to help change the lives of their students for the better.

Congratulations to the 2017 graduating class!

 

5 Surprising Trucking Statistics

Did you know?

  • The trucking industry is responsible for hauling over 10.5 billion tons of cargo every year.
  • The trucking industry collects over $650 billion dollars a year, which is  5% of America’s GDP.
  • Over 3.4 million heavy duty trucks and 3.5 million truck drivers are necessary to haul all of the US cargo.
  • The trucking industry is projected to grow 21% over the next 10 years.
  • The trucking sector generates a staggering 83.7% of the revenue in the commercial transportation industry.

Interested in joining this high-growth industry? Apply now to Progressive Truck Driving School!

 

2017 Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge announced this year’s 20 Best Fleets to Drive For in 2017 list. The fleets are recognized for providing exemplary work environments for their drivers and other employees.

The 2017 Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For include:

  • Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • Boyle Transportation, Billerica, Massachusetts
  • Central Oregon Trucking Company, Inc., Redmond, Oregon
  • Challenger Motor Freight Inc., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
  • Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc., Fremont, Nebraska
  • FTC Transportation, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Garner Trucking, Inc., Findlay, Ohio
  • Grand Island Express, Inc., Grand Island, Nebraska
  • Halvor Lines, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
  • Interstate Distributor Co., Tacoma, Washington
  • Kriska Holdings Ltd., Prescott, Ontario, Canada
  • Landstar System, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida
  • Maverick Transportation, LLC, North Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Motor Carrier Service, LLC, Northwood, Ohio
  • Nussbaum Transportation, Hudson, Illinois
  • ONE For Freight, Milton, Ontario, Canada
  • Prime Inc., Springfield, Missouri
  • Smokey Point Distributing, Arlington, Washington
  • TLD Logistics Services, Inc., Knoxville, Tennessee
  • TransPro Freight Systems Ltd., Milton, Ontario, Canada

Two companies, FTC Transportation, Inc., and Halvor Lines, Inc., achieved the milestone of five consecutive years on the Best Fleets list. Motor Carrier Service, LLC, Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc., Landstar System, Inc., and Grand Island Express, Inc. have continued their streaks as Best Fleets, each appearing on the list for over the fifth time.

Five companies were identified as “Fleets to Watch” – honorable mentions for demonstrating innovation in their driver programs:

  • Crete Carrier Corp., Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Hirschbach Motor Lines, Inc., Dubuque, Iowa
  • Kroon Brothers Transport, LLC, Hanover, Pennsylvania
  • Paper Transport, Inc., De Pere, Wisconsin
  • Transport Corporation of America, Inc., Eagan, Minnesota

Phase two of the contest will divide the highest scoring fleets into small and large fleet categories, from which two overall winners will be selected. These awards are sponsored by EpicVue of Salt Lake City, and Bose Ride of Framingham, Massachusetts.

The overall winners’ names will be announced during TCA’s Annual Convention, March 26-29, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

To make it into the runnings for the Best Fleets to Drive For in 2017, companies with 10 or more trucks had to receive a nomination from at least one of its owner-operators or company drivers. CarriersEdge also interviewed HR representatives and executives to determine the carriers that scored highest in various categories including health benefits, pensions plans, professional development, compensation, and other criteria.

Are you interested in driving for one of these top companies? Apply to Progressive Truck Driving School to learn how.

 

New Study Confirms That Veterans Make for Great Truck Drivers

Independent research conducted by Omnitracs confirms that veterans make for excellent truck drivers. The data revealed a few key data points: for instance veterans had 42 percent fewer accidents than non-veteran drivers, veterans achieved 98 percent more miles driven, and veterans had 59 percent fewer voluntary terminations and 68 percent fewer involuntary terminations.

According to the study, veterans’ trucking skill and job dedication can be at least partially attributed to the skill sets that the military brings, such as discipline and understanding of policy and procedures.

