Veteran Trade Schools

VA-approved truck driving programs in Illinois

Quick answer

Most truck driving training in Illinois approved for the GI Bill® is on the job: 19 of the 37 locations are employers or sponsors offering apprenticeship or OJT, so you can earn wages while you train.

VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 37 truck driving training locations in Illinois with 48 approved programs: 18 with school programs and 19 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training.

Before you enroll, open the VA profile to confirm the exact program, and ask the School Certifying Official to confirm your start date. [VA: Choosing a GI Bill approved school]

Also check FMCSA's registry. First-time Class A and B CDL students must train with a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry. [FMCSA: Entry-Level Driver Training]
Illinois CDL schools →

37 locations, by city

Show all 37 locations

Rock Valley College

Rockford, IL
VA profile for Rock Valley College (opens VA Comparison Tool)
VA-approved School program Public
  • 120 CDL Brush-Up Refresher
  • 160 CDL Brush Up Refresher
  • 200 CDL-A Truck Driver Training
  • 40 Hour CDL Brush-Up
  • 80 CDL Brush Up

GI Bill students (all programs): 148Accredited (regional)

Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool program data, retrieved October 23, 2026. School details come from VA's data file dated October 8, 2026. The list is sorted by city, then name. It isn't a ranking.

Common questions

How many GI Bill-approved truck driving programs are in Illinois?

VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 48 approved programs at 37 locations in Illinois as of October 23, 2026. That's about 4% of the 888 truck driving locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 19 employers and apprenticeship sponsors, 13 public colleges and technical schools, 4 for-profit schools, 1 private nonprofit school.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Which cities in Illinois have truck driving programs?

By number of locations: Chicago (4), Joliet (3), Danville (2), Rockford (2), Springfield (2), Atlanta (1) and 23 more cities.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Are there paid truck driving apprenticeships in Illinois that take the GI Bill?

Yes. 19 locations offer VA-approved on-the-job training in Illinois (19 programs); 16 of them are registered apprenticeships. With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you're paid wages plus a monthly housing payment that steps down every six months.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool] [VA: On-the-job training and apprenticeships]

Other trades in Illinois

← All Truck Driving / CDL programs · Does the GI Bill cover CDL school?

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool data (ComparisonToolData.xlsx)”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “Choosing a GI Bill approved school”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  4. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)” (page last updated February 4, 2026). Retrieved October 23, 2026.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.