TCA and La Raza Woo Potential Latino Drivers

Jan. 14, 2004
The Truckload Carriers Association and the National Council of La Raza have launched an effort to train and recruit more Latinos as truck drivers. The Careers in Trucking Pilot Project will be inaugurated Thursday in Philadelphia with truck driving simulators, representatives from the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI) certified CDL training school All State Career, Lehigh Career and Technical
The Truckload Carriers Association and the National Council of La Raza have launched an effort to train and recruit more Latinos as truck drivers.

The Careers in Trucking Pilot Project will be inaugurated Thursday in Philadelphia with truck driving simulators, representatives from the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI) certified CDL training school All State Career, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and carrier D.M. Bowman, Inc.

The goal of the project is to provide truckload carriers with a new, reliable and significant source of CDL drivers, by recruiting qualified bi-lingual Latino drivers from U.S. communities. To accomplish this project, TCA has been working with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and its community-based affiliate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Inc. The funding for training will come from the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation.

Congreso will manage recruitment, screening, referrals, and support through the training and retention process. Schools with Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI) certified courses, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Upper Bucks Campus in partnership with the Sage Corporation, and All-State Career, Lester, Pennsylvania, are the selected training sites. D.M. Bowman, Inc. of Williamsport, MD will participate in the recruitment and motivation process in order to have trained CDL drivers to hire as an outcome.

"The Careers in Trucking Pilot Program, provides Latino workers with an opportunity to obtain employment with a few weeks of training that can begin a career in the industry. In turn, this partnership between NCLR, TCA, D.M. Bowman and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation will supply the trucking industry with a new source of qualified CDL drivers," stated José Vargas, NCLR Project Manager.

If successful the Philadelphia program will be replicated throughout the country, said TCA officials.

The series of Careers in Trucking Information Sessions will be held on January 15, January 26 and February 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 West Somerset Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Details: Kim Cromer at 215-763-8870 ext. 1238.

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