Temple College started offering commercial driver’s license (CDL) training through its Division of Business and Continuing Education Nov. 14.
The program is being started at the request of the Temple Chamber of Commerce and the Temple Economic Development Corporation to meet a shortage of truck drivers in central Texas.
According to a 2015 report from the American Truckers Association, there are more than 48,000 openings nationwide in the trucking industry.
“Temple companies such as McLane Company, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, H-E-B Distribution Center, and Performance Food Group are experiencing a shortage in CDL drivers,” said Charley Ayres, vice president of the Temple Economic Development Corporation. “This program will meet a need in our community and provide qualified candidates for employment, as well as encourage students to enter a field with a median earning of $17 per hour.”
The program is five weeks long and will include 210 hours of instruction − 70 hours in the classroom and 140 hours on the road. A new class will start every two weeks.
The program is open to men and women over 21 years of age who have a good driving record. Tuition is $4,795 plus the cost of a drug test, physical, background check and learners permit. Financial assistance is available and may pay up to 100 percent of the tuition.
For more information, visit www.templejc.edu/bce or call 254-298-8625.