GWC scholarships yield CDL driving success for Wabash County students

Wabash County, IN  – This summer, four Wabash County residents who received funding through the Grow Wabash County scholarship program have successfully completed the training and passed driving tests to earn their Class A Commerical Driver’s Licenses (CDL).

Three of the students participated in the CDL program, held in June through Heartland Career Center, was facilitated by the Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) Driving Academy. As part of the class, these drivers in training completed 170 hours of instruction both in the classroom and on the road where their instructor, Stephen Quinn, showed them the ins and outs of driving a commercial vehicle.

“My experience in class was amazing,” graduate Austin Merrell said. “I was in class with a great group of guys. [Two] of us knew semis and [two] of them didn’t but that was no issue. Each one of us helped each other understand different things and studied our materials together.”

Merrell took the class with the intention of continuing his family’s legacy on the road. Both his father and grandfather made careers out of driving, and this class allowed Merrell to follow in their footsteps. That said, Merrell also observed that this was not a class he nor anyone looking to pursue their CDL license should consider lightly.

“You have to want it, have a passion for it,” Merrell said. “Trucking isn’t for everyone so make sure it’s what you actually want.”

Braden “Brady” Layne was another scholarship recipient who received his CDL license during this class. Despite having driven in the past as a non-CDL driver, the challenge of learning all he needed to know to earn the license over three weeks seemed daunting to Layne.

“At first, when we started driving in class, I started having all kinds of doubts and getting stuck in my head overthinking things,” Layne said. “Like how in the world was I ever going to learn to drive this big truck and trailer in less than 3 weeks' time? But thanks to our instructor, Stephen Quinn, I was able to learn how to shift gears quickly and frankly, just in time for the test.”

The fourth student, Timothy Thomas, began his instruction in July through the Fort Wayne-based 160 Driving Academy and successfully earned his CDL license in early August.  

“Grow Wabash County helped get the training I needed for a career change,” Thomas said. “[Since finishing the course] I've already obtained my Class A CDL and a new job.”

The scholarship program that helped cover partial or full tuition for these newly-minted drivers was made possible thanks to funds awarded to Grow Wabash County by the Community Foundation of Wabash County and the Don Wood Foundation.  

"Our scholarship program has opened hundreds of doors for hundreds of Wabash County residents over the years,” Chelsea Parson, project manager for development and marketing at Grow Wabash County, said. “We are so grateful to have the support of organizations like the Community Foundation of Wabash County and the Don Wood Foundation who also see the value in dissolving some of the financial barriers that may prevent some people in our communities from pursuing post-secondary education.”  

Licensed CDL drivers are in high demand not only in Wabash County, but nationwide, giving these new drivers a wealth of different opportunities to start their careers right away. Layne has already started as an on-the-road driver for Western Express. Both Layne and Merrell, though, realize how in-demand their skills are, and both intend to eventually go into business for themselves.

For information about the Grow Wabash County scholarship program, or to receive updates about future CDL classes happening in Wabash County, please visit www.growwabashcounty.com/workforce/workforce-programs.