FleetForce Driver Training School plans community college expansion

February 22, 2023

Chuck Robinson

|

Six new FleetForce Driver Training School community college programs are scheduled to begin as early as March in Florida.

Six new CDL training sites were established in partnership with community colleges in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Niceville, Daytona Beach, Ocala and New Port Richey, FleetForce has announced. FleetForce also has programs launching this year at two other existing sites at schools in Lake City and Gainesville.

The company estimates that together these training sites will be able to produce over 3,000 new truck drivers annually. FleetForce students can go through training and earn their CDL in as little as four weeks, the company said.

The company website offers entry-level driver training day classes from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

The website also lists evening classes as “coming June, July and August at participating locations” from 4-8 p.m. on Monday through Friday for eight weeks. Weekend classes from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for eight weekends also is listed at participating locations. New classes start every other Monday.

The company describes the training as “hands-on” and says it lines up students for jobs with partner companies. Students get two attempts to pass the CDL test, the company says.

“Truck driving remains at the core of our country’s economic abilities, and we see evidence of the growing need for new drivers every day,” FleetForce owner Tra Williams said in a news release. “We’re excited to show what can be done to meet this tremendous need. Thanks to our new locations, there’ll soon be an influx of highly trained professional drivers on the road. That’s going to be a huge help to Florida industries, in addition to the U.S. supply chain and economy.”

Recruiting and retaining the next generation of professional truck drivers requires a paradigm shift – a change from the old model, Alix Miller, president and CEO of Florida Trucking Association, said in the news release.

“The success of FleetForce is a direct reflection of improving accessibility, efficiency, and promoting a new image of trucking for students,” Miller said. “And with these new locations opening around Florida, trucking companies will have more local access to new, well-trained talent, further bolstering our workforce and the economy of Florida.”

Established in 1981, FleetForce Truck Driving School is licensed by the Florida Department of Education, the Committee for Independent Education, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The company is headquartered in Sarasota/Bradenton. FleetForce has locations in Winter Haven, Venice, Palm City, Niceville, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach, Ocala, and New Port Richey, Lake City, and Gainesville.

Entry-level driving training is required for new CDL applicants since Feb. 7. In September, Florida announced expanding CDL training programs at state colleges. LL