Grays Harbor County will now pay for Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL) training costs for its operator in training employees in the Utility Division, provided those employees commit to stay with the county for two years.

The agreement between the county and the AFSCME Union was approved at a special County Commission meeting March 12. Tuesday, commissioners approved $5,000 for the first operator in training employee to take the class.

“Positions in the Utility Division require a Commercial Driver’s Class A license in order to operate certain commercial motor vehicles requiring specialized skills and knowledge,” read the agreement. “Due to the high cost of CDL tuition, employer finds it difficult to get qualified employees that obtain a CDL Class A.”

The demand for qualified truck drivers has been on the rise, according to a 2018 report by the American Trucking Association. That makes it more difficult for the county to find and especially retain CDL Class A licensed employees, leading to the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the County Commission.

The agreement specifies the county will pay the cost of training if the employee signs a two-year employment agreement with the county. The county will not pay for the time the employee is in training outside normal working hours and the employee will have to pay for his or her own transportation to and from the class location.

The cost of makeup training for missed classes or failure to pass the course will fall on the employee. If the employee leaves before the two-year anniversary date of obtaining the license, the employee will reimburse the county for tuition on a pro-rated basis.

A CDL Class A license holder can drive vehicles including tractor-trailers, truck and trailer combinations, tank vehicles, livestock carriers and flatbeds.