Riverland gets plow from MnDot, as state hopes to get future employees
Published 10:11 am Friday, April 7, 2017
- Riverland Community College President Adenuga Atewologun talks about the importance of the truck driving school and how the gift of a snow plow will broaden student experience.
Riverland Community College President Adenuga Atewologun has probably had keys handed to him before — but probably not for a snow plow.
But that’s what happened Thursday, when Minnesota Department of Transportation District 6 Engineer Jeff Vlaminck presented the key to a 2000 Sterling snow plow. The plow now becomes part of a fleet of training vehicles for the college’s truck driving program.
It is also the key to a win-win partnership between the college and MnDOT, said MnDOT Public Affairs Director Mike Dougherty: The college gets a training vehicle for its student drivers, and MnDOT may get well-trained drivers down the road.
Driving instructor Jonathan Rymer said, “This new partnership with MnDOT gives us a great tool” that broadens student experience behind the wheel.
Minnesota Department of Transportation employees and Riverland Community College officials stand with the snowplow given to Riverland on Thursday by MnDot. The plow will provide training for students in the truck driving school — and perhaps provide future employees to the DOT.
Photos by Deb Nicklay/deb.nicklay@austindailyherald.com
The Sterling is the last of the state’s plows with manual transmissions. And while future drivers will not drive a plow with a manual transmission, it gives them experience with the gear box and other items on the plow.
It also shows students one more avenue a truck driver can take in a range of occupations. Most think of a truck driver hopping into the cab of a tractor-trailer when there are many other types of driving to do, Rymer said.
Atewologun said Riverland is proud of having “one of the best truck driving programs in the country” and thanked MnDOT for helping add depth to an already great program.
And, he added, great things happen “when we work together … for our state and our region,” he said.
The 2000 Sterling snowplow was being replaced in MnDOT’s fleet as part of the normal replacement cycle.
The manual transmission vehicle provides the truck driving students with a machine that’s still in good working order. MnDOT puts some of its snowplows on the state auction or works on a transaction with other governmental bodies, such as townships that are seeking a snowplow.
Riverland Community College President Adenuga Atewologun, center, with truck driving school instructor Jonathan Rymer, left, and Minnesota Department of Transportation District 6 engineer Jeff Vlaminck. Deb Ncklay/deb.nicklay@austindailyherald.com
It marks the first time a donation such as this was made to a community college by MnDOT. The vehicle at auction would probably have brought $5,000 to $10,000, said Dougherty.
Riverland has offered a truck driving program on its Austin Campus for 30 years. Commercial truck drivers in high demand throughout Minnesota.
Long distance truck drivers make an average $30,000 to $39,000 salary in their first year and more than $40,000 the second year, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Riverland’s 16-week training program starts in August or March each year.
