Commercial Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Opportunity
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) on Wednesday, October 11, to highlight the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that expands job opportunities for veterans and military personnel in the trucking industry.
PGCC was awarded $173,640 in funding as part of the Transportation Department’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) grant program established in 2005.
Veterans, spouses of veterans, and children of veterans: Are you interested in a career as a CDL A or CDL B driver?
Contact us for an application today at TDI@pgcc.edu.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) capacity—the combined weight of the vehicle, passengers, and cargo—exceeding 26,000 pounds. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes, sometimes spanning several states.
Bus drivers transport people between various places—including work, school, and shopping malls—and across state or national borders. Some drive regular routes, while others transport passengers on chartered or sightseeing tours.
Median annual wages (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022):
- Tractor-trailer truck drivers: $50,310
- School or special client bus drivers: $39,540
- Intercity bus drivers: $52,310
Our objective is to train and test student drivers to obtain a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Upon completion, students will be licensed to drive all commercial Class A (tractor-trailer) and Class B trucks (straight trucks, passenger and school buses, dump and concrete mixer trucks, and utility vehicles). Other endorsements—such as Hazmat, Tanker, and Double and Triple Trailer—can be added later or when obtaining a learner’s permit.
Entry-Level Driver Training
Your first step for a career in trucking is to complete the entry-level driver training course. This course will satisfy the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) theory requirements for Commercial Vehicle operation. Student driver-trainees will become proficient in the following general knowledge areas: basic vehicle operation, safe operating procedures, advanced operating procedures, vehicle systems, hours of service, and other non-driving activities.
Students do not need a learner’s permit to begin the course but must have one before they can advance to CDL-A or B. This course is entirely online and self-paced. Your bill must be paid in full to get instructions to complete your class.
Please Note:
- This is an entirely online, self-paced course.
- Your bill must be paid in full to get instructions for the course.
- This course is not done through CANVAS.
- You will get information from the college on how to access your course.
Class A Admission Requirements
A student must:
- Be 18 years of age. (Must be 21 to drive out of Maryland)
- Possess a valid, non-provisional driver's license.
- Pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical and drug screen.
- Obtain a CDL Class A Learner's Permit.
- Please note that drivers licensed in Maryland and Washington, D.C., will be accepted into the CDL Class A licensing program.
Class B Admission Requirements
A student must:
- Be at least 18 years of age (or 21 years of age for the District of Columbia).
- Possess a valid non-provisional driver's license from Maryland or Washington, D.C.
- Pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical and drug screen.
- Obtain a CDL Class B learner's permit from the state where they are currently licensed.
Please review the CDL federal requirements and permit practice exams.
Customized Training
Prince George’s Community College offers customized training services for your transportation and distribution needs.
Courses
- CDL-328 Entry-Level Driver Training Theory
- CDL-324 Commercial Driver's License (CDL): Class A
- CDL-301 Commercial Driver's License (CDL): Class B
- Choose question
Contact Information
Phone: 301-546-0062
Email: tdi@pgcc.edu