12 September ICC joins in National Truck Driver Appreciation Week; now recruiting students for upcoming classes September 12, 2024 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 Itawamba Community College is joining with the American Trucking Association in celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 15-21. The weeklong celebration honors the millions of professional truck drivers who deliver America’s freight safely and securely every day. It is especially meaningful to Itawamba Community College, which is also celebrating its Commercial Truck Driving program that is now recruiting students for classes that will begin soon at its Tupelo Campus. ICC’s CTD program prepares individuals to drive Class A semitrucks and other commercial vehicles. It includes instruction in operating diesel-powered vehicles, loading and unloading cargo, reporting delays or accidents on the road, verifying loads against shipping records and keeping necessary records. It is designed to give the future driver a complete and thorough understanding of logbooks, trip records and the motor carrier safety regulations of the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Options include four weeks, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., or 16-weeks. Enrollment requirements include U.S. citizen or Puerto Rico valid driver’s license; copy of good driving record; acceptable driving record with no more than two speeding tickets in the previous three years and no DUIs or DWUIs in the previous five years; pass DOT physical and drug screening within 30 days of class; pass class A CDL learner’s permit exam and must have ACT® WorkKeys® - Silver for grant eligibility. “The nation’s truckers are the lifeblood of our economy – delivering critical goods to farms, factories, stores, hospitals and homes,” said Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education. “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a time to rally around our professional truck drivers and show them the appreciation they deserve every day. We are excited to recognize these men and women who show their dedication, perseverance and determination on our nation’s highways. Most importantly, we at ICC appreciate the significant role that we have to prepare quality drivers who will join companies across the region and beyond and exemplify our slogan, ‘The Best Start Here!’” There are roughly 3.5 million professional truck drivers nationwide, delivering the essential goods that families rely on – from food to fuel to medicine to clothing. The hardworking men and women behind the wheel safely transport more than 11 billion tons of goods and products every year, which account for more than 70 percent of America’s total annual freight. Eighty percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking to deliver goods. For more information on ICC’s Commercial Truck Driving program, call (662) 407-1525 or email careereducation@iccms.edu. 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According to program director Cassie Alexander, the theme is “It Starts Here.” She said the commemoration recognizes the contributions of public health in improving the physical condition of the people of the United States and for ICC’s nationally-recognized Public Health Technology program, the residents of Mississippi, specifically those in Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties; and achieving health equity. “Public health starts with each of us making a difference in our homes and communities,” Alexander said in summarizing the information provided by the American Public Health Association. “It’s how the places we live, work and play affect our well-being. 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He thought he was stuck between the steering wheel and dashboard, but the car had crushed his left leg. He calls one of his classmates his guardian angel because she noticed that he was no longer following behind her. “Something kept telling her to turn around and thankfully she listened and found me. She called 911, but the ambulance couldn’t get close enough to the scene where my car had landed because of the ice. With the help of a friend who was hunting and just happened to be coming ... Comments are closed.