SALINA, N.Y. — Dot Transportation, Inc. (DTI) says it has launched an in-house, driver-training school at the company’s Liverpool distribution center in the town of Salina. DTI is the affiliate trucking company of Dot Foods, which describes itself as North America’s largest food-industry redistributor. Through DTI’s in-house driver training school, student drivers can earn their […]
SALINA, N.Y. — Dot Transportation, Inc. (DTI) says it has launched an in-house, driver-training school at the company’s Liverpool distribution center in the town of Salina.
DTI is the affiliate trucking company of Dot Foods, which describes itself as North America’s largest food-industry redistributor.
Through DTI’s in-house driver training school, student drivers can earn their Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) in 12 weeks, compared to the 16 to 18 weeks “typical of external programs,” DTI said in its announcement. Participants are paid $800 per week during training, with no out-of-pocket tuition. DTI covers the cost through a $1,500 prorated loan, which is “fully forgiven” after two years of employment.
“Our drivers keep this company running,” Sean Walsh, director of transportation at DTI, said in the announcement. “They’re out on the road making sure our customers get what they need. We’ve been fortunate to partner with great schools in all of our communities; a few years ago we opened our first in-house school at our Maryland facility to help us get qualified drivers into our training program sooner and set them on a clear path to a solid career with support from day one. It was a big success, and we’re excited to have that model in place here at our New York facility.”
DTI is looking to hire about 25 truck drivers in Liverpool in the coming months to meet “growing customer demand and support continued business growth,” it said. The new driver-training program gives individuals an opportunity to earn their commercial driver’s license while starting a long-term career with the company, DTI added.
The training includes four weeks of classroom instruction and hands-on learning in DTI’s truck yards, where student drivers get familiar with company equipment and meet in-house support teams. That’s followed by eight weeks of over-the-road training alongside experienced DTI driver trainers. Graduates move directly into full-time driving roles with DTI.
