South Carolina · Charleston — Greenville — Columbia
South Carolina CDL schools from Charleston to Columbia: a Midlands CDL program against a 252-hour Trident certificate, checked — not guessed
Compare Class A CDL programs in Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia by what is actually published: length, gross cost where published, funding, and registry check date. Where a price is not published by the provider, this page says so instead of copying an aggregator.
Last checked: 2026-10-27. Sources are linked in the table notes and on each school page. This is a comparison directory and referral service, not a school.
True-cost calculator — formula shown live
Comparison table — click a column heading to sort
| School | Program | Length | Gross cost | Funding as published | Registry status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands Technical College — Columbia, Richland County | Class A | 160 hrs; 4 weeks weekday; 8 weeks weekend | $4,999 est. (provider page) / $5,099 (SC Path) | SC Path WIOA field for this listing reads "No" — verify before publishing any funding claim | Status: LISTED — FMCSA Registry, checked 2026-10-26 — via Ancora Training for Midlands Technical College; Columbia locations 151 Powell Road and 316 S Beltline Blvd |
| TransTech CDL — Charleston — North Charleston, Charleston County | Class A and Class B | 4 weeks full-time; 10 weeks weekend | [UNVERIFIED] | SC Works approved; works with WIOA offices, per provider page | Status: CHECK BEFORE ENROLLING — appears on FMCSA proposed-removal list as TRANSTECH INC Charleston, updated 09/03/2026; active search under exact name TransTech CDL Training returned 0, checked 2026-10-26 |
| Trident Technical College — Thornley Campus (temporary, during Berkeley Campus renovation), North Charleston (see note) | Class A | 252 hrs; weeks [UNVERIFIED] | [UNVERIFIED] | State and federal aid per program page; Commercial Truck Driving listed for SC WINS up to $5,000/yr for qualifying SC residents | Status: LISTED — FMCSA Registry, checked 2026-10-26 — 7000 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406; Class A theory, behind-the-wheel road and range |
| Miller-Motte Driving Institute (MMDI) — Summerville, 1412 State Rd, SC 29486 (FMCSA Registry address, checked 2026-10-26) | Class A | 4 weeks or 8 weeks; classes every 5 weeks | [UNVERIFIED] | [UNVERIFIED] | Status: LISTED — FMCSA Registry, checked 2026-10-26 — listed as Lindenwood Education System, 1412 State Rd, Summerville |
| Greenville Technical College — Greenville County | Class A, automatic trucks only | 160 hrs; Mon–Thu 4 weeks; Sat–Sun 8 weeks, 7am–5:30pm | $5,000.00 Registration (GTC schedule system, checked 2026-10-26; labeled Registration, not gross tuition); next start 11/09/2026 | Listed on GTC 2026–2027 Career Pathways Scholarship eligible-programs list under Truck Driver Training (CDL); no CDL-specific amount published | Status: LISTED — FMCSA Registry, checked 2026-10-26 — via Ancora Training for Greenville Technical College, 225 S Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville |
| Driving Academy — Greenville — Greenville County | Class A, Class B, Class B+P | 100 hrs+; nights and weekends available | [UNVERIFIED] — only payment fact published: start with $500 down | [UNVERIFIED] | Status: NOT FOUND under exact name — FMCSA active, proposed-removal, and removed searches, checked 2026-10-26; a different registered name cannot be ruled out. CHECK BEFORE ENROLLING. |
| Roadmaster Drivers School of Columbia — Columbia, Richland County | Class A | About a month; hours [UNVERIFIED] on provider page | [UNVERIFIED] on provider page — SC Path lists $7,695, WIOA Eligible: Yes | SC Path: WIOA Eligible: Yes; provider page: financial assistance for those who qualify | Status: LISTED — FMCSA Registry, checked 2026-10-26 — under registry name Roadmaster Drivers School (CSC), 1602 Andrews Road, Columbia |
| TransTech CDL — Columbia — Columbia, Richland County | Class A and Class B | 160 hrs (SC Path: 50 theory / 50 range / 60 road); 4 weeks full-time; 10 weeks weekend | [UNVERIFIED] on provider page — SC Path lists $4,154, WIOA Eligible: Yes | Provider FAQ: financing, VA benefits, SC Works grants, carrier sponsorship; SC Path: WIOA Eligible: Yes | Status: CHECK BEFORE ENROLLING — appears on FMCSA proposed-removal list as TRANSTECH INC Columbia, updated 09/03/2026; active search under exact name TransTech CDL Training returned 0, checked 2026-10-26 |
| 160 Driving Academy of Columbia — Columbia address UNCONFIRMED (see note) | Class A | 160 hrs (national program description); as little as four 40-hour weeks | [UNVERIFIED] | [UNVERIFIED] for Columbia | Status: NOT FOUND active in Columbia — FMCSA active search, checked 2026-10-26; provider locator shows no Columbia location; removed entry for parent name Rock Gate Capital, LLC, Columbia, dated 03/20/2026, is parent-name only. CHECK BEFORE ENROLLING; do not treat as active. |
Sources, checked 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-27; registry statuses checked 2026-10-26 via live browser: Midlands — SC Path program search ($5,099, weekday/weekend schedule, prerequisites: SC CDL Permit, DOT physical, DOT drug screen) and Midlands Tech program page ($4,999 estimated, 160 hours — price conflict shown, not merged). TransTech Charleston — TransTech Charleston campus page. Trident — Trident Tech CDL page (252 hours, Berkeley Campus) and CDL steps page. MMDI — Miller-Motte MMDI page. Greenville Tech — Greenville Tech truck driver training page (160 hours, schedules, Ancora partner; no tuition published). Driving Academy Greenville — provider page. Roadmaster Columbia — provider page plus SC Path ($7,695, WIOA Yes). TransTech Columbia — provider page plus SC Path (160 hours, $4,154, WIOA Yes). 160 Columbia — provider locator shows no Columbia location, checked 2026-10-26; address listings conflict, so no street address is pinned here. Note: Trident library guide, Berkeley Campus Resources, updated Mar 5, 2026, states CDL is relocated to Thornley Campus during Berkeley Campus renovations; Trident's Continuing Education page listed no CDL class at the 2026-10-26 check, so confirm the relocation is still in effect before enrolling.
