Who We Are and What We Do
Ancora Training is a division of Ancora Education, which has been serving learners through technical, skills-based training since 2013. We are first and foremost an education company that believes in working hand-in-hand with our clients to create training solutions that are customized to their unique needs.
After a competitive bidding process, in July 2022 Tarrant County selected Ancora Training to manage a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training program for the County, as well as for the 500+ Texas government entities that participate in Tarrant County’s Cooperative Purchasing Program. Very broadly, a CDL is required to operate vehicles larger than a non-commercial car or truck.
Through this program, Tarrant County can establish agreements that allow other government jurisdictions and districts to obtain goods and services at competitive prices. In this case, Tarrant County’s award to Ancora Training means participating organizations can benefit from the highly competitive pricing that the County has negotiated with Ancora.
Unfortunately, no, as this training arrangement is limited to the agencies who are formally affiliated with the CPP. However, we can still develop a training program specific to your organization’s needs. Email us or fill out our inquiry form and let’s talk!
To date, Ancora Training and Ancora Education (our parent organization) have helped more than 10,000 individuals achieve their CDL. We are the CDL training vendor of Fortune 100 companies, community colleges, and government agencies across the nation.
Yes. Ancora’s curriculum and training methodologies are fully aligned with the ELDT rules that went into effect on February 7, 2022.
Yes! In addition to training your driver teams, we can provide upskilling and reskilling courses in a wide variety of subjects, such as skilled trades (HVAC, welding, mechatronics, industrial maintenance tech) as well as allied health (medical coding and billing, pharmacy tech), IT (IT support, web and app development) and professional development, such as Soft Skills for Success. While these programs are outside the scope of the County’s purchasing agreement, we’d love to talk with you about your training needs beyond CDL. Email us or fill out our inquiry form and let’s talk!
Eligibility and Registration
Yes. All students must be Texas residents—and hold a valid Texas driver’s license—in order to complete the program. Texas trainees must also take the CVO (commercial vehicle operation) exam before they can take the other three permit tests. Learn more about this here:
https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/driver-license-services-appointments
Employees must first undergo the standard background check, medical evaluation, and an acceptably clear motor vehicle record. Employees must also hold a current, valid driver’s license. More information about Texas’s requirements for CDL drivers can be found here.
Once you’ve identified which employees should attend training for their CDL, head to ancoraed.com/tarrant county or click here to get started. You can also email us at tarrant@ancora.com. After registration is complete, your employees will receive a packet of forms for them to obtain their medical exam, driving history, and background check. We also strongly recommend that your employees review and test for their Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) prior to the start of class.
A Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) is a brief knowledge exam that a trainee must complete before they begin the hands-on and over-the-road portion of the course. We strongly recommend trainees obtain their CLP prior to the first day of class to avoid any interruptions. If a trainee does not successfully obtain their CLP, they cannot progress past the first week of theory training.
Trainees can attempt to obtain their CLP during the theory training segment, but they may have challenges such as the class schedule, work schedule, DPS availability, or other factors.
Ancora offers a CLP Prep course to further increase a trainee’s chances of obtaining their CLP. The curriculum delivered in this course prepares the student for the written knowledge tests needed to acquire a CLP. We can also enroll your employees in the CLP100 course the week prior, if requested, at no additional cost.
In the State of Texas, trainees must have a valid Texas driver’s license before applying and testing for a CLP. More information about the requirements to obtain a CLP in Texas can be found here.
CDL Training Process
Our Tarrant County CDL training program is held at our campus at 2241 S Watson Rd, Arlington, TX 76010. We can also provide onsite training at your location, on your equipment. Email us or fill out our inquiry form and let’s talk!
A CDL-A is required to operate any combination of vehicles whose gross weight exceeds 26,001 pounds, as long as the towed portions are over 10,000 pounds. The semi trucks you see on the highway require a CDL-A, as do other large vehicles such as flatbeds, tankers, or other truck and trailer combinations.
In contrast, a CDL-B is the license required to operate vehicles with a gross combination weight at or above 26,001 pounds but are not connected to a trailer or other load that exceeds 10,000 pounds. Municipal transit buses and school buses are two examples of vehicles that require a CDL-B to operate, as are straight trucks, box trucks, or dump trucks.
An endorsement is an indicator that the CDL holder has undergone additional training specific to the endorsement topic. For example, a CDL-A holder may also opt for additional instruction in the handling of hazardous materials—also called hazmat—to earn their H endorsement, which qualifies them to drive vehicles transporting dangerous or volatile substances. Similarly, a CDL-B holder can receive additional training to obtain their P endorsement, required to transport passengers in a vehicle with 16 or more seats, such as in a school bus.
Classes start every two weeks, assuming we have the necessary number of participants, and run for four weeks. The class is a 160-hour course that runs for four weeks, with four ten-hour days per week. Our standard training model is four students and one instructor per training cohort.
If your organization has fewer than three people for training, a two-person cohort will run for three weeks and a one-person cohort will train for two weeks.
We can also provide onsite training at your location, on your equipment. Email us or fill out our inquiry form and let’s talk!
Nope! Each cohort can have a maximum of four trainees, but that number can include employees from your organization as well as any other entities affiliated with the Tarrant County Cooperative Purchasing Program. We can train as many or as few employees as you need.
Our standard CDL-A course is 160 hours, spread across four weeks of four 10-hour days. Running the class for four days instead of five provides an extra day to accommodate official holidays or allow for additional training for individuals who may be struggling with the material.
Week 1 is theory week, where trainees are introduced to the world of trucking and learn about safety procedures, traffic laws, transporting cargo, pre- and post-trip inspections, and other key topics. Weeks 2 – 4 are focused on hands-on learning, with students practicing inspections, minor maintenance, backing up maneuvers, and over-the-road driving.
If your organization has fewer than three people for training, a two-person cohort will run for three weeks and a one-person cohort will train for two weeks.
At the conclusion of the course, the CDL instructor will set appointments with Texas DPS for the trainees to take their written and driving exam. On the day of the test, the instructor will escort the trainee to DPS in the truck the trainee will use during the driving portion of the exam.
In the event a trainee is unsuccessful in passing their driving test, we allow for two additional testing attempts (for a total of three attempts). We work with the trainee to strengthen the areas where they fell short to prepare them for their next attempt.
If a trainee fails their driving test three times, we can discuss further options with their employer.
Yes, sort of. Technically offices do accept walk-ins, but people with a scheduled test time are prioritized above walk-ins. If a trainee takes this approach, we strongly encourage showing up at the DPS site as early as possible. At some offices walk-ins are in line by 5:30 a.m. Trainees can also set up an appointment but still try to walk-in earlier to test sooner.
Pricing
The fees we have negotiated with Tarrant County are as follows:
CDL-A
- CDL Class A: $5,000
- CDL Class A with tanker endorsement: $5,250
- CDL Class A with tanker and hazmat endorsement: $5,750
- CDL Class B: $5,000
- CDL Class B with passenger endorsement: $5,750
When you register your employees for class, Ancora will invoice your organization accordingly.