IVCC truck driving program reaches milestone

When Alec Sramek of Streator passed his final driving test with the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles this week he became the 2,000th graduate of Illinois Valley Community College’s Truck Driver Training program.

Sramek already is working for U.S. Foods and now will be driving for the company.

IVCC’s program was created in 2000 and was led for its first two decades by Bruce Hartman. In the late 2000s, a stand-alone building was constructed for the program on east campus.

A wall in the Truck Driver Training building features recent program graduates. (Photo provided by IVCC)

The 160-hour program combines classroom work and hands-on experience leading to a class A commercial driver’s license. Four-week day and six-week evening sections are offered.

Along with behind-the-wheel training, students learn map-reading, backing, shifting and maneuvering skills – competencies for entry-level employment. The program has a 99% job placement rate.

“The beauty of the program is everybody goes to work,” Hartman said in an earlier interview.

Participants must be at least 18. The average student age is about 40. Veterans have taken advantage of the Illinois Veterans Grant that pays for all but $237 of the program’s estimated $4,000 in costs.

This fall, Illinois’ Monetary Award Program grant is being expanded to cover short-term career and technical certificate programs such as truck driver training.

“This change will be a tremendous benefit for our students,” IVCC Financial Aid Director Eric Johnson said.

For information, call program coordinator Tom Nestler or administrative assistant Audrey Moreno at 815- 224-0266.