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“WIOA is the primary federal law that provides resources to states such as RI to help jobseekers access employment, education, training, and support services, and to match employers with the skilled workforce they need. In addition to having a State Workforce Development Board, WIOA requires Rhode Island to have two (2) Local Workforce Development Boards.  One of Rhode Island’s Local Workforce Development Boards is the Providence/Cranston Workforce Development Board, and the other Local Workforce Development Board serves the Greater Rhode Island Area.”

                                                                                  (https://gwb.ri.gov/about/state-and-local-roles)

    This federal funding source is available to those individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and may not have the ability to obtain their TSA Hazmat background check due to a slightly imperfect background as required through the Real Jobs Rhode Island Grant. This funding source is also available for our prospective Massachusetts residents that may not qualify for the other funding opportunities we offer here at the driving school but are looking to join and enroll with the Teamsters Driving School. Those with the ability to obtain the TSA Hazmat background check can still participate in WIOA funding if preferred. Information regarding the TSA Hazmat background check requirements can be found HERE.

    **It should be noted that while a hazmat endorsement is not required to enter employment in the transportation industry it does help tremendously to open further career opportunities such as fuel delivery and LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight to name a few.**

     Going through WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) funding is a fairly simple process but will require a scheduled meeting with one of the counselors listed below at the American Job Center to see if a career in the transportation industry is a good fit for the prospective trainee. It’s a very good idea to start this process at the beginning of a participants unemployment benefits as those benefits cannot be extended past the 26-week allotment and are only 33% of the total base salary. More information on this can be found on the RI Department of Labor’s WEBSITE. If the decision is made between the participant and the counselor that training for a CDL license at the Teamsters is in fact a good fit, a training voucher will be issued to the school on the participants behalf. The Teamsters Driving School is and has been listed on the ETPL (Eligible Training Provider List) for quite some time which give us authorization to accept a participant’s training voucher and enrollment at the school.

     Throughout this whole process the prospective trainee does have discretion as to the training provider of their choice as long as they are listed on the ETPL list which can be found HERE. It is always a good idea to do thorough research to make sure that the training provider of the participants choice meets the individual’s expectations during and upon completion.  Most importantly discuss each program thoroughly with the counselor! If any questions arise, we can easily be reached and as required by WIOA guidelines, the prospective participant must meet with each facility prior to making their decision as to what training facility they would like to attend. The Teamsters Driving School is extremely transparent during this process as we sit with each potential participant and discuss the program, industry and what the participant can expect upon completion. 

     A good start is to check each training provider’s website, (like this one) their social media (Teamsters Local 251 Driving School Facebook) and of course their reviews. With our 5-star Google REVIEWS we feel as though we are a good choice for the perspective participant but again the decision is at the sole discretion of the individual looking for training and what the counselor thinks is in the participants best interest to utilize these grant monies fiduciarily responsibly. This funding is meant to help individuals get back on their feet and into a career changing profession with excellent wages and benefits but the process is a little more involved than the Real Jobs grant but that is why it is available leaving the participant with options for enrollment in case they don’t meet the TSA Hazmat qualifications. We are always available to help answer any questions or concerns that may arise during the process so don’t hesitate to give us a call or email us on our CONTACT page. More importantly reach out to one of the counselors at any of the career centers listed below.

Kyle Ronan
Kyle Ronan
Great instructors…tons of truck time ! All the instructors are dedicated and really work on helping you succeed.. 6-8 weeks on average to be ready to test! Cant say enough good about this school, so glad I chose to go there
James Brown
James Brown
Great instructors. All friendly and knowledgeable. Alot of drive time. Highly recommend.
Nick Antaya
Nick Antaya
Tons of truck time, instructors are seasoned CDL drivers most people are out in 6-7 weeks with a phenomenal pass rate My CDL test (examiner) told me I was taught way too much, Can't go wrong with this school, a much better option than (omitted)

Providence/Cranston, Rhode Island residents looking for additional WIOA funding information and the location of the career center please click the image link below!

 Rhode Island residents outside of the Providence/Cranston area please click on the image below!

Massachusetts residents click on the MassHire image to head over to the WIOA page with career center information just for you!

**In no way is the information on this page meant to direct or force the perspective participant towards the Teamsters Local 251 Driving School as per WIOA guidelines.  The information contained within this page is meant to further educate the prospective participant of the options available to them through state and federal funding programs. Ultimately the decision to attend training with the driving school is at the discretion of the prospective participant and the counselor handling the casework.