Want to make an excellent annual salary without having to attend classes for years? Want to travel and see other places? If you answered yes to the above questions, Ranger College has the program to make your dreams come true. And those dreams could begin within a few weeks.
The Ranger College commercial truck driving program is gearing up for the start of its next Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) class at its Brownwood campus. The 4-week course, which is taught in partnership with Action Career Training (ACT), provides the training necessary to obtain a CDL license and employment in a demand occupation.
“This is an exciting time to be a part of the transportation industry,” said instructor Johnny Gallagher. “There is currently a shortage of about 480,000 drivers in the U.S. The opportunity for a good-paying career is there for those who want it.”
Gallagher said drivers completing the month-long course would have the skills needed to be employed by large trucking companies, or to operate as an independent driver making the same amount of money as those who spent four years in college to receive a bachelor’s degree. In many cases, drivers exceed the $50,000 to $60,000 threshold for young drivers within the first year.
Gallagher said many of the drivers who graduate from the CDL program at Ranger College land jobs almost before they finish the course through a pre-hire process.
“The carriers will recruit drivers right out of the class,” he said.
Gallagher said the next truck driving class will get started around Oct. 19. As part of the course, each student driver will receive 200 contact hours of classroom and hands-on truck driver training, including street driving and backing maneuvers.
Classes range in size from three to four drivers to maximize the contact between students and the instructor.
“This is a great field for young men and women to get into,” said Gallagher. “Especially for those that might not want to spend years in a classroom at this point in their lives, but still want to learn a skill that will give them a great career.”
For more information about the Ranger College CDL program contact Brown County Campus Vice President Gordon Warren at (325) 641-5726, or contact Action Career Training, Johnny Gallagher, at (325) 260-3090.