Professional Truck Driver Institute - History and Overview

History and Overview

The Professional Truck Driver Institute is a non-profit organization that offers a certification course in truck driver safety and behind the wheel training of commercial 18-wheeler tractor-trailer combinations. The certification courses are completed with the candidate's written and driving tests. Upon passing exams with the Department of Transportation, both State, and Federally regulated in the USA, the successful candidate received a Class-A CDL, (Commercial Driver's License), formerly known as a Chauffer's license.

In the United States, federal legislation was enacted to consolidate record keeping of the many different State's Department of Transportation. During this time, debates continued on the need for an organization capable of training administration for commercial motor carrier safety. Created in 1986, PTDI is a non-profit charitable organization that is regularly tested by transportation officials for curricula proficiency and standards. Each candidate for licensing of the CDL classes are taught to familiarize themselves with local, regional, State, and National laws governing commercial motor freight.

Standardizing classes of commercial licensing were adopted by all states under federal acts. For example, in Texas, the former commercial class license called a "Chauffer" license was changed to the multi-class CDL, differentiating between Class A, Class B, endorsements, and the non-commercial Class C licenses.