Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety is a Diploma program offered by Douglas Education Center in Monessen, PA. The program takes 12 weeks to complete, with a total tuition of $11,850.
Program Overview
This program trains you to operate industrial heavy equipment AND earn your Pennsylvania CDL Class A with Tanker Endorsement, two credentials in one diploma program. Students learn to drive commercial trucks and operate forklifts, bulldozers, excavators, and backhoes at a professional level.
Objective. Students will understand the importance of safe practices in all aspects of commercial truck driving, as well as heavy equipment operation and usage. Graduates will effectively use their skills from this program to obtain entry-level employment in such areas as heavy equipment operation and commercial truck driving.
12 weeks, broken down.
- Wk 1–8 Permit & Manual Transmissions: Proper Shifting · Double-Clutching · 10-Speed and 13-Speed Gearboxes · Permit Testing
- Wk 1–2 On-Range Maneuvers: Alley Dock · Parallel Parking · Straight-Line Back · Offset Back
- Wk 2–8 Pre-Trip Inspection: Walk-Around · DOT-Required Checks
- Wk 4–8 On-Road Driving: Highway · Rural · Intercity · Merging · Downgrades · Safe Following
- Wk 5–8 Route Planning: Reading Maps · Daily Log Books · Trip Planning
- Wk 7–8 State Licensure Exam: Class A CDL Road Test · Written · Pre-Trip · Driving
- Wk 8–12 Heavy Equipment & Safety: Forklift, Bulldozer, Excavator and Backhoe Operation · Trenching and Excavation Techniques · Machine Controls · Site Awareness · Work Site Preparation · Stacking and Loading · Basic Maintenance Procedures
What sets this Program apart
SafeSim simulators · ELDT approved · Class A + Tanker Endorsement. SafeSim allows students to build confidence and develop core skills before progressing to our closed driving ranges and ultimately public roads.
Heavy equipment. Gain hands-on experience operating commonly used construction machines on a dedicated training site. Certificate(s) of training will be provided for the respective equipment used.
You don't watch. You drive. Real trucks on real roads, real machines on real job sites. Instructors ride along on every live drive.
Admission Requirements and Process
A prospective student seeking admission to DEC must be a high school graduate or possess a General Education Development (GED) Diploma or recognized equivalency certificate. All programs require successful completion of the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination with a minimum score of 17. DEC admits, trains and refers students without regard to race, religion, age, national origin, sex or handicap. DEC is not authorized to enroll international students. Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license, pass a DOT medical examination for a CDL, be able to pass DOT drug testing, and provide the identification and proof of residency required for a PA CDL permit.
General Requirements
- High school diploma or GEDYou must be a high school graduate or possess a General Education Development (GED) Diploma or recognized equivalency certificate; high school seniors may submit a partial…
- Application and feesComplete an application form and pay a one-time application fee ($50.00) and one-time registration fee ($100.00); both are fully refundable if the applicant is denied acceptance.
- Official transcriptRequest that an official high school transcript be sent directly to the Admissions Department; GED holders must submit official evidence of satisfactory performance.
- Wonderlic Scholastic Level ExamSuccessfully complete the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination with a minimum score of 17; a maximum of 3 attempts will be granted.
- CDL eligibilityPossess a valid driver’s license, pass a Department of Transportation medical examination for a CDL, be able to pass DOT drug testing, and provide acceptable proof of U.S.…
- Admissions interviewThe Admissions Department will contact all applicants via telephone, postal mail, and/or email to schedule an interview.
- Enrollment AgreementSign an Enrollment Agreement, the contractual agreement between the student and the school; those accepted receive a formal letter of acceptance.
Application Process
- 1Complete the online applicationApply online and pay the $50 application fee; a $100 registration fee is also required. You can pay online, over the phone, or in person.
- 2Admissions reaches outThe Admissions Department will contact you to confirm your application status and next steps.
- 3Send your high school transcriptSubmit an official high school transcript directly to the Admissions Department; applicants with a GED must provide official evidence of satisfactory performance. Transfer-of-credit requests also need official post-secondary transcripts and course descriptions.
- 4Admissions interview and Wonderlic examThe Admissions Department will schedule your interview and the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination; a minimum score of 17 is required.
- 5Sign your Enrollment AgreementThis is the contractual agreement between you and the school. Accepted applicants receive a formal letter of acceptance.
Program Schedule
Courses in the Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety Program as well as the Commercial Driver’s License Program are scheduled four (4) days per week for 7.5 hours per day with a thirty (30) minute break for lunch.
The program begins about 3 times per year; the next class begins January 11, 2027 and ends April 2, 2027.
- January 11th, 2027
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Cost and fees (Catalog Vol. 69). Tuition is $11,850. Program totals: application fee $50, registration fee $100, books $25, supplies $75, Equipment and Operation Fee (CDL) $600 and Equipment and Operation Fee (Heavy Equipment) $600, for a program total of $13,300. Program costs include one drug screening.
Per credit. $990/credit when a student attends less than 12 or more than 17 credits per term.
Funding. Yes, financial aid is available to those who qualify. Funding options may include private financing options, Veterans’ Education Benefits, agency-sponsored funding (e.g. CareerLink & Office of Vocational Rehabilitation), and institutional and external scholarships. The Heavy Equipment Scholarship is worth $2,962.50 (25% of tuition).
Payment. DEC accepts financial aid, agency funding (Veterans, Vocational Rehabilitation, job retraining benefits), cash, check, credit card and online payment at www.dec.edu/pay. Payment schedules are interest-free and do not extend beyond the semester or instructional period.
Veterans. DEC is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the training of veterans; eligible students may use the GI Bill® at DEC.
Curriculum
Diploma Program / 1 instructional period / 12 weeks: 60 didactic and 300 supervised lab hours, 12 credits.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
The hands-on training obtained in heavy machinery and commercial driving prepares graduates for careers in construction, transportation, and logistics industries.
Companies that hired graduates include Allied Oil Field Services, C&J Energy, CalFrac, Energy Resources, Penn DOT, Penn Line Services, Rock Water Energy Solutions and Royal Flush Oil & Gasfield Services.
Student outcomes. As reported to ACCSC in its 2025 Annual Report (reporting date July 1, 2025; cohort 12/23–11/24): graduation rate 83%, employment rate 80%, licensure rate 100%.
What to expect as a Douglas Education Center student
Skilled Trades Center. 30 Donner Place is a multipurpose facility which has been designed and developed to facilitate many options for education. The skilled trade programs are held here while the CDL and Heavy Equipment program will also have off-site locations for driving. Along with classrooms and computer labs, the building contains required equipment for each Skilled Trade program. This includes designated areas for Electrical and HVAC-R operations with necessary machinery, truck driving simulators, and replicas of many items used on a job site.
Career Services for life. DEC graduates have access to Career Services for life at no cost. The team works with students from the time they begin their program through graduation and after, helping with resumes, portfolios, mock interviews and job search strategies.
Campus Address
Why Accreditation Is Important
Douglas Education Center is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education. DEC is licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education, State Board of Private Licensed Schools.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
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