Sarasota-based truck driving program expands nationally

A Sarasota-based company that provides CLD training for aspiring truck drivers is growing its footprint on college campuses and expanding its model to partner with private employers. FleetForce Truck Driver Training Program, headquartered on Tuttle Avenue, currently offers its services in two states; it has 13 locations, including 11 in Florida and two in Texas. 

In the second quarter of 2026, FleetForce plans to begin training programs with colleges in two more states — Alabama and North Carolina — as part of a national expansion, according to a statement. It also has six additional college partnerships in development in Texas.

The company provides a four-week training program to help people get their commercial driver’s license, or CDL.

Around the region, FleetForce provides CDL training for State College of Florida at its Bradenton and Venice campuses, for Pasco-Hernando College at its New Port Richey campus and for Fort Myers Technical College in Fort Myers.

FleetForce CEO Tra Williams started the company to address what he calls a national truck driver shortage, stating there are hundreds of thousands of CDL job vacancies across the country.

“We are not going to solve a more than 200,000-driver shortfall by competing for the same shrinking pool of licensed drivers,” Williams says in a statement. “The only sustainable solution is to create the next generation of drivers.”

To expand its reach, FleetForce is launching a strategic partnerships program that will deliver training on-site at private fleet and carrier facilities. The company will offer entry-level driver training that is compliant with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, designed for private fleets and carriers looking to upskill members of their existing workforce.

In 2026, FleetForce is expecting to train more than 3,000 commercial drivers, including through partnerships with private employers.

“At its core, FleetForce is a workforce development company,” Williams says in a statement. “Our mission is simple: empower drivers, strengthen companies and build communities. If we are serious about solving the driver shortage, we have to grow the workforce together.”