Mesalands Community College Launches CDL Academy

  • CDL Training Course will begin March 1, 2022
  • Three class types: Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice
  • Advanced course is one (1) week / Intermediate is two (2) weeks / Novice four (4) weeks
  • Students will test in the truck they trained in
  • Endorsement trainings are available (Double/Triple, Hazmat, etc.)

February 15, 2022 – Mesalands Community College begins CDL certification and training courses March 1, 2022. The Mesalands CDL Academy is a comprehensive training course now required by federal law (Feb. 7, 2022) to receive a Commercial Driver’s License.  Regardless of the driver’s experience, the Academy provides opportunities for career advancement in Commercial Truck Driving.

As the national supply chain struggles to keep up with consumer demand due to a shortage of a skilled and licensed workforce, Mesalands Community College in eastern New Mexico is launching a comprehensive workforce development program, beginning with an accredited commercial driver’s license (CDL) academy.

The ELDT regulations defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 49 CFR 380 establish standardized, minimum training requirements for entry-level Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) operators in interstate and intrastate commerce. These regulations went into effect February 7, 2022. Entry-level drivers are required to obtain training from a FMCSA Training Provider to complete the certification process outlined in the ELDT regulations.

As an approved FMCSA training program, the Mesalands CDL Academy will begin offering the three CDL training platforms on the Mesalands campus in Tucumcari beginning March 1, 2022 and is looking to establish other training locations throughout eastern and central New Mexico.

“Our goal is to build applied skill sets and training programs for students in high demand workforce trades in our region, that result in certification, licensure, and the start of a great paying career in the trades.” stated Manny Encinias, Mesalands Professor and Director of the Mesalands CDL Academy.

Mesalands CDL Academy provides comprehensive training from novice to advanced drivers. Regular endorsement trainings will be available to provide advancement for the driver. Trucks are provided for training and testing. Students will test in the truck they trained in. The cohorts are broken into three categories: Novice, Intermediate and Advanced.

In development since the Fall of 2021, the Mesalands CDL Academy will offer three training platforms for students to obtain their Class A CDL depending on the student’s level of experience.

The Novice course will spend four weeks (160-hours) in training. This course is designed to take a student from never being in a Commercial Vehicle to certification and testing. The diver will be permit ready in the beginning of the second week, allowing them to perform the verbal pre-trip, learn shifting, steer, and back-up of a trailer.

All students regardless of which course level they are attending will be well versed, skilled, and able to perform for the state examiner the following: Pre-trip inspection, 92-point inspection, skills test, and the qualifying driving test to obtain a class A CDL.

The intermediate course is a two-week (80-hours) training designed for a permit-ready driver. This is the student who has some experience, but who is not yet ready to perform the pre-trip, skills, and road test. Students will be required to be permit-ready.

The Advanced course is a one-week (40-hours) training designed specifically for the student that has: Verifiable experience and does not require a different class. Someone who has obtained a CDL A prior, let it go, and desires to obtain one once again. Students are required to be permit-ready.

More information about the Mesalands CDL Academy can be found at mesalands.edu, via email at [email protected].,

Complete the Application by clicking here

or by contacting Manny Encinias directly at (505) 927-7935.