Express-1 Expedited Solutions Inc. (AMEX:XPO) said today it is the first company in the nation to offer tuition reimbursement and scholarships for courses in an accredited college program that truckers can take in the comfort of their cabs anywhere in the United States and Canada as a way to attract and retain drivers.
Truck drivers can earn two-year college associate degrees and certificates issued through Chattanooga State Technical Community College in Chattanooga, Tenn. by taking courses as varied as homeland security and criminal justice to small business management with emphasis on the transportation industry. Chattanooga State and TransMarkets Technologies LLC, a Chattanooga-based trucking software and systems provider, developed the InCab University program as a response to truck drivers who wanted to further their education during idle time waiting at unloading docks, maintenance facilities and truck stops. Specializing in same-day and next-day pick-up and delivery, Express-1 provides expedited transportation services in the U.S. and Canada to more than 1,000 organizations ranging from mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies.
“Express-1 is the first company in the nation to offer scholarships and tuition reimbursement through the InCab University, which is the first and only accredited college education program for truck drivers,” Express-1’s Vice President of Corporate Development Jeff Curry said. “We are offering this benefit because we want to support our drivers as they progress in their careers in the transportation industry.”
Curry said Express-1 has learned that it makes good business sense to offer benefits that cater to the trucking lifestyle, where long-haul drivers deal with constantly changing schedules and time away from home. Along with the InCab University program, Express-1 has attracted new drivers by offering mileage bonuses, paying settlements weekly and providing convenient cash advances on the road.
Drivers who are in good standing with Express-1 for more than 90 days will be reimbursed 75 percent of their tuition if they complete their courses within the required 16 weeks and earn passing grades, Curry said. Express-1 also is offering two scholarships that pay 100 percent of the drivers first class. Drivers can access courses through a laptop computer and start their courses at any time, but they must complete the study work within the 16-week period to receive credit and reimbursement. Before they are allowed to teach at InCab University, professors must go through an orientation program to explain the challenges of the truck driving lifestyle.
