CDL programs offer an affordable path to high-demand careers

College of North Florida

Donor

Since fall 2021, Florida Gateway College (FGC) has been preparing students to earn their commercial driver’s license (CDL) and begin promising careers in the high-demand commercial truck driving industry. In 2017, North Florida College (NFC), a member institution of the Florida College System, launched its first specialized CDL course in partnership with local forestry industry employees.

Together, the two small-town colleges provided affordable, high-quality education for students and a highly skilled workforce for an industry in need of drivers.

FGC and NFC offer easy access to several active cities and shipping centers in the Southeast. Each is located near two major interstate highways, I-10 and I-75, placing them at the heart of one of the nation’s most important freight and transportation corridors. Both colleges are located near major freight ports on both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

By enrolling in these state colleges, students receive training that meets the highest industry standards while saving thousands of dollars compared to commercially available CDL training programs. During the programs, students can drive up to 1,000 miles, compared to only 200 miles offered by other schools. Students also have access to essential counseling and student support services and resources that come with attending a Florida College System institution.

According to the American Trucking Association, there is an estimated shortage of 80,000 truck drivers in the United States, and this shortage is expected to reach 160,000 by 2030. Increasing annual freight tonnage and an aging workforce are major factors contributing to this potential crisis.

As an older generation of truckers reaches retirement age and the demand for drivers is high and continues to grow, qualified candidates are well-positioned to earn impressive starting salaries and benefits. In 2023, drivers who complete driver licensing programs at Florida universities earn an average salary of $52,628 one year after graduation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, drivers in the top 10% of earners earn more than $75,000 per year.

Support from industry partners helps rural college CDL programs thrive.

Key players in the commercial trucking industry know that FGC and NFC CDL program graduates receive the highest quality training and are ready to enter the workforce. That’s why these industry partners are joining forces with colleges to help train the next generation of truck drivers.

With the support of industry partners like Pritchett Trucking and Werner Enterprises, the FGC program is able to offer top-notch training materials, equipment and facilities. Once certified and graduated, students are well positioned to fill increasingly in-demand truck driving positions in the region and across the country.

“FGC’s CDL program has consistently produced high-quality candidates due to the rigorous course requirements and their commitment to quality and safety,” said Kristi McCallister, driver recruiter for Pritchett Trucking. “We are grateful to the local program that shares the same vision to prepare drivers for a successful and safe career in the trucking industry.”

Last year, with the support of its partner Werner Enterprises, FGC was able to add a new tractor-trailer. Werner helped locate a truck in its fleet that had already been modified for student training and offered the vehicle at a great price. After delivery, Werner technicians inspected the truck and ensured it was in perfect condition to provide industry-standard training to FGC’s driver’s license students.

In 2015, logging industry employers reached out to NFC to help address the shortage of qualified, experienced truck drivers. NFC partnered with local businesses, CareerSource North Florida and the State of Florida to provide Class A driver license-specific training that is not readily available in other driver licensing programs.

Since 2017, NFC’s CDL-Class A program has specialized in logging, where students gain hands-on experience traveling to the jobsite, entering and exiting the logging area, loading and strapping the load, transporting the load on public roads and eventually to a mill, where they must follow instructions to successfully unload.

“The companies we partner with spend time presenting in our classes and offer internships,” said Don Hasson, NFC CDL instructor. “A student will spend just three months in the program and then start a career, earning $50,000 to $80,000 a year. Through this partnership, employers are now getting new employees who are experienced and ready to work. It’s a win-win.”

NFC business partners donate the proceeds from every student load to the NFC Foundation, ensuring the success of the program. Scholarships are created from these funds to help future students financially get started on their certification.

Located at the college’s Avery & Twyla Roberts School of Public Service in Olustee, Florida, FGC’s 11-week program provides 320 hours of training in the classroom and in the cab of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer. Course material covers all safety issues, federal rules and regulations, as well as hands-on training, including on FGC’s 280,000-square-foot operating area and on perimeter roads, which are part of the college’s larger public service training complex in Olustee.

Since its inception in 2021, 105 students have completed the FGC program, with the most recent graduation rate for 2022-23 reaching 91%.

Many students enrolled in NFC’s Class A or B programs in Madison are adults looking to change careers while working full-time to support their families. NFC responded by scheduling its 12-week, 320-hour instruction from Friday through Sunday. Like FGC, instruction takes place both in the classroom and on the road. In addition to obtaining a license, NFC offers students the opportunity to earn a Class B CDL certification and Hazmat, Passenger and School Bus endorsements.

Now in its 19th term, the NFC has an overall average graduation rate of 87%, with a 100% completion rate for its summer 2023 cohort.