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North Carolina community college wins $287,000 to expand its CDL school

The Clyde, N.C., college's CDL school — launched in 2023 after the Canton Mill closed — will add daytime classes with its share of a $3.2 million training grant.

By CDLWire · Published October 11, 2026

Summarized from CDLLife.

A student truck driver practicing maneuvers at a community college CDL training yard

Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina, won a $287,000 grant to expand its CDL school, adding daytime classes to train local drivers, according to CDLLife on Oct. 9.

The college started its CDL program in 2023. The $287,000 is part of a $3.2 million grant split among 11 schools to train people for well-paying local jobs. The state legislature funded the school's launch after the Canton Mill, a huge local employer, closed.

"Folks in our area deserve to be able to train right here in our region and also find competitive, sustainable employment right here in the mountains," said Haywood Community College president Dr. Shelley White.