FleetForce Truck Driving School Expanding to Venice and Fort Myers

Demand for new drivers leads FleetForce to open two new locations in Florida

FleetForce Truck Driving School announced plans to open two new training facilities in Florida’s Gulf Coast region, as the need to get new drivers on the road continues to fuel the company’s growth throughout the state.

FleetForce President Tra Williams joined leaders from the trucking industry at an event in Bradenton last week to announce the two new locations and celebrate the success of a newly launched pre-hire program designed to recruit more drivers.

“If we’re serious about addressing the growing truck driver shortage, we have to be innovative and create a new model for recruiting and training drivers,” Williams said. “Drivers are retiring faster than we’re replacing them, and we must be willing to do things differently if we want to attract people to the trucking industry. This collaboration is a big step in the right direction.”

The program — a partnership between FleetForce, Florida Trucking Association, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and multiple trucking companies — removes the financial barrier for people who want to go through driver training school. Trucking companies that are FTA members pay the tuition costs up front, with an agreement to hire the student once they complete the course and receive their CDL.

“The image of the trucking industry is changing, and the way we recruit professional truck drivers needs to reflect this change,” said Dr. Alix Miller, president and CEO of Florida Trucking Association. “The pre-hire program opens doors by eliminating barriers for those who may not have considered a career in trucking – and it has already proven to be a huge success; since the program’s launch, about 5,000 aspiring drivers have applied.”

FleetForce currently operates driver training schools in Winter Haven, Palm City and on the Bradenton campus of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. The new site in Venice will expand the partnership between FleetForce and SCF.

“The collaboration between State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and FleetForce continues to ensure that our local business and industry partners have a skilled, ready-to-work pipeline of commercial truck drivers,” said Dr. Todd Fritch, executive vice president and provost of State College of Florida. “Since our collaboration began in November, over 150 drivers have been trained by FleetForce at our Bradenton campus. Having FleetForce on campus continues to provide another entry point for individuals to receive the training and certification they need to go to work. We are excited to expand this collaboration to our Venice campus in the coming months.”

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