Grant supports FVTC’s CDL program, expanding access to future drivers

April 20, 2026

APPLETON – Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) has received $28,983 in state funding to help 28 students earn their Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), part of a statewide effort to strengthen Wisconsin’s transportation workforce.

Rob Behnke – director of Truck Driving at FVTC – said the funding supports FVTC’s eight-week Class A CDL Truck Driving Technical Diploma program, offered at the Chilton, Clintonville and Wautoma regional centers.

Behnke said the hybrid program combines online theory with hands-on Range and Road training, allowing students to choose morning, afternoon or evening schedules.

“We redesigned and reformatted the program in 2024, after getting student feedback and employer input,” he said. “This flexibility allows working adults to pursue a CDL without putting their lives on hold.”

Eligible participants who complete the program, Behnke said, can receive 50% reimbursement of course costs, including tuition, textbooks and the first CDL skills test attempt – about $1,000 per student – reducing financial barriers to entering the workforce.

Behnke said the grant is part of a $250,000 statewide initiative to create a pipeline of professional drivers amid high demand for CDL-trained workers.