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Meet Driving Academy near Newark, NJ.
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CDL School for Newark Residents
Newark is surrounded by major transportation, freight, warehouse, airport, port, delivery, and construction activity. A CDL can open the door to a wider range of commercial-driving paths, including local, regional, passenger, straight-truck, and tractor-trailer work.
Driving Academy’s closest training campus for Newark residents is in Linden, NJ. It gives students a nearby place to prepare for the written permit test, build hands-on driving skills, and work toward the CDL class that fits their career goals.
Whether you are new to trucking, changing careers, looking for a higher-paying path, or trying to move into commercial driving after working in delivery or warehouse jobs, our team can help you understand your options.
New Jersey
School Hours
Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 9:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Locations Nearby
Did you know we have a location in Wayne,NJ? Click here to reach the Wayne Location.
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CDL Training Programs near Newark, NJ
Driving Academy gives Newark-area students a nearby CDL school option with practical training and clear guidance throughout the enrollment process.
Our state-of-the-art facilities near Essex County and experienced CDL instructors provide an immersive learning experience, combining theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on CDL training.
We offer three types of CDL driver courses:
- Class A CDL: This is the most common type of CDL license and allows truck drivers to drive vehicles such as tractor trailers that are more than 26,000 pounds and has trailer loads more than 10,000 pounds.
- Class B CDL: This license enables drivers to operate commercial trucks such as box trucks with a combined weight of more than 26,000 pounds and trailer loads of less than 10,000 pounds.
- Class B+P CDL: This type of license allows drivers to run passenger buses, as well as Class B vehicles.
Opportunity to Take Different Training Courses at Driving Academy
Students who enroll at Driving Academy in Linden can take different training courses within each CDL licensing class, such as:
- These courses are the most extensive Driving Academy offers. They cover more than 100 hours of training, including classroom instruction to help you pass the written tests for your CDL permit.
- These courses include yard and road training to pass the CDL road test. Students receive unlimited road test attempts and vehicle rentals, meaning full support until passing the written and road tests for a CDL permit.
- Driving Academy’s full courses have been designed to take our students from zero to hero in driving.
- The full courses combine classroom training and behind-the-wheel training in our yard in Linden, NJ.
- Prepares students to pass written exams for a CDL permit and the CDL road test.
- Designed for those who already have a CDL permit, these courses help students prepare and pass a CDL road test.
- Students pass over the classroom training and move to yard training.
- Our yard training includes inspection training, basic skills/parking maneuvers, and proper road driving.
CDL Career Outcomes: Salary & Job Outlook Near Newark, NJ
Get a clear look at your earning potential, local job security and immediate opportunities upon graduating from our campus near Newark, NJ.
Truck Driver Pay Near Newark, NJ
Commercial-driving pay near Newark can vary by license class, endorsements, experience, employer, schedule, and route type. These are recent Newark job-category pay references, not guaranteed starting salaries.
ZipRecruiter’s Newark estimate for no-experience Class A driver jobs. Most reported pay falls between $25.14 and $43.22 per hour.
ZipRecruiter’s Newark estimate for CDL Class B driver jobs. Most reported pay falls between $21.11 and $26.63 per hour.
ZipRecruiter’s Newark estimate for CDL bus driver jobs. Most reported pay falls between $17.60 and $25.38 per hour.
Your Career Outlook near Newark, NJ
Port Newark, Airport Cargo & Intermodal Drayage
Newark and nearby Elizabeth are closely tied to container freight, port operations, rail transfers, and airport-related supply-chain activity. This creates opportunities for Class A drivers interested in intermodal drayage, container hauling, chassis work, warehouse shuttle routes, dry-van freight, and refrigerated loads.Port-related positions can be especially appealing to drivers who want to work in the local or regional market instead of spending weeks away in an OTR sleeper truck. Drivers who build experience with pre-trip inspections, ELD compliance, backing, chassis safety, and congested terminal traffic can become more competitive for these specialized freight roles. Some employers may also require port-access credentials, TWIC eligibility, or prior experience.North Jersey Warehouses, E-Commerce & LTL Freight
Newark is part of a dense logistics corridor that stretches through Kearny, Elizabeth, Carteret, Linden, the Meadowlands, and surrounding North Jersey industrial areas. Warehouses, distribution centers, food-service operations, retail suppliers, and LTL terminals all need commercial drivers to move freight between facilities and customers.That opens the door to local P&D routes, linehaul jobs, drop-and-hook work, dedicated deliveries, straight-truck routes, and regional tractor-trailer positions. Class A and Class B drivers who are comfortable with air brakes, urban driving, backing maneuvers, route planning, and customer deliveries can explore several different types of work without leaving the North Jersey market.Specialized, Construction, Passenger & OTR Opportunities
A Class A CDL gives you the flexibility to pursue regional freight, dedicated routes, flatbed work, tanker jobs, Hazmat freight, and Doubles/Triples operations. Adding endorsements such as Hazmat, Tanker, Passenger, or Doubles/Triples can make you eligible for more specialized positions and give you more choices as your experience grows.Class B CDL holders can also build strong local careers through straight-truck delivery, dump trucks, construction support, refuse and sanitation fleets, food and beverage routes, shuttle buses, and school bus driving. For students who prefer to stay closer to home, passenger and local commercial-driving paths can be a great fit.Whether your goal is to drive a day cab for a local distributor, haul containers near the port, operate a Class B vehicle around North Jersey, or run dedicated freight across the Northeast, earning your CDL at our Linden campus puts you close to a market with real variety. Your license is the starting point, and your endorsements, driving record, and career goals will help determine which lane is right for you.Local Resources
Navigating the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) doesn’t have to be complicated. Use our local resource guide to ensure you have all your mandatory paperwork and medical clearances in order.
