Truck Driver Training at RLC gets a new look

INA, Ill. (July 18, 2014) - The Truck Driver Training program at Rend Lake College got a new look this week with the redesign on a trailer used for student practice. The newly painted trailer will be used for classes starting this month.

“We plan to make it quite visible around the community and at special events. It will be near our station at the Living Color Living United Color Run in Mt. Vernon on Aug. 2 at the Primary Center,” said Nathan Wheeler, Marketing Specialist, who designed the graphics on the truck. “We think the graphic really says it all. At Rend Lake College, your journey really does start here.”

Students enrolled in the Truck Driver Training program receive hands-on practice from experienced instructors. At the conclusion of the five-week training, students are tested by the Secretary of State to receive a Class A CDL.

Students can work toward Truck Driver Training or Heavy Equipment Transportation occupational certificates, both of which are already enrolling for the fall semester. The Truck Driver Training certificate prepares students for a career as a truck driver and takes five weeks of classes. The Heavy Equipment Transportation certificate goes more in depth to teach students about the maintenance, repair, and operation of semi-tractor trailer units. It takes two semesters of classes to complete.

Classes for the Truck Driver Training certificate are held from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday on the RLC campus in Ina. Four more classes in the Heavy Equipment Transportation certificate will also be held on the Ina campus, starting Aug. 18.

According to the U. S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, job options for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers will increase by 11 percent, or 192,600 jobs, by the year 2022. As the economy grows, the demand for goods will increase and more drivers will be needed.

Look for the new RLC Truck Driver Training trailer out and about in your community. To find out more about the program, contact the RLC Truck Driver Training Center at 1-877-477-4408.