A new option for career advancement in the shipping industry is available at Roane-Jackson Technical Center. A six week course to earn a Commercial Driving License Class A license began at the beginning of this month.
A new six week program is available at Roane-Jackson Technical Center. The new Commercial Driving License class will allow for more people to have access to an open door to a new career, or an opportunity to further the one they already have.
The principal of Roane-Jackson Technical Center, Ben Cummings, was quoted by WVNews on the new program itself, and why the school chose that program specifically to add to its catalog, saying, “In West Virginia and across the United States, there is a shortage of truck drivers. This is having a great impact on shipping, which has caused a lot of issues with almost every business. We were hearing this from our state Department of Education and the state and local economic development authorities.”
Like with any program, the cost had to be considered. A CDL class requires instructors, vehicles, and training areas for students to get the adequate training needed. Cummings also discussed these considerations, saying, “The state found the money to cover instructors and trucks. The biggest issue we have is the site preparation that will allow for shifting and turning. When we got the bids, they were too high, and the regulations of the federal government that we had to follow have changed significantly since February of this year. We will be building a course soon. Our biggest concern, for now, is fuel costs. These trucks get 7 miles to the gallon at best for a standard and 9 gallons for an automatic.”
For now, the current class of students who started early this month will be using the school’s parking lot as the training area. One instructor, Gene Redman, spoke on this arrangement, saying, “It will allow them to do the things they need to. It’s not ideal but it will work. And we hope to have a second rig soon.”
So far, three students are enrolled in the class. They all have their Class B licenses which is a designation that allows them to drive dump trucks, buses, and commercial trucks. Earning their Class A licenses will allow them to also drive larger, manual transmission vehicles and tractor-trailers.
Redman spoke about the need in the shipping industry for drivers with these licenses: “There is a great demand in several industries especially oil and gas and freight. A lot of those companies require the driver to be able to handle 13 and 18-speed transmissions.”
The program lasts for six weeks and is a five-day-a-week course running from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It costs $4,000 and has an additional option of a seventh week for an additional $400, which will provide Hazmat training and certification.
In order to be accepted into the class, students must have a high school diploma or equivalent degree and must be at least 18 years old. A driver’s license is also required, as is either a Class D, Class E, or Level 3 Graduated for at least a year. Before admission, potential students will also take a West Virginia Department of Transportation physical exam. Several drug screens and background checks will have to be passed as well.
There will also be an Adult Education pre-entrance exam that has to be passed before the admission process can start. Cummings talked a little bit about class sizes being top of mind when admissions criteria were being designed: “There are a few steps to follow with that, but none of them difficult. We plan to always keep the classes small with eight as our maximum.”
There are three tests within the course that must be passed in order for students to earn their Class A licenses. The tests cover general knowledge, air and break, and a combination test with a tractor-trailer.
Redman discussed other topics covered in the class, saying, “We also teach them how to drive on these windy roads, in cities and the interstate. And we teach map reading because GPS doesn’t always work on the West Virginia backroads. One important aspect we stress is pre-trip procedures to make sure the rig is ready to go.”
He also offered advice to anyone wanting to be a truck driver: “Always look ahead and be prepared. When you’re on the road, leave yourself an out. You never know what you’re going to face.”
Steven Love is another instructor for the class, and has been a trainer for a flatbed company. He spoke about teaching with Roane-Jackson Technical Center, saying, “So far this has been a great teaching experience. A couple of the guys come in with some experience but are also learning a lot. They’ve been a big help with the younger student who is going for his first CDL license.”
Love also talked about the high earning potential of being a truck driver: “This isn’t true for every company of course, but some truckers can earn $100,000. There is such a high demand right now.”
So far, the three students, Michael McCallister, Daniel Shamblin, and Micah Dotson, have gone on the record with mounds of praise for the course and their instructors.
Shamblin spoke about the amount of information in the class, saying, “I’ve got my Class B but I am learning so much already. There are a lot of rules and regulations.”
McCallister talked about the mood of the class: “There’s a very peaceful atmosphere here. They’re encouraging and welcoming and that helps a lot.”
“We just want to help improve lives. That’s the bottom line,” Cummings said of the goal of the class.
Dotson, who is the youngest member of the three-person class, sees this class as doing just that: “This is moving me a giant step ahead. It’s a dream come true.”
The next run of the course is expected to begin on February 6, 2023. More information about the class or Roane-Jackson Technical Center can be found on the school’s website.