MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – SUNY Orange has received a $78,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to provide tuition assistance for active duty military personnel, veterans, and their family members who enroll in the College’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) course.

The grant allows the College to provide $3,000 per eligible student toward the program’s tuition cost of $6,500. SUNY Orange’s CDL Class A Truck Driver training curriculum provides students with the skills to inspect and operate tractor-trailers. Emphasis is placed on vehicle inspections, defensive driving, range maneuvers, motor carrier safety regulations, trip planning, cargo handling, size/weight laws, and general maintenance procedures. Students will learn basic vehicle operation, safe operating procedures, advanced operating procedures, vehicle systems and reporting malfunctions, and non-driving activities.

In addition to the $3,000 waiver, payment plans are also available for students to pay off the remaining tuition balance. Students must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid New York State driver’s license.

The College has upcoming daytime CDL courses beginning March 30 and April 27. Daytime courses are completed in four weeks (meeting four days per week for eight hours each). Weekend classes meet for eight hours each on Saturday and Sunday, and are completed in eight weeks. The next weekend course begins April 18.

For more information, visit www.sunyorange.edu/plus or contact SUNY Orange Plus at plus@sunyorange.edu or at (845) 341-4890.