Hampton Roads, VA – The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted Tidewater Community College a federal grant to help veterans and their spouses train for careers in trucking. The FMCSA has announced a grant worth $102,769 that will be administered by the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education. Using this funding, 245 veterans and spouses have enrolled in TCC’s Truck Driving program since 2014. The grant recipients pay nothing for the one-semester, 16-credit certificate. Students learn to drive a truck in cutting-edge simulators that resemble a variety of road and weather conditions.
With this program, drivers will get 140 hours of on-the-road training. They will study and complete the course within 16 weeks. Coursework qualifies students to obtain the Class A CDL (commercial driver’s license) from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. It’s important to note that these programs are state-specific and most other similar programs are going to be as well since CDLs are provided by each respective state.
Once the students have completed their program, Tidewater Community College instructors will take them to the DMV test site to complete their final skills exam in person. Not only do students have to pass this skills-test, but they will also have to be able to successfully complete others, including a set of backing maneuvers with the truck and a road test in live traffic.
The community college has a Center for Workforce Solutions where the classes will be taught. Located in Suffolk, classes are offered year-round with sessions available during the days, evenings and weekends
