Freight Transport Driver

• There will be a 30-day announced notice of the apprenticeship opening.

• At the end of that announcement, there will be a 10-business-day application acceptance period.

• After the deadline, all applications will be reviewed for eligibility. Those that are deemed eligible will then be notified by mail of the interview date and time. Those ineligible will also receive a notice by mail of their status.

  • ​Those who are eligible will be required to respond to the interview notice confirming they wish to be interviewed.

  • Those who do not will be removed from the eligibility list.

  • Interviews are conducted in person in Anchorage unless otherwise noted.

• Applicants who are interviewed and selected for the program will be notified by telephone and mail.

  • At that time, you will be required to obtain your DOT Medical Certificate, and DOT UA substance test, and complete a Post Offer General Health and Occupational History (Depending on location and provider these four combined fees are typically $245).

  • Once you obtain the DOT Certificate, we receive Negative test results for the substance test, and the results of the POHQ; you will then be required to complete a post-offer pre-placement Functional Fit Test performed by our affiliate clinic.

  • Upon successful completion of this test, an official offer of acceptance into the training program will be made and you will be notified for the Orientation day.

You may be eligible for assistance or a grant from the Department of Labor for the fees and other associated training costs. Be sure to start that process right away as it could take 30 to 60 days to determine your status.

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Pre-Apprenticeship CDL Training.

The pre-apprenticeship 6-Week Basic Driver Training, CDL A course is through our wholly subsidiary ; Center for Employment Education (CEE). Successful completion of this program is required to be indentured into the Freight Transport Driver Apprenticeship.

There are additional costs for CDL training related fees (These can vary if a person already has a commercial learners permit or CDL B license). 

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Due the first week of class:

• Tuition: $10,000 payable to CEE. (funding authorization from DOL) *

• Book fee of $75.00

• DOT Substance Test: $70.00

• CDL permit (CLP) fee of $15.00 is payable directly to DMV.  *You can obtain your CLP-IA Permit prior to class. NOTE: You must have one of the documents as required by State of Alaska DMV when you go to obtain your CDL Permit. http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/akol/cdl/commercial-learner-permit.htm

• HazMat Fingerprint & Background Check (HME) of $86.50 is payable directly to TSA.  *You can obtain your background check prior to start of class. Pre-enroll to make an appointment at www.universalenroll.dhs.gov

• TWIC Background & Fingerprint check of $125.25 for access credentials is payable directly to TSA. *You can obtain this credential the same time as the HazMat Fingerprint background check for a combined reduced fee. Pre-enroll to make an appointment at www.universalenroll.dhs.gov

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Due the sixth week of class:

• CDL License Fee of $120.00 (first-time CDL) or $35.00 (CDL upgrade) is payable directly to DMV. NOTE: You must have one of the documents as required by the State of Alaska DMV to obtain your CDL license.

• State of Alaska - DMV Real ID Requirements: https://online.dmv.alaska.gov/RealIDChecklist/Home/Checklist#/

On Orientation Day of the FTD program, you will be required to sign-up with the Alaska Teamsters Local 959 to obtain your Start Date and Ledger #. That requires a $25.00 non-working dues payment. You will also need to maintain that monthly dues payment until you receive your first work dispatch. At that time a working dues structure will go into place. 

Keep in mind there will be additional costs for appropriate work gear which can be an investment as well. We provide an outline of recommended gear to be prepared to go to the job site for the first time.

*These fees are the apprentice’s responsibility. On occasion there may be assistance available from other sources and is a case-by-case, individual qualification status (i.e.: DOL Job Centers & AK Native Corporations, etc.). We recommend you begin searching your options as soon as possible.

The length of training before an apprentice is eligible for work will also vary by the time of year and the needs of our employers. Training time is also unpaid. (*Veterans- VA benefits do NOT apply to the initial classroom training which is called Related Instruction.

Only once you are dispatched to employment on-the-job training.) Individuals must be prepared to attend 8 weeks of consecutive training in Anchorage. If you are eligible for unemployment benefits, you can typically collect them during apprenticeship training. Other assistance may be available through the Job Centers on a case-by-case basis. Again, we recommend you check into those options as soon as possible.

All apprentices, regardless of previous training or existing CDL will attend the 6-week Basic Driver CDL-A driver training which meets the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards. It is vital to the program that each apprentice receives the same training and team building that comes with the program.

We have very high expectations of our apprentices, and it is possible to be canceled from the apprenticeship during the initial 6-week training program. There are several benchmarks you are required to meet along with a minimum 80% GPA. However, even that is not a guarantee. It is still possible to be canceled anytime along the way during the initial 1000-hour probation period. We are looking for individuals who are willing to make a commitment, work hard, and represent not only themselves but the Teamsters and all our members professionally!

Upon completion of the 6-week program, there may be additional weeks of classroom and hands-on freight industry-related training.

The intent is to have our apprentices trained to begin their careers for summer work in the local area they are selected for. Work will likely start in May/June.

Work is assigned by the Apprenticeship Coordinator. You do not seek your own employment. Typical work for this industry is year-round.

Work for this apprenticeship program is typically for the Anchorage and Fairbanks local freight industry.

Due to the seasonality of work, it is very important that individuals have a solid plan for savings.

Even at a reduced apprentice wage you will likely begin making higher wages than you ever have and want to run out and buy new and expensive items (vehicles, homes, toys, etc.).

The key to success and surviving the highs and lows of the freight seasons is saving for those low periods of reduced work. We even recommend waiting until you've completed the program and become a journeyperson before making those big purchases. Even with an apprenticeship, it is possible to experience reduced work between the major seasons.

We do ask applicants to provide information about previous criminal convictions.

Not all incidents are automatic disqualifications however there are some regarding obtaining a Hazardous Materials endorsement (HME) for a CDL.

Please review the link for the automatic disqualifications for HazMat. Other offenses may be disqualifications due to employer policies; we look at these on a case-by-case basis. If you are unsure, before you apply, please contact us.