“The biggest thing is that the parallels between the trucking industry and the military life are right on point in that veterans are used to being away from home. Their families are used to them being away from home, so on the family side, they have everything in place to handle it when the service member’s away or the professional driver is away from home,” said Rick Bucholtz, associate director of field and government recruiting, Werner Enterprises. “Also, being out on the road, they work under minimal supervision. They’re out there on their own. They have to be able to make decisions. They have to be able to assess and take action without being told exactly what to do”

Here at Progressive Truck Driving School, we pride ourselves on training our veterans and helping them to jump-start their career after the military. We offer veterans assistance, including tuition assistance programs through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). You can learn more here.

To apply to Progressive Truck Driving School, please complete this application.

Congratulations Cubs from Progressive Truck Driving School!

The Cubs are World Series Champions! As a Chicago company, Progressive Truck Driving School is proud of the Cubs and all of our Chicago sports teams! Way to break the curse, Cubbies!

The custom Cubs paint job is from DB Custom Trucks, located in Antioch, Illinois.

Interested in getting your CDL license? Apply to Progressive Truck Driving School.

 

New Study Confirms Improved Trucking Safety

After a recent analysis from the Department of Transportation, data indicates that in both the long-term and short-term, trucking-involved fatalities are declining significantly. This is welcome news for CDL students and truck drivers.

According to the American Trucking Association’s analysis of miles traveled data from the Federal Highway Administration and highway fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the truck-involved fatality rate fell for the second straight year to 1.40 per 100 million miles traveled. This is great news for anyone interested in a career in trucking, but are concerned over safety.

There’s been a significant decrease in the fatality rate, which dipped 2.78 percent from 2013 and has fallen 4.76 percent over the past two years. More importantly, it has fallen an impressive 40.6 percent over the past decade.

According to ATA President and SEO Bill Graves ,“The short-term decline is welcome news, but the important figure is the long-term trend. Short-term changes, whether they’re increases or declines, can be blips – and just like you shouldn’t track your 401k on a daily basis, they shouldn’t be the primary lens truck safety is viewed through. The long-term trend – in this case, a more than 40 percent improvement – is of paramount importance.”

Great news for our CDL students and future drivers! Complete this form to apply to Progressive Truck School!

Accuracy Is a Significant Issue With Hair Testing

The “Drug Free Commercial Truck Driver Act of 2015” is a bill that would allow the Department of Transportation to authorize hair testing instead of urinalysis.

Critics of hair testing claim that science doesn’t support hair testing, and that it’s simply not as accurate as urinalysis for detecting controlled substances by an operator.

The bill currently is receiving support from bi-partisan co-sponsors, along with support from the American Trucking Association along with some fleets.

According to Dr. Kent Peterson, president of Charlottesville, Virginia Occupational Health Strategies and Former Exec. Vice President of American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM):

“Hair testing has a window of testing for the previous months or weeks. If you take one and a half inches closest to the scalp it will give an indication of drug use for the past 90 days,” he says. “Hair testing may be used for pre-employment screening to show long-term use but it gives no indication of current use or recent impairment.”

Some critics argues that hair testing unfairly biases some drivers. According to Peterson,

“Curly haired and persons of color are more likely to test positive [because they have more melanin in their hair which binds more strongly with markers]. It’s believed that if hair testing were to be used and brought to court, it would be thrown out on that basis alone.”

It will be interesting in the coming months to see if the bill will garner additional support and pass into law, as it seems that the science justifying the bill isn’t concrete.

Interested in earning your CDL? Apply to Progressive Truck School.

Drivers: Interested in making $2,000? Participate in this FMCSA Survey.

The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is participating in a Congressionally-required study on the 2013 implemented hours-of-service changes.

By participating in the study, drivers can receive up to $2,000 in compensation. As of last month, the FMCSA needs an additional 250 drivers to participate in the 5 month study.

Drivers who decide to participate in the study will be involved for at least five months, and researchers will compare their schedules, crashes, near-crashes, crash-relevant events, operator fatigue and alertness and short-term health.

Click here to learn more about the study or to register to participate.

Interested in becoming a driver? Apply to Progressive Truck School.

Video: Shortage of Truck Drivers

There’s a current shortage of truck drivers – skilled drivers are in extremely high-demand. Watch the video below to learn more:

Interested in joining this high-demand industry? Apply to Progressive Truck School.