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From service to semis: TCC receives grant that aims to train more vets as truckers

Tidewater Community College received an eighth federal grant to specifically help train military veterans and their spouses for careers in trucking.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently awarded TCC a $102,769 grant, which will be administered by the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE).

TCC is one of 12 community colleges in the nation and the only college in Virginia to receive the award.

“We’re very proud of the work we’re doing to serve our military veterans and their spouses in trucking,” said Beno Rubin, Ph.D., Pathway Dean for Manufacturing and Transportation. “TCC’s trucking instructors have over 100 years of combined training and road experience and share that knowledge with students behind the wheel and in the classroom.”

“During this pivotal time with supply chain issues, it’s especially important to offer veterans, who know how to serve, a way to contribute even after they leave military service,” Rubin added.

Since the initial grant was received in 2014, a total of 245 veterans and spouses have enrolled in TCC’s Truck Driving program using this funding.

Recipients of the grant pay nothing to complete the one-semester, 16-credit certificate. Students learn how to drive a truck in state-of-the-art simulators that allow them to practice in varied road and weather conditions. The program includes 140 hours of on-the-road training. Course work qualifies students to obtain the Class A CDL (commercial driver’s license) from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

After completing the program, TCC instructors take students to the DMV test site for the final skills exam. Students must be able to successfully complete a series of tests including a set of backing maneuvers with the truck and a road test in live traffic.

TCC students have a 98% first-time pass rate on the DMV tests for commercial licenses.

TCC has its own driving range at its Center for Workforce Solutions in Suffolk.

Trucking classes are taught at TCC’s Center for Workforce Solutions on College Drive in northern Suffolk. Day, evening and weekend sessions are offered year-round.

Contact Alesia Wroten, at awroten@tcc.edu or 757-822-7714, for information on qualifying for the grant program.

TCC secures seventh consecutive grant aimed to help veterans transition to careers in trucking

Tidewater Community College received a seventh federal grant to help train military veterans and their spouses for careers in trucking.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently awarded TCC a $94,842 grant, which will be administered by the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE).

“So far we’ve helped more than 200 transitioning military, veterans and dependents train for a career in trucking at no cost to them,” said Alesia Wroten, veteran resource liaison with TCC’s CMVE.  “We are grateful to be one of two schools in Virginia to receive this funding, especially as the need for trained truck drivers is growing nationwide.”

TCC alum Tim Raub is a Navy veteran who now drives trucks.
Navy veteran Tim Raub earned his Truck Driver certificate at TCC.

According to the American Trucking Association, the United States will be short 175,000 drivers by 2026. A lack of drivers continues to make goods more expensive and delays orders as freight rates are climbing.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average age of a commercial truck driver is 55 years old. A significant percentage of these drivers will retire over the next 10 years.

TCC is one of 21 educational institutions that received funds from the $2 million federal grant to help train veterans for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.

Since TCC received its first grant in 2014, 220 veterans and spouses have enrolled in the Truck Driving program.


TCC students have a 98% pass rate on the DMV tests for commercial licenses.

Recipients of the grant pay nothing to complete the one-semester, 16-credit certificate. Students learn how to drive a truck in state-of-the-art simulators that allow them to practice in varied road and weather conditions. The program includes 140 hours of on-the-road training. Course work qualifies students to obtain the Class A CDL (commercial driver’s license) from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Classes are taught at the Center for Workforce Solutions on College Drive in northern Suffolk. Day, evening and weekend sessions are available.

Contact Alesia Wroten, at awroten@tcc.edu or 757-822-7714, for information on qualifying for the grant program.

Remembering trucking instructor James Tom Riffe

Tidewater Community College remembers one of its own.

James Tom Riffe joined TCC as a mechanic for the Truck Driver program in 2007. For four years he maintained TCC’s fleet of trucks to ensure they were road-ready for student drivers.

In 2011, he became a trucking instructor bringing decades of experience to the classroom and driver training.

Matt Woods, lead instructor and program coordinator recalls Riffe often quipping, “If we can’t train them, they can’t be trained.”

Before his passing, Riffe was asked about his time at TCC. He said he was most proud of giving students a second chance. “Some of my students had trouble with the law and had priors or were in jail. They could come to TCC and complete the trucking program and eventually earn a good living if they worked hard. I felt I could connect with them and help change their lives.”

