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    1. Bus

    Greater Cleveland RTA and Tri-C join forces to offer temporary CDL training for bus operators

    Nov. 18, 2019
    The training program aims to address the shortage of bus, rail and paratransit operators.
    Related To: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)

    The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) have announced a partnership to provide temporary Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) training to Greater Cleveland RTA bus operator applicants. 

    The four-day, 40-hour training allows Greater Cleveland RTA candidates to be trained and tested in order to obtain their temporary or permanent CDL license prior to beginning Greater Cleveland RTA operator training.

    Greater Cleveland RTA developed the Temporary Commercial Drivers’ License Training Program, in partnership with Tri-C, to address the challenge of creating a larger pipeline of operator applicants (bus and paratransit) to fill job openings and remove barriers that unnecessarily discourage interested and qualified applicants.

    Greater Cleveland RTA says it’s facing a shortage of drivers and works to recruit and retain operators every quarter.

    “With unemployment the lowest it’s been in 50 years, we have to be creative and challenge our traditional thinking about how we recruit bus operators,” said RTA CEO and General Manager India Birdsong. “Tri-C is a valuable partner in helping RTA recruit and train one of our most valuable assets, our operators. Workforce readiness is a goal we share that positively impacts the community.  Together, RTA and Tri-C are making it easier for operators to be hired, to be prepared to begin training quickly and to get on the road serving our customers as soon as possible. Together, we’re making it easier to put more people to work while providing them with a sustainable, living wage, terrific benefits and job security.”

    The Temporary Commercial Drivers’ License Training Program is one of many workforce development initiatives between the Greater Cleveland RTA and Tri-C. This program prepares Greater Cleveland RTA's new student operator trainees to take and pass the testing required to obtain a temporary commercial drivers’ license permit. Additionally, the classes provide tips for the permanent commercial drivers’ license process.

    Greater Cleveland RTA says this initiative is particularly important, as there is a constant and critical need to hire part-time and full-time operators (bus, paratransit, and rail) to keep up with the ability to provide safe, reliable, clean and courteous service to customers in Cuyahoga County. On any given month, 10-12 operators retire from employment and it is critical to have a pipeline of qualified operators to replacement them.

    Greater Cleveland RTA says it offers a wide range of comprehensive benefits and programs to support the health and wellness of employees and family members including health benefits (medical, dental and vision), a wellness incentive program and participation in the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS.). The starting wage for bus/rail operators is $17.21/hour.

    Class groups are scheduled every two weeks based on the hiring of Greater Cleveland RTA new student operator trainees, which hires up to eight new student operators per class group.

    Each class session is four days, totaling 40 hours and held at Tri-C's Transportation Innovation Center in Euclid, Ohio.

    The first group of eight students completed their training on Oct. 24 and passed their testing to receive the Temporary Commercial Drivers’ License permit.

    The next four-day class started Nov. 18.