Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) has received a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) grant for $80,000 to provide commercial driver’s license training tuition for veterans and the spouses or children of veterans.
“This achievement reflects P&HCC’s commitment to advancing safer roads and supporting the mission we share: reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. This work strengthens the foundation of roadway safety in communities across the country,” said Derek Barrs, FMCSA administrator.
Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC,) in partnership with Ancora Education, offers Commercial Driver’s License: Class A Truck driver training. This training program provides students with training to inspect and operate tractor trailers and to assume driver responsibilities on the road at pick-up/delivery points. Emphasis is placed on vehicle inspections, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor career safety regulations, trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, general maintenance procedures, hours of service, and accident prevention. Classes are small and taught by experienced instructors who give students a real-life perspective on what it’s like to be a truck driver.
To be eligible for training, students must have a valid Virginia Driver’s License, obtain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate by passing a Department of Transportation (DOT) Physical, apply for and pass a Class A Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) through the Department of Motor Vehicles office, and obtain a DOT drug screen with negative results prior to the start of the program. The minimum age to register is 18, but those under the age of 21 will be restricted to intrastate driving only (cannot cross state lines).
CDL training is conducted by Ancora through a hybrid model with classroom, yard, and behind-the-wheel instruction, aligned with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards and listed on the Training Provider Registry. Ancora provides instructors, curriculum, and vehicle for training and the skills exam, with P&HCC providing recruitment, enrollment, student support, classroom space, and administrative oversight.
The CDL training program includes 40 hours of classroom instruction, 120 hours of range training, 10 hours of behind-the-wheel training, DOT physical, drug screening, and skills test attempt. The weekday program runs Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., for four weeks. The part-time, weekend program runs Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., for eight consecutive weekends.
Potential students may contact the Fast Forward team at fastforward@patrickhenry.edu or 276-656-0260 to learn more about classes and financial support for DOT physical, drug screen, and resources to help them study for the CDL learners permit.
