Local businesses and municipalities can now take advantage of customized, on-site Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training for their employees.
North Montco Technical Career Center can now deliver training on-location, making this option convenient for industry, boroughs and municipalities that want staff to earn this credential. Training can include CDL permit test prep and behind the wheel instruction in your company’s vehicles. Our instructors provide training to your staff in manageable, customized segments. Students will take their road test at North Montco’s certified third-party-testing site in Souderton.
If you are an individual thinking about earning your CDL license, opportunities are plentiful. Paul Delp, president of Lansdale Warehouse, stresses that this is another profession experiencing a skills gap.
“As baby boomers retire, there just isn’t enough drivers to fill the need,” said Delp, who runs several local warehouses and a full fleet of vehicles for shipping materials.
“More importantly, driving is not just a good career for men; it is also a great career for women, especially with the diversity of industry in our area,” said Fred Yuhasz, North Montco CDL instructor.
As a result of the worker shortage, employment for those with a CDL credential is very good, and in Montgomery County and the nearby counties, the projected growth remains strong—near 8-percent—through 2026.
Salaries are good too, as candidates with a CDL license and some experience can make over $58,000, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.
“The average earnings for long distance drivers is about $85,000. It is all about time management. The most skilled drivers can make over $100,000,” said Neil Sullivan, safety specialist for PV Transport, the division that handles transportation and logistics for the Clemens Food Group. “Driving is a skilled trade, and the better a driver is with his or her time, the more opportunity there is to make money during longer hauls. If you’re independent, enjoy working alone and seeing the countryside, over-the-road (longer hauls) may be right for you.”
While some in this business like long hauls, not all CDL drivers have to be as committed to time on the road.
“Having a CDL license increases your marketability with businesses. For example, a construction worker with both trade skills and CDL skills can safely transport equipment back and forth to the job site,” said Yuhasz. “As an employee, you’re adding real value to the business.”
Yuhasz emphasized that entrepreneurial and part-time opportunities are plentiful as well.
“Drivers for landscapers, bus companies, general contractors, shipping, and snowplow, such as PennDOT, are often available to earn extra cash,” Yuhasz said.
North Montco Technical Career Center’s next CDL—A or B—Driver Training Class is scheduled for Feb. 8. Visit North Montco’s website for more information at www.nmtcc.org, or call the Continuing Education Office at 215-855-3931.
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