The Brief
- Fleet Force Truck Driving Training and State College of Florida are helping fill demand as Florida faces 23,000 vacant CDL jobs.
- The Bradenton-based four-week program hit its 10,000th graduate benchmark this week while aiming to train 10,000 more drivers.
- From now until the end of the year, students who enroll will receive a guaranteed interview with Swift Transportation recruiters through the end of the year.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla – A Manatee County truck driving program works to expand training efforts to address a nationwide commercial driver shortage expected to top 1.1 million positions over the next decade.
High demand for drivers
What we know:
Fleet Force Truck Driving Training at the State College of Florida in Manatee County is actively working to place more drivers behind the wheel. Florida currently has more than 23,000 open commercial driver’s license jobs, leaving thousands of trucks idle. Drivers transport essential items across the country, including daily necessities, home goods and construction materials.
This week, Fleet Force celebrated its 10,000th graduation from its four-week program. Charity Gaston was recognized as the 10,000th graduate, while Drexyl Eitniear was the 10,001st.
“The way that it’s signed up you come in at week 1 you don’t know any information you’re sitting in the class room you’re learning the ins and outs of trucking by that 2nd week you’re outside practicing your backing, third week you’re parallel parking a 50 foot trailer in a little spot by that 4th week you’re ready to test it’s a great program it sets you up from beginner to the end,” said Gaston. …