Residents have chance to earn a paycheck while learning to drive
Hampton Roads Transit’s DriveNow program wants to address bus driver shortages and put some Newport News residents to work.
The program offers a free opportunity to earn a commercial driver’s permit and prepare for a career with HRT.
“The program helps people understand what their CDL obligations are, it helps them study for the test and then it helps them take the test,” HRT spokesperson Tom Holden said.
The DriveNow program is a partnership between the City of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College and HRT. Three cohorts in Norfolk and one cohort in Hampton have completed the program since it launched in July 2019.
The program was introduced
in Newport News in November through the city’s workforce development program, but the cohort was already in progress, so the city’s first participants will begin training in February.
Recruiting will be done through the Hampton Roads Community Action and Navigating Wealth Building-Work Readiness programs.
“What we’re trying to do is to attract talent that has never thought about driving,” said Monique Strickland, HRT human resources department.
Interested candidates will complete training through the Hampton Roads Community Action Program.
Those who want to join the DriveNow program will then be interviewed and screened by HRT.
After obtaining their commercial driver’s permit, selected applicants will begin a nine-week training and make $14.55 an hour as they prepare to earn a license and learn bus routes. Upon completion, drivers will become full-time bus operators making $15.18 an hour with scheduled pay increases every 10 months.
“We will provide the tools you need to be successful. If you’re open and willing to learn and to have the open availability in regards to scheduling and you’re really ready to have a complete career change, this is definitely the way to go,” Strickland said. “We will take you from A to Z and make sure you’re fully prepared to be a successful driver.”
Those who complete the program may also be eligible in the future to work as a bus transportation supervisor or a light rail operator, Strickland said.
HRT employs more than 400 bus drivers, but recruiting new drivers is a challenge, so the transportation service wants to recruit as many qualified people as possible, Strickland said.
Norfolk and HRT recruited nine students for the program in its first phase and all nine passed their CDL test and were hired full-time by HRT. Fail rates for non-DriveNow students at HRT taking their CDL tests are high at 60%, according to the City of Norfolk.