Ref. 2948e

The following students graduated from the first class of professional truck drivers trained by the North Iowa Area Community College since 1998:

Charles City – Gilbert Graeser
Klemme – Tina Myers
Latimer – Jose Alonzo
Mason City – Carl Thompson
Osage – Kevin Ostrander
Rockwell – Cory Walcott
Rudd – Justin Peterson

The NIACC Professional Driver Prep Program, an intense three-week program, consisted of a total of 160 hours of instruction, 40 in the classroom and 120 behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer commercial vehicle.  The students demonstrated the knowledge and skills required by the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles, Drivers Licensing Division, to obtain a Class A Commercial Drivers License with a Doubles/Triples/Tanker Endorsement.

During the program, students were trained using the Master Driver Program and successfully tested over the following areas:
a. General Commercial Motor Vehicle Knowledge & Safety
b. Air Brakes & Skid Prevention
c. Coupling & Uncoupling of trailers
d. Emergency Maneuvers
e. Right Turns, Left Turns, Intersections
f. Backing Maneuvers
g. The Hazard Perception Challenge
h. Hours of Service – Log Books

The classroom training also included the use of a computer-driving simulator to expose students to driving conditions and situations not available in North Iowa during the timing of this course.

During the 120 hours of practice range and road driving, the student driver has been exposed to numerous driving, backing, docking, loading/unloading and even D.O.T. Scale situations.  The equipment driven by students is late model Freightliner and Volvo, 10-speed manual transmission, sleeper cab tractors and 53-ft. van trailers.  These van trailers are pulled both empty and with loads. 

Upon completion of this program, many graduates have been pre-hired by major transportation companies and are able to begin employment, some within the next few days.

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