NJ MVC / DMV Locations Near Newark:
NJ MVC Rahway
Rahway, NJ 07065
NJ MVC Newark
Newark, NJ 07114
NJ MVC Bayonne
Bayonne, NJ 07002
What You Need To Get Started:
New Jersey MVC Identity Verification
Mandatory CDL Forms & Documents
Getting to Our CDL School from Your Newark Neighborhood
No matter which part of Newark you’re coming from, our Linden campus at 200 East Edgar Road is a straight shot down the same handful of major roads you already know: I-78, Route 1&9, and the NJ Turnpike.
Directions To Our Facility:
Route: Take Ferry Street or Raymond Boulevard toward McCarter Highway (Route 21 South) and follow signs to merge onto Route 1&9 South. Stay on 1&9 South past Newark Airport and through Elizabeth.
Drive Time: ~15 minutes
Route: Head south on McCarter Highway (Route 21 South). It transitions directly onto Route 1&9 South near the airport. Keep straight into Linden.
Drive Time: ~15–20 minutes
Route: Take Frelinghuysen Avenue south straight toward Elizabeth, or hop onto Route 1&9 South near the airport. If taking Frelinghuysen Ave, continue onto North Broad Street through Elizabeth, then merge onto Route 1&9 South (East Edgar Road).
Drive Time: ~10–15 minutes (this is one of the shortest commutes from Newark)
Route: Take I-78 East toward Newark Airport, then take Exit 57 to merge onto Route 1&9 South toward Elizabeth/Linden.
Drive Time: ~15–20 minutes
Route: Take McCarter Highway (Route 21 South) all the way down through Downtown Newark. Stay on Route 21 South as it merges into Route 1&9 South past the seaport and airport.
Drive Time: ~20–25 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We know our students are busy, which is why our Linden facility runs classes 7 days a week. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and we also offer dedicated weekend training hours. Because our 1-acre yard is fully lit, you can safely complete your behind-the-wheel training after dark.
Absolutely. While the official NJ MVC road test must be taken in English, learning the skills shouldn’t be a barrier. Our Linden campus has a diverse team of instructors who speak Spanish and Creole. They will help you learn the maneuvers and prepare you to understand the English directions required to pass your official test. (¡Se habla español!)
Our Guaranteed Program removes the fear of failing. If you enroll in this course and fail your official CDL road test, you do not have to pay for a new class. We will continue to train you and give you unlimited road test attempts at no extra cost until you 100% walk away with your CDL.
Driving Academy provides lifetime job-placement assistance to graduates who are looking for commercial-driving opportunities. Placement assistance does not guarantee a specific job, employer, schedule, or pay rate, but our team can help you explore opportunities that fit your CDL class and career goals.
No. At the Linden campus, we use a specialized “Circuit-Style” training method. This means multiple trucks and stations are running simultaneously on our 1-acre yard. You are constantly moving, practicing, and getting behind the wheel instead of just standing around waiting for your turn.
CDL eligibility depends on several factors, including your age, driving record, license status, medical qualifications, and the type of CDL you want to obtain. Because every situation is different, the easiest way to find out if you qualify is to speak with a CDL advisor.
Yes, as long as your driver’s license is still valid you can get a CDL. When you sign up with our CDL school, we will even help you find a job with our lifetime Job Placement Program!
Driving Academy offers BOTH types of transmission options. Our students pick whether they want a truck with an automatic or manual transmission.
