Operations of the Spoon River College Driver Training (CDT) program are moving from its location on 4th Avenue in Canton to the campus of Spoon River College. New director of the program is Michele Johnson, who was hired in November following the retirement of Bob Walter. Joining Johnson are CDL driving instructors Greg Gibson Cary Dixon.
“We’re excited to have them on campus, where they will have more visibility,” said Melissa Miller, dean of career and workforce education. “Michelle, Greg and Cary are excellent additions to the program, and Michelle is both an experienced over-the-road driver and instructor.”
The 4-week CDT Basic Course will be conducted on the campus starting in the Spring semester. Classroom instruction will be held in the Vocational and Technical Education Center (VoTech) building, which also houses the Agriculture and the Diesel and Power Systems Technology programs. The remaining three weeks will be range and road training hands-on driving skills, and will also be done on campus.
The CDT certificate program is designed to offer individuals basic knowledge of the principles, techniques, and skills necessary for safe and efficient operation of tractor-trailer vehicles, and consists of 40 hours of classroom instruction, and 120 hours of range and road. Hours of instruction are 8-4. Prior to being enrolled, applicants must complete all items on the provided Commercial Driver Training Checklist.
Tuition assistance is available for eligible students. For information about Illinois Veteran and National Guard grants, contact SRC Veteran’s coordinator Charlie Cox at 309-649-6267 at the Canton Campus, or financial aid/veterans specialist Teagan Markham at 309-833-6065 at the Macomb Campus.
Additional funding grants are available through Career Link, Workforce Investment, Illinois Department of Human Service, Grant, National Farm Workers, and Community Action Partnership. Scholarships are available from the Farm Bureau IIA Scholarship and the McDonough County “Operation Generosity” scholarship.
More information about the CDT program, the application process, and funding can be viewed at www.src.edu or by calling Michele Johnson at 309-647-2794.
