Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s Truck Driver Training program has been a resounding success, graduating more than 300 new drivers in its first year, according to college sources.
A-B Tech partners with TransTech to provide the training, which includes five-week sessions and testing for Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL). Many CDL graduates are adults looking for more flexibility, better pay, and a chance to hit the open road.
“A-B Tech is in the business of training adults for lucrative careers, and truck driving is currently one of the best opportunities,” said Deborah Bailey, the college’s vice president for Continuing Education and Economic & Workforce Development. “The trucking industry needs 100,000 truck drivers nationally, and there are hundreds of job openings in our area. We’re excited to have found the right partner in TransTech to help us provide this valuable program.”
Program coordinator Carol Faust noted that the courses allow a student to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License, CDL-A or CDL-B, in as little as five weeks through a hybrid program consisting of both online and behind-the-wheel training. The courses consist of 56 hours of online coursework and 120 hours of behind-the-wheel training, including night driving. Students obtain a CDL permit from the NC Department of Motor Vehicles and then pass the NC CDL test at TransTech to obtain a CDL license.
Orientation sessions are scheduled every two weeks at the Ferguson Center for Allied Health and Workforce Development on the A-B Tech campus in Asheville. Students must register in advance and attend an orientation session in person. Once the orientation session has been completed, students may enroll in five-week courses that are offered every two weeks. A-B Tech also offers a 10-week evening and weekend option for students who cannot attend classes during the week.
Successful applicants must be 18 (or 21 for interstate commerce or hazardous…
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