Mountaire Farms donates Transport Trucks to RCC Foundation

Like the county song by Alabama, Robeson Community College is getting ready to “Roll on” by training individuals how to drive an eighteen-wheeler with new trucks donated by Mountaire Farms.

Mountaire Farms donated two trucks, a 2015 and a 2016 Kenworth T680, valued at $45,966 and $49,646 respectively, making the donation a total value of almost $100,000.

“We wanted to start a truck driving program,” said Eric Freeman, Vice President of Workforce Development, Continuing Education, and Institutional Services. “But to start one, you need to have trucks for students to train on and they are an expensive commodity.”

Once Mountaire Farms heard of the need from Robeson Community College, they were ready to step in and help make the new truck driving academy a reality, so much so that leaders from the corporate office in Delaware flew in to hand over the keys.

“The decision to donate the trucks was instant,” stated JR LaPearl, Director of Mountaire Cares. “This is where our feed mill and processing plant is, it’s where our employees work, live, play, go to church and it’s our chance to play a small part in something cool, it makes my heart zing.”

And it made the hearts of leaders at RCC zing, too.

“We are excited, so excited to get these trucks. The partnership that we have with Mountaire has been instrumental in getting this program off the ground and running,” said Freeman. “We are so thankful for their support of this program and for this awesome donation that we have received.”

“This gift from Mountaire Farms will help pave the way for Robeson Community College to make a difference in our community by supplying the pipeline of truck drivers,” said Lisa Hunt, Assistant Vice President of Foundation and Grants. “We are thrilled about what the future holds for RCC and our partnership with Mountaire Farms. We expect this program will transform lives and provide employment opportunities for many in our community.”

RCC President Singler is also thrilled about the arrival of the new trucks.

RCC President Melissa Singler gets behind the wheel of one of the new transport trucks donated by Mountaire Farms.

“What can we say but thank you a million times over, this is just an amazing gift from Mountaire Farms. We would not be able to start this program without your continued support. This is such a gracious gift and we will put these trucks to good use in training future truck drivers who will be ready and prepared to fill jobs immediately after they finish the program,” said Singler. “We know that many of them will find employment with your company, so this gift is an investment back into your company and we know it will pay dividends.”

“We are so grateful for this donation and we cannot thank you enough for what you have done for our students and our community, as this program will help employ our students and allow them to make a living wage to support themselves and their families,” stated Singler.

“Having a relationship with Robeson Community College is important to us,” said Catherine M. Bassett, Director of Communications and Community Relations. “You train a lot of students who then come to work for us. We had some excess tractors and once we learned that you were planning to start a truck driving academy, we were ready to donate the trucks.”

“This is such a needed program, there is a dire need for truck drivers, and everyone is feeling the need in the supply chain. They are vital to our business,” added Bassett.

According to Cassey Morris, Director of Transportation for Mountaire, nationwide, the country is short 90,000 truck drivers, a shortage that started well before the 2020 pandemic, and a problem that many predict will continue into the near future. 

But there is hope.

Freeman says that he already has a waiting list large enough to fill three classes, which is a good sign of things to come, as Robeson Community College and Mountaire Farms partner together to do their part to help curb the shortage and get good, highly qualified drivers behind the wheel of those tractor-trailers that transport everything from grain and livestock to consumer goods and fuel.

For more information on the truck driving academy at Robeson Community College, please contact Cassidy Campbell at (910) 272-3630 or rcampbell@robeson.edu.

Group photo at top shows from left to right: JR LaPearl, Director of Mountaire Cares – Delaware; Catherine M. Bassett, Director of Communications and Community Relations at Mountaire – Delaware; David DuBuke, Fleet Operations Manager of Mountaire of Robeson County; Cassey Morris, Director of Transportation  – Delaware; RCC President Melissa Singler; Jessica Bullard, RCC Foundation Director; Lisa Hunt, Assistant Vice President of Foundation and Grants at RCC; Cassidy Campbell, Director NC Works Customized Training for RCC; Tami George, Vice President of Business Services and Chief Financial Officer at RCC; Eric Freeman, Vice President of Workforce Development, Continuing Education, and Institutional Services.