MCO Transport Inc. recently donated a tractor-trailer to Cape Fear Community College to help train students in the college's truck-driver training program.

The 46-foot long, 25,000-pound Volvo cab and tanker trailer will be the newest vehicle in the college's fleet of 18 training trucks.

"It will benefit them wherever they go," said Joe Barnhill, CFCC's lead truck driving instructor. "Once they learn how to drive a tanker truck, it makes a better driver out of them all around. It makes the students much more aware of everything they are doing on the road, from turning corners to putting on the brakes." Randy McIntyre, vice president of fleet operations for MCO Transport, said he hopes the donation will help fulfill some of CFCC's program needs and give students hands-on training.

"We have always been great supporters of CFCC trucking program because if we didn't have driver training programs in our community, the truck driver shortage would be much worse than it is," McIntyre stated.

CFCC's truck driver training program trains about 120 students per year. All students are required to successfully complete a total 384 hours before graduation.