Prior to TCC, Riffe owned and operated his own bus company, Chesapeake Northern Transportation (CNT), where he drove buses from Canada to Mexico and all the places in between. He also retired from Ford Motor Company, working at the Ford plant in Norfolk for 30 years.

Riffe lost his battle with cancer in July 2021. He leaves behind his wife Kathy and their children Jimmy and Courtney, as well as his son-in-law Daniel and grandson Mason.

Ten things to know about TCC’s Truck Driving program

Why sit behind a desk when you can sit behind the wheel? A trucking career allows you the opportunity for financial reward and professional growth thanks to a job where you’re always on the move.

TCC has its own fleet of trucks for student drivers.
  1. Sixteen weeks is all it takes to train for a new trucking career. Tidewater Community College’s Truck Driving program offers classes that cover Department of Transportation rules and regulations, defensive driving, maintenance, hazardous material and highway and city driving.
  2. Day, evening and weekend classes are offered year-round.
  3. TCC is the only driver training program that runs its own program that includes a state-of-the-art driving simulator, as well as a fleet of trucks.
  4. TCC’s instructors have over 100 years of behind-the-wheel truck driving experience to share with students during the program.
  5. Military veterans pay zero for tuition and fees thanks to a federal grant offered through the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education.
  6. After completing the program, TCC instructors take students to the DMV test site for the final skills exam. Students must be able to successfully complete a series of tests including a set of backing maneuvers with the truck and a road test in live traffic.
  7. TCC students have a 98% pass rate on the DMV tests for commercial licenses.
  8. The trucking program at TCC provides 120 hours in the classroom and 140 hours of practical application.
  9. TCC hosts recruiters and employers to visit classes and present employment opportunities for graduates. There are more than 60,000 available jobs in this industry.
  10. The price is right, too. TCC’s program is 40% cheaper than private trucking schools.
TCC is the only school in Hampton Roads with a driving simulator.

For more information about TCC’s Truck Driving program, contact Matt Woods at mwoods@tcc.edu or call 757-822-2639.

Marine vet finds new career on the road thanks to TCC trucking grant

Former U.S. Marine Chris Gaillard found a new career as a truck driver after the training she received at Tidewater Community College that came without a price tag.

“I love what I do,” said Gaillard, who benefitted from a federal grant awarded to TCC’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE) that supports trucking training and education for military veterans and their families. “I’m doing what I always wanted to do and having the best time of my life.”

Owner of her own Freightliner Classic, Gaillard, 57, was immediately hired by Givens Inc., a transportation, warehousing and logistics company with locations in Seattle, South America and Chesapeake.

After her Marine discharge, Gaillard worked as an auto technician for decades but had been intrigued by trucks since childhood. A single parent, she began saving money to work toward her Career Studies Certificate in Truck Driving when she saw the information online about the grant. After the CMVE assisted her with the application process, she was accepted into the program.

“I was able to spend all the money I saved on living expenses and other things,” she said.

Gaillard completed the program in May 2015 and began her job within a week. She hauls everything from stereo equipment to automobile parts to baby wipes, rarely driving the same route twice.

“The freedom is the biggest thing for me,” she said. “I’m not stuck behind a desk or in a cubicle or in a garage like I was for 35 years. I’m out on the road. I get to see beautiful parts of the country that many may never see for free.”

For information on the Truck Driving program contact Matt Woods at mwoods@tcc.edu or call 757-822-2639.

Federal grant will help TCC train more vets for trucking careers

Tidewater Community College received a fifth federal grant to help train military veterans and their spouses for careers in trucking.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently awarded TCC an $88,435 grant, which will be administered by the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE).

“This grant has had a transformative effect on the lives of so many veterans and their families, while also addressing a dire need for licensed truck drivers in Hampton Roads,” said Batanya Gipson, interim executive director of the CMVE. “We are excited to have the ability to connect even more military-related students with this opportunity.”

In 2018, the trucking industry was short roughly 60,800 drivers, which was up nearly 20% from 2017’s figure of 50,700. If current trends hold, the shortage could swell to more than 160,000 by 2028. An increase in freight demand and baby boomer retirements contribute to the demand for truckers.

Navy veteran Richard Buddemeier earned his Career Studies Certificate in Truck Driving from TCC on a Friday in fall of 2016 and started training on his new job that Saturday. For the last two years, he’s driven for Southeast Connections. Thanks to the grant, he paid TCC no tuition to complete his certificate.

