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Truck Driver Training Program

 

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Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) offers a Truck Driver Training Program that gives students:

  • The training required to operate tractor-trailer rigs
  • The opportunity to get their commercial driver’s license (CDL)
  • The skills and knowledge to become professional truck drivers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for qualified commercial truck drivers is expected to grow exponentially through 2024, due to the need for more Heavy and Tractor Trailer Truck Drivers. Like many businesses, small and large trucking companies are dealing with a great deal of drivers retiring and leaving the industry. Trucking companies actively seek quality student drivers right out of school.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates:

  • will have the opportunity to be employed by commercial trucking companies
  • can become an owner-operator of a tractor-trailer rig
  • can take advantage of local job opportunities

Important Dates

  • A mandatory orientation session for the Truck Driver Training course will be held on Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 at 10am on the VGCC Main Campus in Henderson, Building 9, Seminar Room 1.
  • The official registration session for the truck driver training course will be held on Tuesday, May 21st, 2024 at 10am on the VGCC Main Campus in Henderson, Building 7, Room 7105
  • The first class meeting is Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 and runs through Monday, August 12th, 2024 meeting on the VGCC Main Campus in Henderson, Building 7, Room 7105
  • CDL-A class is 9 weeks. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise posted
  • Class will end on Monday, August 12th, 2024
  • Classes will consist of:
    • Classroom instruction/Online/Hybrid assignments through Moodle
    • Range driving
    • Road driving

Admission Requirements

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Have a valid North Carolina driver’s license
  • Have a CDL permit from the same state as their driver’s license
  • Be able to read and speak English well enough to:
    • Take instructions from highway signs
    • Be able to converse with officials
    • Be able to complete required reports
  • All prospective students for the CDL training must have their CDL-A learners permit PRIOR to the first day of class or admittance will not be allowed. There is no exception to this rule. You may go to the NCDOT website to study for the permit tests, ( www.ncdot.gov/dmv ), or download DMV Genie to take the practice permit test. You will be tested on (general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles). Permits can be obtained at the NC-DMV office. IF you live in another state your permit must be from that state even though you are taking the class in NC.
Complete List of Admission Requirements

Current training is daytime and weekday only.

You must:

  • Attend a mandatory orientation session: (See schedule and orientation dates)
  • Be at least 18 years old: Student graduates under 21 years old can drive only within North Carolina.
  • Hold a valid North Carolina Driver’s License with no limiting restrictions.
  • Be able to read and speak English well enough to take instructions from highway signs, to converse with officials, and complete the required reports. (FMCSR 391.11)
  • High school or college transcript 
  • Reading Placement Test with a minimum 8th grade reading level or better or present high school or GED® transcript showing graduation from high school or completion of GED® to register.
  • Acquire a North Carolina Class A permit with no limiting restrictions before the first day of class.
  • Pass a DOT physical and/or hold a valid (12 month minimum) DOT medical card. This should be completed by the 1st day of class. A current medical card is required to drive on the road.
  • Complete and Pass a DOT drug screen by the 1st day of class. Negative results are required to get onto a truck and remain in class. (Drug screen information included in packet.)
  • Show proof of permanent residency: All immigrants must have proper paperwork.

Due to the strict requirements and restrictions of most trucking companies you must also have:

  • A current Motor Vehicle Record with no convictions in the past 3 years of: DUI, refusal to take a chemical test, hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, careless and reckless driving, a preventable accident, or speeding 15 mph over the limit.
  • No felony or major misdemeanor convictions in the past 5 years, based on completion of sentence.

Note: Meeting these requirements will not guarantee you a position as a driver after course completion. Each trucking company has their own list of requirements; some more strict than what’s listed above.

Cost/Tuition

The cost for tuition and fees for the class is $1,200.  This is well below the average cost for commercial truck driving schools.

Dates for Future 2024 Classes:

August 19th and October 21st

Summer 2024 Payment information:

  • This amount is payable at registration on May 21st, 2024
  • Payment Deadline:
    • At least $500.00 is due at registration on May 21, 2024
    • $350.00 is due by the first day of class: June 5th, 2024
    • The final $350.00 is due by the 5th week of class on July 8th, 2024
  • There are opportunities for scholarships to partially defray the costs of tuition and fees
  • Federal Financial Aid cannot cover the costs of the CDL-A program because it is a continuing education course.
  • Costs for the required DOT physical and drug screen, and NC Motor Vehicle Record, permit and license are additional.
  • The truck driver training program is approved by the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Unemployed and underemployed individuals may qualify for tuition vouchers to participate in the course.   WIOA contact information is below:
    • WIOA Youth Program (ages 16-24) at Vance-Granville Community College: 252-738-3374 or edgertonb@vgcc.edu
    • WIOA Adult Program through NC Works: 252-598-5200.

Registration & More Info.

For more information about the Truck Driver Training Program, contact Kyle Burwell, Dean, Business & Industry Solutions, Vance-Granville Community College, 1547 South Campus Dr., Creedmoor, NC  27522 or at burwellk@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3521 or Gina Brewer at brewerg@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3324

For a complete list of Vance-Granville Community College Occupational Extension Classes please visit our Occupational Extension Page .