HEAVY EQUIPMENT
& CDL
Train to earn your class A CDL License and to be a heavy equipment operator, ready to drive commercial routes and operate industrial machinery across Southwestern Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.
What you will do:
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.
DEC is an approved ELDT Training Center and a program that combines CDL licensing with heavy equipment operation. Serving students from multiple counties including but not limited to Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Allegheny Counties.
What the numbers say:
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. Throughout the program, students complete classroom instruction, off-road practice, and highway driving while learning defensive driving, pre-trip inspections, log books, and planned route execution with a licensed instructor.
CDL Training.
Classroom + off-campus practice to sit for the Class A CDL with Tanker Endorsement. Defensive driving, log books, route planning.
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.
Skills you’ll walk out with:
Eight things you will be able to do across CDL and heavy equipment before you graduate.
Sit for the PA CDL Class A exam + Tanker Endorsement
The program includes all Pennsylvania Class A CDL testing requirements, including classroom instruction, the skills test, road exam, and tanker endorsement.
Operate a forklift, bulldozer, excavator, and backhoe safely at any job site
Students train on real machines in varied terrain, natural gas pads, construction sites, and oilfield environments.
Execute highway, rural, and intercity driving at commercial scale with confidence
Read and Interpret Site Blueprints
Master the essential skill of reading site layouts and technical drawings right alongside equipment operation. Combining plan reading with hands-on machinery practice gives you the complete skillset that local employers expect.
Prioritize Industry-Standard Safety on Every Shift
Field safety protocols are practiced daily on every machine. Because universal safety compliance is fully embedded in our program, you will enter the workforce already trained to meet the strict standards employers expect.
Perform daily pre-trip inspections, log books, and basic heavy equipment maintenance
Federal DOT regulations require drivers to maintain accurate logs. DEC teaches this from day one so graduates are DOT-compliant on arrival.
Enter the workforce a PA CDL Class A, and day-one hire-ready skills
Career opportunities in the energy sector infrastructure, commercial construction, and logistics are expanding rapidly across the SW PA region DEC serves.
Walk into an interview with confidence.
12 weeks, broken down.
Two tracks in one program: the PA CDL Class A with Tanker Endorsement, and heavy equipment operation with OSHA-aligned safety training.
PERMIT & MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS
Proper Shifting · Double-Clutching · 10-Speed and 13-Speed Gearboxes · Permit Testing
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
You don't watch.
You drive.
Every hour counts: real trucks on real roads, real machines on real job sites. Instructors ride along on every live drive.
Get the full guide.
Real numbers, real schedule, no sales pitch. Know exactly what you’re signing up for before you commit. Straight to your inbox.
Where the career goes.
Companies that hired graduates:
Who’s behind the wheel.
An instructor with decades of combined field time in commercial truck driving and industrial heavy equipment operation.
Fred Gibbons
- LEAD INSTRUCTOR for skilled Trades programs
Class A CDL, Truck Driving Institute CDL
You asked.We answered.
What are the admission requirements for this program?
A prospective student seeking admission to the Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety Program must:
- Be a high school graduate or possess a General Education Development (GED) Diploma or recognized equivalency certificate.
- Complete an application form and pay a one-time application fee ($50.00) and one-time registration fee ($100.00).
- Request an official high school transcript be sent directly to the Admissions Department.
- Successfully complete the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination with a minimum score of 17.
- Sign an Enrollment Agreement.
- Possess a valid driver’s license.
- Pass a Department of Transportation medical examination for a CDL.
- Be able to pass drug testing as part of the Department of Transportation drug testing requirement.
- Possess an acceptable form of identification for a U.S. Citizen.
- Possess acceptable proof of residency.
How long is the program and what is the schedule?
- Length: 12 weeks/1 instructional period
- Classes typically held Monday-Thursday
- All Skilled Trade programs (Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety; Commercial Driver’s License) courses are scheduled four (4) days per week for 7.5 hours per day with a thirty (30) minute break for lunch.
Is financial aid available?
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.
What will I be able to do after I graduate?
The hands-on training obtained in heavy machinery and commercial driving prepares graduates for careers in construction, transportation, and logistics industries. Career opportunities include:
- Heavy Equipment Operator
- Excavator Operator
- Bulldozer Operator
- Backhoe Operator
- Forklift or Telehandler Operator
- Construction Equipment Operator
- Commercial Truck Driver
- Local Truck Driver
- Regional Truck Driver
- Over-the-Road (OTR) Truck Driver
- Dump Truck Driver
- Delivery Truck Driver
- Sand and Water Hauler
- Transportation or Logistics Professional
What does a typical class day look like?
Class days vary by course and topic. Some days focus on theory-based classroom learning, while others emphasize hands-on practice and road experiences to build real-world skills.
What certifications or licenses does this program prepare me for?
Preparation to sit for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania CDL for as Class A CDL with Tanker Endorsement and Air Brake Endorsement.
What is the difference between this program and the standalone CDL program?
The main difference is that the CDL program is a standalone course focused exclusively on trucking driving and getting your license, while the Heavy Equipment and CDL with Safety (HECS) program combines that exact CDL training with additional machinery operation.
What types of heavy equipment will I operate during training?
During training, you will get hands-on experience operating four primary types of heavy machinery: telehandler forklifts, excavators, backhoes, and dozers. You will learn how to safely control, maneuver, and utilize each of these pieces of equipment alongside your commercial truck driving training.
Are there age requirements for CDL work?
DEC advises all applicants of Federal Motor Carrier regulations regarding interstate requirements for students and graduates under the age of 21. In addition, certain jobs and careers may require candidates to be at least 21 years of age.
The driver's seat
is yours.