“I would not be where I am today without TCC,” he said. “The program is so in-depth, so easy to comprehend. The hands-on training was extremely helpful. The book learning was very important. What I learned made me the driver I am today.”

The FMCSA grant program aims to expand the number of truck drivers nationally by assisting active-duty, veterans, transitioning military and Department of Homeland Security members and their spouses to earn to a Commercial Driver’s License. TCC is one of 16 educational institutions that received funds from the $2 million federal grant to help train veterans for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.

Since TCC received its first grant in 2015, 183 veterans and spouses have enrolled in the program. Recipients of the grant pay nothing to complete the one-semester, 16-credit certificate. Classes are taught at the Center for Workforce Solutions on College Drive in northern Suffolk.

Contact Alesia Wroten, CMVE program coordinator, at awroten@tcc.edu or 757-822-7714, for information on qualifying for the grant program.

TCC receives more federal grant money to train transitioning military, National Guard and Homeland Security members, reservists for trucking careers

Tidewater Community College received a fourth federal grant that will help train military veterans and their spouses for immediate employment while addressing a growing need in the economy.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) awarded TCC a $97,336 grant, which will be administered by the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE). Matching funds from USAA Foundation, Bank of America and LogistX Games push the total amount to $114,512.

The program aims to expand the number of the nation’s truck drivers by assisting active-duty military, veterans, National Guard members, reservists, Department of Homeland Security members and spouses of all those groups in obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License. TCC is one of 13 technical and community colleges that received funds from the $2.3 million FMCSA grant program.

The 16-week Career Studies Certificate in Trucking is offered at TCC’s Center for Workforce Solutions in northern Suffolk. Day and evening classes are available.

In the last four years, the FMCSA has awarded the college more than $554,000 in grant money to train veterans for careers in trucking. More than 150 military-related students have received training through the program.

“Several graduates have even purchased trucks to start businesses of their own,” said Batanya Gipson, interim director of the CMVE. “We are proud that TCC continues to help veterans and their families find career stability while serving the economic needs of the community and the region.”

Industry sources point to an aging workforce, high turnover and increasing freight demand as major reasons behind the massive truck driver shortage.

For more information on applying for the grant, contact Alesia Wroten, program coordinator at the CMVE, at awroten@tcc.edu or 757-822-7714.

Recent gifts benefit TCC’s truck driving program

Tidewater Community College’s truck driving program received two significant gifts that will allow the college to better serve its students to fill the growing national demand for more drivers.

Givens Transportation donated a three-axle sleeper road tractor that will expand TCC’s current fleet of trucks and offer students the ability to learn on a new type of vehicle transmission.

TCC also received a $20,000 grant from the Dorothy D. Smith Charitable Foundation that will allow the college to refurbish its current fleet of trucks.

“The generosity of Givens Transportation and the Dorothy D. Smith Charitable Foundation demonstrates a commitment to TCC and its mission,” said Corey McCray, vice president for TCC’s Center for Workforce Solutions. “The contributions by both will help the college continue to develop a pipeline of well-trained CDL licensed truck drivers.”

According to the Occupational Information Network, Virginia estimates more than 900 annual job openings for tractor-trailer truck drivers by 2024. In 16 weeks, students who complete TCC’s Career Studies Certificate in Truck Driving can be on the road to a new career.

“We hope that our donation will help ensure the continued success of the Tidewater Community College truck driving program,” said George Woodruff, corporate recruiter for Givens Transportation in Chesapeake.

Grant funds from the Dorothy D. Smith Charitable Foundation will also be used to upgrade the software for TCC’s driver simulators. State-of-the-art electronic aids used in today’s industry will also be added to the college’s trucks.

“Our trustees really value the importance of our trucking industry and the hard work the drivers put in, and they wanted to lend their support to that effort,” said Robert Fox, senior vice president and philanthropic fiduciary manager at Philanthropic Solutions at Bank of America.

Fall classes begin Aug. 20. Coursework qualifies students to obtain their Class A CDL (commercial driver’s license) to operate a commercial vehicle from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

For information on enrolling in TCC’s trucking program, contact instructor Matt Isaac at misaac@tcc.edu or enroll@tcc.edu.