KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Kansas City Kansas Community College, in partnership with Johnson County Community College, is now offering CDL-A training programs to fill vacant truck driving jobs within the community.
The Commercial Driver’s License — Class A program includes five weeks of training for future drivers of tractor trailers, preparing them for entry-level positions in the trucking industry.
The program runs from Monday, Oct. 21 to Tuesday, Dec. 3. Students interested in the program must meet a number of requirements, including attending an information session in September, having a valid driver’s license and a valid Commercial Learner’s Class-A permit and having a high school diploma or GED.
They also must pass a drug screening within 30 days of the start of the class, pass a Department of Transportation physical, complete a criminal background check and allow the college to obtain a current motor vehicle record from their state of residence.
Once in the program, students will spend 100 hours in the classroom and 60 hours behind the wheel of a truck, learning to shift, back up and handle 18-wheelers, as well as getting instruction in safety and operating procedures.
“People in our community need jobs,” said Jay Matlack, KCKCC workforce development coordinator. “And the trucking industry needs drivers. This training provides skills to individuals so that they can match up with the needs of many of the KC employers.”
The fee for the CDL-A training program is $3,895. The program is also approved by the Workforce Investment Act, which means some students may qualify to have the fee funded through KanWorks.
KCKCC and JCCC are partnering with the Metropolitan Community College system in Kansas City, Mo., to offer the program.
MCC already offers the program and is providing the trucks, simulator, instructors and curriculum, while KCKCC and JCCC provide the classroom space in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties.
For more information or to register for the program, contact Jay Matlack at 913-288-7210 or at jmatlack@kckcc.edu.
