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Professional Truck Driving

Students in the Professional Truck Driving program will gain the knowledge and skills for driving over-the-road Class A tractor/trailer combination vehicles and consists of theory and behind-the-wheel instruction.

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Degree Description

Students in the Professional Truck Driving program will gain the knowledge and skills for driving over-the-road Class A tractor/trailer combination vehicles and consists of theory and behind-the-wheel instruction. Topics covered include basic vehicle operation, safe operating procedures, vehicle systems, vehicle inspection, backing, and vehicle controls. Western Dakota Technical College is a registered training provider of Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This program meets ELDT requirements for both theory and behind-the-wheel instruction.

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Application Process

  1. Complete registration paperwork with the Corporate Education Center by calling 605-718-2410.
  2. Provide an official copy of a High School transcript or GED scores by emailing corped@wdt.edu. If you graduated from an international high school, you must submit your transcript to Educational Credential Evaluators to determine U.S. equivalence.
  3. Email Immunization Records verifying two doses of MMR vaccinations to corped@wdt.edu.

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Career Description

The Professional Truck Driving program prepares students to test for their Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Individuals with a Class A CDL can drive tractor/trailer combination vehicles to transport a variety of goods. Class A CDL holders have a variety of job options available to them, including long-haul interstate driving, local and regional transport, and jobs requiring a lower class of license such as a Class B CDL. In addition to testing for the Class A CDL, students will learn the importance of safety and professionalism in this field.

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Licensure and Certification

Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. WDTC will not initially enroll students in an academic program leading to professional licensure or certification unless the College has confirmed the program meets all educational requirements of the state where the student is located, per WDTC’s Student Location policy, or intends to work after graduation.

If WDTC has not determined whether the program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure or certification in the state you are located in or intend to work in after graduation, please contact the Vice President for Teaching and Learning for assistance by emailing Tiffany.Howe@wdt.edu or calling 605.718.2905.

As of May 22 , 2024:

  1. The program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
  2. The program curriculum does not meet educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following states:
  3. WDTC has not determined whether the program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following states: AK, American Samoa, CA, CT, DC, DE, Guam, ID, LA, MA, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, MD, ME, MI, The Federated States of Micronesia, NH, NJ, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, NV, The Republic of Palau, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, VA
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After Earning Your Degree

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers continues to top the list of Top 30 Hot Careers in South Dakota because of the demand and pay. As of May 2023, the average wage in South Dakota was reported as $40,766 as reported by the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation.

Meet Your Faculty

Western Dakota Technical College has a low student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more one-on-one learning. Individual attention from your professor can make your college experience more fulfilling.


  • Kenneth Krogstad
  • Photo of Jay Banick.
    Jay Banick

  • Mark Cropley

Financial Aid

Continuing your education is crucial and Western Dakota Technical College wants to make sure that any student who wants to attend school, has the opportunity to do so. For this reason, WDTC is dedicated to administering the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Financial Assistance Program fair and consistently to anyone who needs it.

Build Dakota Scholarships

The Build Dakota Scholarship at Western Dakota Technical College will pay all your tuition and fees and prepare you for a career that is in-demand and growing in South Dakota. Build Dakota Scholarships will be awarded to students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota’s technical institutes to fill the state’s technical careers with skilled professionals.

Student Housing

Finding affordable housing during school can be a challenge for students. Western Dakota Technical College currently does not have on-campus housing, but partners with a Rapid City VRBO to offer a limited number of apartments for full-time students in the fall and spring semesters.


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Child Care

Finding child care during school is a challenge for many students. Western Dakota Technical College currently does not offer on-campus child care, but here are some resources that may help you in your search.

Youth & Family Services is an organization dedicated to helping children in Western South Dakota. They offer a variety of services, including child care at multiple locations.

The Y of Rapid City offers child care and other services.

Disclaimer: Western Dakota Technical College provides these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply affiliation, endorsement or adoption by Western Dakota Technical College of any site or any information contained therein. When you leave wdt.edu, you should be aware that our terms and policies no longer govern. Western Dakota Technical College makes no claim or representation regarding, and accepts no responsibility for, the quality, content, nature or reliability of third-party websites or vendors.

WESTERN DAKOTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE MISSION
Western Dakota Technical College prepares students to be highly-skilled professionals through accessible, career-focused programs to improve their lives, while adapting to community workforce needs and positively impacting our economy.

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