New Arkansas CDL program celebrates its first graduates

Jerry Baldridge, a CDL instructor for the Stuttgart campus’ program, stands with one of the program’s trucks. (Image Courtesy of Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas)Jerry Baldridge, a CDL instructor for the Stuttgart campus’ program, stands with one of the program’s trucks. (Image Courtesy of Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas)

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas is celebrating its first class of graduates from its new truck driving program.

The college offers a Certificate of Proficiency in Commercial Driver’s License/truck driving. It’s an eight-week program at the Stuttgart campus that prepares students to test for and obtain a Class A CDL.

Deborah King, PCCUA vice chancellor for instruction, said the college is proud of its first graduates in the new program.

“This is a high demand occupation, and we feel certain it will be successful because so many truckers are at retirement age,” King said. 

Enrollment is now open for the summer and fall truck driving programs.

PCCUA isn’t the only college to have a new class of trucking graduates.

Great Falls College at Montana State University put together a CDL training program in the summer of 2015 and after leaving its training trucks idle for two years, it relaunched the program this spring due to high demand for a CDL training program in the area. Great Falls College partnered with Bitterroot College to offer the program again and plans to continue the partnership, with the next class expected to be available in the fall.