CDL Driving School Instructors & Their Stories

Daryle has had a commercial driving license since 1998. Since an early age, Daryle has had a passion to drive large vehicles. "As a kid when on road trips with my parents” Dayle continued. “I would get excited jumping up and down when we would get near or pass a big truck. When I was a teenager, I would ride with my older cousin in his decked out Peterbilt." Daryle started driving in the charter bus and tourism industry with Rocky Mountain Tours and Village Tours in 1998 with a Class B License. Daryle says, "While driving tour buses, I toured the country. I was a part of the 2000 Winter Olympics in Salt City, Utah, for about 4 weeks, providing transportation for athletes and attending the opening and closing ceremonies." "The big rigs were still calling my name," Daryle said. "So in 2006, I obtained my Class A License and began my truck driving career." Daryle has experience in Flatbed, Dry Van and Reefer Trucks while operating a variety of equipment. His story continues: "In 2019, my compassion grew even more, and I was guided to share my experience and compassion for driving with others. I'm truly honored to be a part of the team of instructors at CDL University since December 2018." During Daryle's years at CDL University he has shown loyalty, true understanding and dedication to helping its students succeed, he has since taken over the operation of the school. CDL University is lucky to have him.

Following military service and college, Bruce Davidson began his transportation career in 1973 with the industrial gases division of Chemetron Corporation. In addition to teaching Class A CDL certification courses, he has worked decades in various positions in the transportation industry, including, but not limited to, a city delivery driver, an Over the Road (OTR) driver, and distribution manager. Bruce has also been involved in all aspects of the distribution chain, including customer service and site installations, coordination of vehicle maintenance, and post-accident investigations. In the 1980s, he worked as a driver for Lattimore Materials in Denison and McKinney, Texas, where he delivered rock and sand for road building and concrete production. Bruce can teach you all you need to know about frac sand delivery in Oklahoma and the surrounding areas. After an absence of several years, Bruce returned to trucking in 1998 as a dispatcher for Payton Transportation. From 2000 to 2014, Bruce was a road driver for McCorkle Truck Line in Oklahoma City. McCorckle took him from coast to coast, hauling dry bulk materials to traditional industrial sites and oil and natural gas wells across the United States. By this time, Bruce had amassed over twenty-five (25) years of experience in the transportation industry, driving over 2.5 million (2,500,000) miles. Bruce enjoys the educational side of being a CDL Instructor. He has spent many years teaching CDL classes, a few years asd a Red Cross CPR and First Aid Instructor, and taught dozens of defensive driving courses. He was an instructor at another Oklahoma City CDL school for three years prior to being recruited by and joining CDL University. Bruce knows the importance of quality CDL instruction and its impact on a driver’s career. He felt it was hard for students to get valuable, quality training in Oklahoma. He made it a personal goal to put himself in the position to provide quality CDL training. So, he consulted with several recruiters for companies hiring new CDL graduates, and it was clear CDL University offered him the chance to help develop his own curriculum to accomplish his goals. He wanted to raise the bar to a higher standard. Bruce decided CDL University is the place for him, and the place for CDL students to get a HIRE education.

Cindy Beeler is a CDL Instructor at CDL University LLC in Oklahoma City. Here is what she had to say about her experiences in the trucking and truck driving school industries. My love for semi-trucks began when I was about seven years old. My family and I lived right next door to a bona fide truck driver by the name of Tom Rucker. He was what we called a “Long Haul” driver. He would load me up in his truck occasionally and we would go to his trailer (approximately ten miles away). His wife would follow us and pick me up when he was all hooked up. Mr. Rucker would always bring me gifts back from his long road trips. In my twenties, I worked for a laundry. I drove a little panel-van and it was my job to pick up gym towels from the local schools. My boss there eventually asked me to get a Chauffeur’s License. A Chauffeur License was what the government called them before they were renamed “Commercial Driver’s License.” One day, driving my Pinto car, I went to get my Chauffeur License. The examiner came outside to greet me and said, “Okay, let’s go.” He took me on the car route. When we returned, he told me I was the proud owner of a driver’s license. “I told him thank you, but asked, “Do you mean I’m the proud owner of a Chauffeur’s License?” He looked back at his clipboard, smiled, and said, “Yes.” At this point, I still had no idea I would eventually become a truck driver. Several years later, I went through a divorce and its challenges had me wanting to run far away from home. I realized I could do so — and get paid for it, by going to Crowder College’s trucking school. Before I was accepted, though, I needed to find a trucking company that was willing to give me a job when I passed the program. Tri-State Motor Transit was my first truck driving job. I hauled explosives, jet engines, and other hazardous materials. I worked at Tri-State Motor Transit for approximately six months hauling these potentially dangerous materials. My second job was for Contract Freight Inc., or CFI. I was a truck driver for CFI for over 13 years. I hauled anything that would fit inside of a dry van (48′ and 53′). I was a CDL Instructor at CFI and also helped with the Safety Department by contributing knowledge to the department and the public about the “No Zone,” which means the area containing the truck and trailer’s blind spots. I also worked for Arrow Trucking, TNS Trucking, and have helped out for a few friends. I’ve helped my son get his business going by helping him develop the company and even by driving for him myself. Eventually, I became a CDL Instructor at American Truck Training, leaving there to work at Redlands Community College, in El Reno, Oklahoma. I love teaching and giving my students a good headstart on their career in trucking. I believe trucking opens opportunities for many things in life, and my career in the industry has made me proud of who I am today. Trucking took me places I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to see.

Shawn McCoy received his Class A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) in 2017 after completing the Troops Into Transportation program at Hopkinsville Community College's (HCC) while stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. During his seven year Army career, Shawn advanced through the ranks, taking advantage of the numerous educational opportunities available. After completing leadership and management training, Shawn became a leader, mentor, trainer, and instructor, traveling around the United States educating leaders and soldiers. He even set a new communication's standard with one National Guard Unit. While attending school at Hopkinsville Community College, Shawn recognized he had a passion for trucking and strove to learn as much as possible so as to become proficient and knowledgeable in his newly chosen career. After receiving his Class A CDL, Shawn took a position with H&E Equipment Services in Nashville, Tennessee, as a heavy equipment hauler. Following advanced training, he gained experience in pulling, loading, unloading, and securing heavy equipment using a variety of trailers, including lowboys, flatbeds, and RGNs (removable goosenecks). After a year of working throughout greater Tennessee and its surrounding states, H&E Equipment offered Shawn a position in his home state of Oklahoma. Subsequent to his time with H&E Equipment, Shawn transferred to Sunbelt Equipment Rentals, hauling heavy equipment and taking on a strong safety role. Next, Shawn began working for Stevens Trucking where he gained dry-van experience hauling cargo between hubs across Oklahoma, eventually pursuing a career as a CDL instructor and being given an opportunity as an instructor at the CDL University in Oklahoma City. Shawn credits his success to his dedication to safety and safety training, along with a strong work ethic and his openness to learn new things. “I have met a lot of people and have had a lot of mentors and trainers push me to perform not only better, but safer as well,” Shawn continued. “I love being on the road and mentoring, and wanted to give back to assist new up-and-coming professional drivers, giving them the same motivation and help. I wanted to take and combine both of my passions, plus experience, not only with driving but with the military, and share them with students at CDL University in Oklahoma City.”