The Owensboro Riverport Authority board voted Wednesday to allow Owensboro Community & Technical College to use 1.76 vacant acres there as a training area for students seeking their commercial drivers license.

Mike Rodgers, chief institutional officer at OCTC, said the nation needs 90,000 more truck drivers this year and the need will grow to more than 100,000 in the next two years.

So, OCTC will launch its new four-week program in mid-October.

Rodgers said the new CDL Academy classes will last eight hours a day, with 1.5 weeks spent in the classroom and the rest of the time in either a simulator or a truck.

The Riverport property, which is on Rinaldo Road, will be used to teach the students how to hook and unhook a trailer, parallel park and back up to a loading dock, Rodgers said.

He said he expects six to 10 students in the first class and more as potential drivers learn about it.

The second class for new students will begin in January.

Rodgers said the college has purchased a simulator, two trucks and one trailer for the program.

By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer, published Aug 26, 2021.