Commercial Driving License
Commercial Driver’s License Training at EMCC
EMCC offers Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) in partnership with Ancora Training. Both programs meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards and prepare you to test for your license. Choose the track that fits the work you want to do.
Free training. Limited grant-funded seats.
A limited number of seats in upcoming cohorts are grant-funded, so eligible students can complete training at no cost. Free seats are first-come and available only while funding lasts. Because the permit process takes about a month before class begins, it pays to join an interest list early.
Class A CDL — 4 Weeks
Earn your Class A commercial driver’s license and step into one of Maine’s most in-demand careers. EMCC’s 160-hour program gives you hands-on experience operating tractor-trailers, on the road and at pick-up & delivery points, and prepares you to pass the commercial driver’s license exam.
- Length: 160 hours / 4 weeks
- Format: Daytime, Monday–Friday; additional evening and weekend options offered based on demand
- Credential: Class A CDL – ELDT, FMCSA-compliant
- Cost: Grant-funded seats available while funding lasts
Contact us for the next available start dates.
Join the Class A interest list
Class B CDL with Tanker Endorsement — For Women in Construction
Add a CDL to your toolbelt. This 120-hour Class B program with tanker endorsement is built for women moving up in construction and the trades. You’ll train on an automatic-transmission truck and finish road-ready in as little as three weeks, at no cost to you.
- Length: 120 hours
- Weekday track: Four 10-hour days a week / 3 weeks
- Weekend track: Two 10-hour days a week / 6 weeks
- Credential: Class B CDL – ELDT, FMCSA-compliant, with tanker endorsement included
- Training vehicle: Automatic transmission
- Cost: $0 – grant-funded
- Next cohort: Starts August 2026
Seats fill first-come. Once the grant funding is gone, so is the free training.
Join the Class B interest list
Who Can Apply
- 18 years of age by the first day of class
- Maine resident
- Current & valid driver’s license
- High school diploma or equivalent (transcript or completion certificate)
Accepted applicants must be able to pass a Maine DOT physical, drug screen, and background check. Already hold a current, valid CDL permit? You may be fast-tracked through the admissions process. No permit yet? Allow about a month for the DOT physical, BMV application, and permit test before class begins.
Paying for the Program
If you don’t qualify for a grant-funded seat, these programs can help cover tuition — and in some cases laptops, internet, transportation, and other needs:
- EMCC Foundation Scholarships — Eastern Maine Community College Foundation
- Eastern Maine Development Corp. (WIOA) — contact Kim Donovan, KDonovan@emdc.org, 207-561-4043, for eligibility
- Competitive Skills Scholarship Program — learn more here
- Maine Community Foundation — scholarships for non-traditional students. Browse scholarships or contact Cherie Galyean, CGalyean@mainecf.org, 207-412-2017
- HOPE Program Navigator (Penobscot, Hancock, Piscataquis, Washington, and northern Waldo counties) — email Taylor Houdlette, taylor.houdlette@maine.gov, 207-200-1274, toll-free 1-800-281-3703. To request navigation services, email JMG.DHHS@Maine.gov or call 207-620-7180.
Questions?
Email emccworkforce@mainecc.edu or call Karen Stone at 207-974-4665.
Employers: Refer candidates or commit to interview our graduates — reach out using the same contact information above.