Truck driving is a great way to earn extra money or to earn a living full time. Many products we purchase and use day to day are shipped via truck; so there isn’t a shortage of work available for drivers to pick up. However, it isn’t always the easiest job to begin and requires training to ensure compliance and safety. As such, going to a school to learn about truck driving gives new drivers the skills and training necessary to get out on the road without worry of causing a collision or accident. Fortunately, one Texas school just received funding to expand and enhance their truck driving school.
The state of Texas provided the Lamar Institute of Technology $1.1 million to train drivers to fill truck driving openings in southeast Texas. Currently, the Lamar Institute of Technology has a waiting list for its truck driving program thanks to the alluring high pay for sorely needed drivers. This funding gives them the ability to reduce the waitlist so that more drivers can join the workforce sooner. The funding will also go towards upgrading current tech and equipment used in classes.
As it stands, Lamar Institute of Technology can teach 30 students per year; thanks to the additional funding, they can increase the class size to 90 students. The school offers classes to attain both Class A and Class B commercial drivers licenses for $3,000 and $1,500, respectively. In 2017, the state had more than 54,000 openings for truck drivers, the majority of which were for tractor-trailer drivers. Within the next year, that number will dip thanks to the expanded new workforce to come out of the school.
Truck driving without proper education and training can be incredibly dangerous to the driver, other drivers/cyclists on the road, and pedestrians. Thanks to the state of Texas funding the Lamar Institute of Technology, more drivers will be able to safely make deliveries and avoid accidents and litigating in court. However, if you were recently in an accident with a truck, call our offices today for legal counsel and representation.
