CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Taking a course to earn a commercial driver's license (CDL) can often cost thousands of dollars.
Thanks to a new partnership between the Education Service Center's Crossroads Program and Coastal Bend College, students interested can now earn their CDL at no cost.
Coastal Bend College's director of workforce development and continuing education, Braden Reed said this opportunity would greatly benefit our local and statewide trucking industry.
"We've seen the need in our community, regional and rural areas for CDL drivers," Reed said. "Anywhere you drive right now, you see 'now hiring' signs, so we want to work to get our community members the training the need to get those positions."
According to the American Trucking Association, the trucking industry is short about 60,000 drivers nationwide. They also estimate that the Texas trucking industry consists of around 200,000 drivers.
Reed said meeting both local and state needs for essential jobs is important. That's why she says joining forces with the education service center to provide free CDL classes was a no-brainer.
"Having truck drivers is one of the bigger needs we have locally," Reed said. "To be able to offer these types of courses available to the community helps us establish our goal to provide opportunity and let people know that they can have success in this community."
On a daily basis, trucks in Texas are moving around 2.2 million tons of goods throughout the state.
While the profession is often overlooked, adult education program manager for the Education Service Center-Region 2 Irene Ramos said it's important to help locals find a career in a field that is essential for economic growth both locally and statewide.
"It's important because we keep Texas moving forward," Ramos said. "Our economy is founded on how our commerce moves. Transportation is critical to a strong economic base."
"We'll help them, support them, provide that wrap-around support, pay the tuition to ensure the strength of not only the Coastal Bend, but of course the state of Texas," she said.
For more information on those CDL classes click here or call 361-561-8488.
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