How to choose a CDL program in South Carolina — the CDL-specific steps
- Get a Commercial Learner's Permit first. In South Carolina you must be 18 or older, hold a valid SC driver's license, pass the required knowledge tests, and hold the CLP at least 14 calendar days before skills testing. Source: SCDMV first-CDL page.
- Complete ELDT with a registry-listed provider. Theory must cover every required curriculum unit, and behind-the-wheel training is in person, on range and public road, with proficiency documented in each required skill. Training with a provider not on the registry will not be accepted.
- Pass a DOT physical and drug screen where the program requires it. Midlands, for example, requires a SC CDL Permit, DOT physical, and DOT drug screen before class starts, plus a 10-year driving record obtained from SCDMV during application.
- Compare net price, not headline price. Use the calculator above with gross, fees, and the grant that actually applies to you. SC WINS, WIOA, and VA amounts differ by program, college, and local board — see the grants page.
- Check the registry on the day you enroll. A provider under notice or removed after you checked is not a safe enrollment. See the TPR tracker for the 5-step check.
TPR purge tracker — summary
Nationally, the FMCSA registry homepage on 2026-10-27 showed 18,330 active providers, 31,128 active locations, 475 locations under review, and 9,966 locations removed. No South Carolina-only removed count was published on the registry pages read in this build, so none is claimed here. Read the full tracker and the 5-step check.
Grants — summary
SC WINS: up to $5,000 per academic year after other aid, for qualifying SC residents in eligible technical-college programs. WIOA: amounts vary by local board; no single statewide cap is published here. VA/GI Bill: per-program approval required; non-college-degree cap $30,908.34 for 1 Aug 2026–31 Jul 2027 at the 100% tier. HOPE Career Grant is Georgia-only and is not an SC route. Full grants page.
Questions, answered first
How much does CDL training cost in South Carolina?
It varies by provider and by funding, and sources conflict. Midlands Technical College's CDL-A program is listed at $4,999 estimated on its own program page and $5,099 on SC Path, the South Carolina workforce program search, checked 2026-10-27; the two figures are not merged here. Greenville Technical College lists $5,000.00 Registration in its own schedule system, with next start 11/09/2026, checked 2026-10-26 — labeled Registration, not gross tuition. TransTech Charleston and Columbia publish no gross tuition on their own pages and direct visitors to admissions. Other providers in this corridor do not publish a gross CDL tuition figure on their own program pages, so this site marks those prices unverified rather than copying an aggregator figure.
How long does CDL training take in South Carolina?
In this corridor, published lengths range from 4 weeks full-time to 10 weeks part-time weekend, depending on the provider and schedule. Midlands Technical College runs 4 weeks weekday or 8 weeks weekend; TransTech Charleston runs 4 weeks full-time or 10 weeks weekend; Trident Technical College runs a 252-hour certificate program with no week count published on its program page.
What is ELDT, and why does the registry matter?
Entry-Level Driver Training is required for a first-time Class A or Class B CDL, a Class B to Class A upgrade, or a first passenger, school bus, or hazmat endorsement. It must be completed with a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before the state skills test; training with a provider not on the list will not be accepted.
Can SC WINS cover CDL tuition?
SC WINS can cover up to $5,000 per academic year in remaining tuition, fees, and required course-related expenses after all other scholarships and grants are applied, for a South Carolina resident in an eligible program at a SC technical college who meets one of the employment, financial-literacy, or volunteer criteria. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee an award, and coverage varies by college.
How do I check a CDL provider on the Training Provider Registry?
Search the provider by name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov, check the in-review list for a notice of proposed removal, check the removed list for a removal date, and repeat the check on the day you enroll, because status can change during enforcement periods.