Johnson College to Launch CDL Training

In response to the regional and national demand for CDL truck drivers, Johnson College has partnered with Ancora Education to offer a Class A CDL Driver Training course. The College is currently enrolling students for the course, which will begin on March 20, 2023, at the College’s new satellite campus, Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center, in Hazle Township.

The course, which will be managed by Ancora, will feature a four-to-one student-teacher ratio, ensuring high-quality training with an industry professional. Students will learn to inspect and operate tractor-trailers and to assume driver responsibilities on the road and at pickup/delivery points. Emphasis will be placed on vehicle inspections, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor carrier safety regulations (DOT 380 -397 and a certificate for entry-level drivers), trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, general maintenance procedures, hours of service, and accident prevention. Participants in this 160-hour program can obtain their CDL in as little as four weeks.

“Johnson College has been committed to its mission of providing in-demand career training for over 100 years,” said Bill Burke, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs at Johnson College. “Knowing that there is a shortage of truck drivers, we felt the addition of this program and partnership with Ancora could have an immediate impact on the Hazleton area.”

The course complies with the new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules established by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA), which went into effect in February 2022.

After completing the CDL Training course, students will earn a CDL Training: Class A Tractor Trailer Certificate from Johnson College and the qualifications for one of the most in-demand careers in the nation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Pennsylvania is $49,270.

To learn more or to enroll in the Class A CDL Driver Training course, visit johnson.edu/hazleton-cdl or contact the College’s Continuing Education department at continuinged@johnson.edu.