North Carolina’s high demand for truckers has led to an exciting development at Guilford Technical Community College. The college will be opening a state-of-the-art driver training facility, thanks to generous grants from the state and the U.S. Commerce Department. This $4.35 million facility will help meet the growing need for skilled truck drivers in the region.

“With the construction of the truck driving training facility on the Greensboro campus, GTCC will be able to double the number of students who enroll in the truck driver training program each year and provide comprehensive day and evening training through 250 hours of training on the new driving range and road,” Anthony Clarke, community college president, reportedly said in a statement to Transport Topics.

Clarke said, “The new truck driver training facility will allow GTCC to institute additional in-demand programs such as Commercial Class B [CDL B] license for dump truck drivers, a CDL Class B passenger program and a refresher program for drivers who have recently gotten out of the trucking industry.”

In June, the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration awarded a generous $1.74 million grant to support this exciting project. In addition, the state is stepping up with an additional $2.61 million from N.C. capital infrastructure funds.

This state-of-the-art facility will feature a spacious driving pad for behind-the-wheel training and top-notch classroom facilities. This project has been specially designated for GTCC by the State Board of Community Colleges.

“The project is fully approved and funded. We are starting the project in consent with federal and local agencies that we will work with to ensure that our procurement and construction processes meet the requirements per the federal funding,” Clarke noted. “Due to certain unknown factors, it is hard to provide a very specific date but our expectation is the facility will be available for use by the fall semester of 2025.”

Originally founded as Guilford Industrial Education Center in 1958, the college launched its truck driving school in 2019 to help tackle the demand for drivers in the area. With over 47,150 trucking companies in the state, this school is ready to support a wide range of businesses right from the start.

“This year there are 183 students, with one class remaining, and it will have 24 to 28 students enrolled,” Clarke said. “Since the program began in October 2020, 455 students have enrolled with a passing rate of 92%.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 4% job growth in the industry from 2022 to 2032. That’s an average of 241,200 job openings each year. In May 2022, North Carolina alone had 65,240 truck drivers, earning an average salary of $50,930 annually.

“This program has a consistent waiting list of potential students from Guilford County and across the region. It’s located in east Greensboro, is affordable compared to other truck driving programs and has the potential for salaries above the regional average — all which makes this program highly sought,” Clarke stated.

Their comprehensive tractor-trailer training curriculum will allow students to learn how to inspect, operate, and navigate these powerful vehicles with ease, both on the road and at pickup and delivery points.

“This is a 320-hour course. Instruction is 22% classroom and 78% on the driving range and/or on the road. Emphasis is placed on vehicle inspection, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor carrier’s safety regulations, trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, general maintenance procedures, hours of service and vehicle accident prevention,” Clarke said. “GTCC offers an eight-week full-time class and a 16-week part-time weekend class.”

Recruiters from top companies regularly attend the school’s training sessions, highlighting the high demand for truck drivers in the state. During a recent session, four companies visited our school to seek out talented drivers.

The school offers financial assistance and various workforce development scholarships, including the Metallica Scholars program. Created by the iconic rock band and its management, this initiative provides direct financial support to community college career and technical education programs. They are one of the 42 schools accepted into the Metallica Scholars program.

It’s worth noting that in North Carolina, trucks play a vital role in transporting 96.6% of all manufactured tonnage in the state, as documented by the NCTA.

Source: Transport Topics